Sun & fire

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

free time, leisure

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

ひま | いとま

Example words
休暇きゅうか

holiday, leave

余暇よか

leisure, spare time

寸暇すんか

a moment of free time

#2

Meaning

gist, purport; delicious

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

むね | うま(い)

Example words
趣旨しゅし

purport, gist

要旨ようし

gist, summary

論旨ろんし

point of an argument

#3

Meaning

ten-day period; season

Components

On'yomi

ジュン | シュン

Example words
上旬じょうじゅん

first third of a month

中旬ちゅうじゅん

middle third of a month

下旬げじゅん

last third of a month

#4

Meaning

right, just; this

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

これ

Example words
是非ぜひ

right and wrong; by all means

是正ぜせい

correction, rectification

是認ぜにん

approval, endorsement

#5

Meaning

become cloudy

Components

On'yomi

ドン

Kun'yomi

くも(る)

Example words
曇天どんてん

cloudy weather

曇りくもり

cloudy

花曇りはなぐもり

hazy weather in cherry season

#6

Meaning

universal, widespread

Components

On'yomi

Example words
普通ふつう

ordinary, usual

普及ふきゅう

diffusion, spread

普段ふだん

usually, everyday

#7

Meaning

calendar, almanac

Components

On'yomi

レキ

Kun'yomi

こよみ

Example words
西暦せいれき

Western calendar (AD)

太陽暦たいようれき

solar calendar

還暦かんれき

60th birthday

#8

Meaning

do; for the sake of

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

ため | な(す)

Example words
行為こうい

act, deed

作為さくい

artificiality, intention

為替かわせ

money exchange, forex

#9

Meaning

smoke

Components

On'yomi

エン

Kun'yomi

けむり | けむ(る)

Example words
煙突えんとつ

chimney

禁煙きんえん

no smoking

喫煙きつえん

smoking (tobacco)

#10

Meaning

boil, cook, simmer

Components

On'yomi

シャ

Kun'yomi

に(る) | に(える)

Example words
煮沸しゃふつ

boiling

煮物にもの

simmered dish

煮るにる

to boil, to simmer

#11

Meaning

dry (up)

Components

On'yomi

ソウ

Example words
乾燥かんそう

dryness, dehydration

焦燥しょうそう

impatience, fretting

乾燥機かんそうき

dryer (machine)

#12

Meaning

explode, burst

Components

On'yomi

バク

Example words
爆発ばくはつ

explosion

爆弾ばくだん

bomb

爆撃ばくげき

bombing

#13

Meaning

intense, fierce, violent

Components

On'yomi

レツ

Kun'yomi

はげ(しい)

Example words
激烈げきれつ

violent, fierce

熱烈ねつれつ

ardent, passionate

強烈きょうれつ

intense, strong

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.