Watch, listen & clash

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

inspect, review, read

Components

On'yomi

エツ

Example words
閲覧えつらん

reading, browsing

検閲けんえつ

censorship

校閲こうえつ

proofreading, review

#2

Meaning

banquet, feast

Components

On'yomi

エン

Kun'yomi

うたげ

Example words
宴会えんかい

banquet, party

酒宴しゅえん

drinking party

祝宴しゅくえん

celebration banquet

#3

Meaning

examine, judge, hearing

Components

On'yomi

シン

Example words
審査しんさ

examination, screening

審判しんぱん

referee; judgment

不審ふしん

suspicious, dubious

#4

Meaning

carry out; give, bestow

Components

On'yomi

シ | セ

Kun'yomi

ほどこ(す)

Example words
施設しせつ

facility, institution

実施じっし

implementation

施すほどこす

to give, to carry out

#5

Meaning

welfare, happiness

Components

On'yomi

Example words
福祉ふくし

welfare

福祉施設ふくししせつ

welfare facility

社会福祉しゃかいふくし

social welfare

#6

Meaning

listen carefully, hear

Components

On'yomi

チョウ

Kun'yomi

き(く)

Example words
聴衆ちょうしゅう

audience

傾聴けいちょう

listening closely

聴くきく

to listen (attentively)

#7

Meaning

carve, engrave, sculpt

Components

On'yomi

チョウ

Kun'yomi

ほ(る)

Example words
彫刻ちょうこく

sculpture, carving

木彫もくちょう

wood carving

彫るほる

to carve, to engrave

#8

Meaning

collide, thrust; important point

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Kun'yomi

つ(く)

Example words
衝突しょうとつ

collision, clash

衝撃しょうげき

shock, impact

緩衝かんしょう

buffer, cushion

#9

Meaning

exceed, surpass; super-

Components

On'yomi

チョウ

Kun'yomi

こ(える) | こ(す)

Example words
超越ちょうえつ

transcendence

超過ちょうか

excess, being over

超えるこえる

to exceed, to surpass

#10

Meaning

proceed to, head for

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

おもむ(く)

Example words
赴任ふにん

taking up a new post

赴任先ふにんさき

one’s new post

赴くおもむく

to head for, to proceed

#11

Meaning

cover; overturn

Components

On'yomi

フク

Kun'yomi

おお(う) | くつがえ(す)

Example words
覆面ふくめん

mask, disguise

転覆てんぷく

overturning, capsizing

覆うおおう

to cover

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.