Speech & the face

Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.

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

harmony; joke

Components

Example words
かい調ちょう

harmony, tune

はいかい

haikai (comic linked verse)

かいぎゃく

joke, humor

#2

Meaning

visit a shrine; attainment

Components

Example words
さんけい

visiting a shrine/temple

ぞうけい

scholarship, attainments

はつもうで

first shrine visit of the year

#3

Meaning

avail; investigate

Components

Example words
せんさく

prying, inquiry

しょせん

after all, in the end

せん

deliberation, examination

#4

Meaning

who

Components

Example words
だれ

who

すい

challenging (who goes there)

だれかれ

this and that person

#5

Meaning

give up; truth

Components

Example words
ていかん

resignation; clear insight

あきらめる

to give up

ようてい

gist, essential point

#6

Meaning

riddle, mystery

Components

Example words
なぞ

solving a riddle

なぞなぞ

riddle, puzzle

なぞめく

to be mysterious

#7

Meaning

obituary, news of death

Components

Example words
ほう

obituary notice

いん

news of a death

こく

announcement of death

#8

Meaning

jaw, chin

Components

Example words
がくかんせつ

jaw joint

じょうがく

upper jaw

がく

lower jaw

#9

Meaning

time, about (when)

Components

Example words
ごろ

usually, always

ちかごろ

recently, nowadays

としごろ

marriageable age

#10

Meaning

must, necessary

Components

Example words
ひっ

essential, indispensable

きゅう

small teapot

しゅよう

essential point

#11

Meaning

sudden; in order

Components

Example words
せいとん

tidying up, order

とんちゃく

caring about, heeding

とん

setback, standstill

#12

Meaning

cheek

Components

Example words
ほおぼね

cheekbone

ほお

to stuff cheeks with food

ほおづえ

resting chin on hand

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.