Earth, mountains & insects

Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.

On'yomi (音読み) is the reading borrowed from Chinese, usually used in compound words, e.g. 三月 (さんがつ, March).

Kun'yomi (訓読み) is the native Japanese reading, used when the kanji stands alone or takes kana endings, e.g. 三つ (みっつ, three items).

By convention the readings list writes on'yomi in katakana (シュ) and kun'yomi in hiragana (さけ). Example words show furigana in hiragana, so the same on'yomi can look like シュ in the list but しゅ in a word.

Blue - the main radical the kanji is filed under in dictionaries.

Green - a component that hints at the meaning.

Orange - a component that hints at the reading (sound).

?

Grey - another building block, with no clear meaning or sound role.

#1

Meaning

block up; fortress

Components

On'yomi

ソク | サイ

Kun'yomi

ふさ(ぐ)

Example words
要塞ようさい

fortress, stronghold

閉塞へいそく

blockage, obstruction

脳梗塞のうこうそく

cerebral infarction

#2

Meaning

heap up, pile

Components

On'yomi

タイ

Kun'yomi

うずたか(い)

Example words
堆積たいせき

accumulation, deposit

堆肥たいひ

compost, manure

堆積物たいせきぶつ

sediment, deposits

#3

Meaning

fill in, plug

Components

On'yomi

テン

Example words
補塡ほてん

compensation, filling

装塡そうてん

loading, charging

充塡じゅうてん

filling up, packing

#4

Meaning

storm, tempest

Components

On'yomi

ラン

Kun'yomi

あらし

Example words
あらし

storm, tempest

砂嵐すなあらし

sandstorm

雪嵐ゆきあらし

snowstorm, blizzard

#5

Meaning

cliff, precipice

Components

On'yomi

ガイ

Kun'yomi

がけ

Example words
がけ

cliff

断崖だんがい

sheer cliff, precipice

崖崩れがけくずれ

landslide

#6

Meaning

rainbow

Components

On'yomi

コウ

Kun'yomi

にじ

Example words
にじ

rainbow

虹色にじいろ

rainbow-colored

虹彩こうさい

iris (of the eye)

#7

Meaning

bee, wasp

Components

On'yomi

ホウ

Kun'yomi

はち

Example words
蜂蜜はちみつ

honey

蜜蜂みつばち

honeybee

養蜂ようほう

beekeeping

#8

Meaning

honey, nectar

Components

On'yomi

ミツ

Example words
蜂蜜はちみつ

honey

蜜月みつげつ

honeymoon

蜜柑みかん

mandarin orange

#9

Meaning

fear, revere, awe

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

おそ(れる)

Example words
畏敬いけい

reverence, awe

畏怖いふ

awe, dread

畏縮いしゅく

cowering, flinching

#10

Meaning

capital region

Components

On'yomi

Example words
近畿きんき

Kinki region

畿内きない

the home provinces

京畿けいき

capital and surroundings

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.