Food & drink

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).

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

#1

Meaning

bait, feed

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

え | えさ

Example words
えさ

feed, bait

餌食えじき

prey, victim

好餌こうじ

tempting bait

#2

Meaning

rice cake, mochi

Components

On'yomi

ヘイ

Kun'yomi

もち

Example words
もち

rice cake

煎餅せんべい

rice cracker

尻餅しりもち

falling on the buttocks

#3

Meaning

awaken, sober up

Components

On'yomi

セイ

Kun'yomi

さ(める)

Example words
覚醒かくせい

awakening, arousal

覚醒剤かくせいざい

stimulant drug

醒めるさめる

to sober up, to awaken

#4

Meaning

refined sake, spirits

Components

On'yomi

チュウ

Example words
焼酎しょうちゅう

shochu (distilled spirit)

酎ハイちゅうはい

shochu highball

麦焼酎むぎじょうちゅう

barley shochu

#5

Meaning

roast, parch, decoct

Components

On'yomi

セン

Kun'yomi

い(る)

Example words
煎茶せんちゃ

green tea (sencha)

煎餅せんべい

rice cracker

煎じるせんじる

to decoct, to brew

#6

Meaning

noodles

Components

On'yomi

メン

Example words
麺類めんるい

noodles (category)

製麺せいめん

noodle making

冷麺れいめん

cold noodles

#7

Meaning

bowl; rice bowl dish

Components

On'yomi

トン

Kun'yomi

どんぶり

Example words
どんぶり

large bowl; rice bowl dish

牛丼ぎゅうどん

beef bowl

天丼てんどん

tempura bowl

#8

Meaning

skewer, spit

Components

On'yomi

カン

Kun'yomi

くし

Example words
くし

skewer, spit

串焼きくしやき

grilled on a skewer

竹串たけぐし

bamboo skewer

#9

Meaning

mortar, mill

Components

On'yomi

キュウ

Kun'yomi

うす

Example words
石臼いしうす

stone mill

脱臼だっきゅう

dislocation (joint)

臼歯うすば

molar tooth

#10

Meaning

refreshing, brisk

Components

On'yomi

ソウ

Kun'yomi

さわ(やか)

Example words
爽快そうかい

refreshing, exhilarating

爽やかさわやか

fresh, brisk

颯爽さっそう

smart, gallant

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.