Cold & sky

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

crown, cap

Components

On'yomi

カン

Kun'yomi

かんむり

Example words
王冠おうかん

crown

栄冠えいかん

laurels, honor

冠婚葬祭かんこんそうさい

ceremonial occasions

#2

Meaning

superfluous, redundant

Components

On'yomi

ジョウ

Example words
冗談じょうだん

joke

冗長じょうちょう

verbose, redundant

冗費じょうひ

wasteful expense

#3

Meaning

congeal; be absorbed in

Components

On'yomi

ギョウ

Kun'yomi

こ(る)

Example words
凝固ぎょうこ

solidification

凝縮ぎょうしゅく

condensation

凝るこる

to be absorbed in; to stiffen

#4

Meaning

freeze

Components

On'yomi

トウ

Kun'yomi

こお(る) | こご(える)

Example words
凍結とうけつ

freezing

冷凍れいとう

freezing (food)

凍るこおる

to freeze

#5

Meaning

zero; spill, drip

Components

On'yomi

レイ

Kun'yomi

こぼ(す)

Example words
零下れいか

below zero

零細れいさい

petty, small-scale

零点れいてん

zero points

#6

Meaning

spirit, soul

Components

On'yomi

レイ

Kun'yomi

たま

Example words
霊魂れいこん

soul, spirit

幽霊ゆうれい

ghost

霊感れいかん

inspiration; sixth sense

#7

Meaning

rise, ascend

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Kun'yomi

のぼ(る)

Example words
昇進しょうしん

promotion

上昇じょうしょう

rise, ascent

昇るのぼる

to rise (sun)

#8

Meaning

crystal, sparkle

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Example words
結晶けっしょう

crystal; fruition

水晶すいしょう

crystal, quartz

液晶えきしょう

liquid crystal (LCD)

#9

Meaning

a while, temporarily

Components

On'yomi

ザン

Kun'yomi

しばら(く)

Example words
暫定ざんてい

provisional, tentative

暫時ざんじ

short while

暫くしばらく

for a while

#10

Meaning

faint, dim; secluded; ghostly

Components

On'yomi

ユウ

Kun'yomi

かす(か)

Example words
幽霊ゆうれい

ghost

幽閉ゆうへい

confinement, imprisonment

幽玄ゆうげん

subtle profundity

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.