Plants & vegetation

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

potato, taro

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

いも

Example words
里芋さといも

taro

焼き芋やきいも

roasted sweet potato

芋類いもるい

tubers, potatoes

#2

Meaning

confectionery, sweets

Components

On'yomi

Example words
菓子かし

sweets, confectionery

製菓せいか

confectionery making

銘菓めいか

famous local sweets

#3

Meaning

rough, wild; go to waste

Components

On'yomi

コウ

Kun'yomi

あ(れる) | あら(い)

Example words
荒野こうや

wilderness

荒廃こうはい

ruin, devastation

荒いあらい

rough, wild

#4

Meaning

lawn, turf

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

しば

Example words
芝生しばふ

lawn

芝居しばい

play, drama; pretense

芝草しばくさ

lawn grass

#5

Meaning

firewood

Components

On'yomi

シン

Kun'yomi

たきぎ | まき

Example words
薪炭しんたん

firewood and charcoal

薪能たきぎのう

firelight Noh play

薪割りまきわり

splitting firewood

#6

Meaning

store up, save

Components

On'yomi

チク

Kun'yomi

たくわ(える)

Example words
蓄積ちくせき

accumulation

貯蓄ちょちく

savings

蓄えるたくわえる

to store up, to save

#7

Meaning

thin, weak, light

Components

On'yomi

ハク

Kun'yomi

うす(い)

Example words
薄情はくじょう

heartless, cold

希薄きはく

thin, diluted, sparse

薄いうすい

thin, light (color)

#8

Meaning

grow thick, luxuriant

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

しげ(る)

Example words
繁茂はんも

luxuriant growth

茂るしげる

to grow thick

茂みしげみ

thicket, bush

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.