Mouth & words
Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.
On'yomi & Kun'yomi
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.
What the component colors mean
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.
sorrow, melancholy
sorrow, grief
pity, pathos
arousing, evoking
summons (to court)
shouting, clamor
lucky day
excellent luck
ominous, unlucky
tea drinking; cafe
smoking
fully enjoying
enlightenment, education
revelation
Dear ... (letter opening)
part-time commission
commission, entrusting
great expectations
philosophy
philosopher, sage
ancient sages
government official
official, clerk
capable official
Practice
Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.