Body & senses 2

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

blink; moment

Components

On'yomi

シュン

Kun'yomi

またた(く)

Example words
一瞬いっしゅん

an instant

瞬間しゅんかん

moment, instant

瞬くまたく

to blink, to twinkle

#2

Meaning

sleep

Components

On'yomi

ミン

Kun'yomi

ねむ(る)

Example words
睡眠すいみん

sleep

不眠ふみん

insomnia, sleeplessness

眠るねむる

to sleep

#3

Meaning

shield

Components

On'yomi

ジュン

Kun'yomi

たて

Example words
矛盾むじゅん

contradiction

後ろ盾うしろだて

backing, support

盾突くたてつく

to defy, to talk back

#4

Meaning

sleep, lie down

Components

On'yomi

シン

Kun'yomi

ね(る) | ね(かす)

Example words
寝室しんしつ

bedroom

就寝しゅうしん

going to bed

寝るねる

to sleep, to lie down

#5

Meaning

get tired, exhausted

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

つか(れる)

Example words
疲労ひろう

fatigue

疲弊ひへい

exhaustion, impoverishment

疲れるつかれる

to get tired

#6

Meaning

touch, feel; conflict

Components

On'yomi

ショク

Kun'yomi

ふ(れる) | さわ(る)

Example words
接触せっしょく

contact

感触かんしょく

feel, texture

触れるふれる

to touch

#7

Meaning

hair (of the head)

Components

On'yomi

ハツ

Kun'yomi

かみ

Example words
頭髪とうはつ

hair (of the head)

毛髪もうはつ

hair

髪型かみがた

hairstyle

#8

Meaning

tail; end

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

Example words
尾行びこう

tailing, shadowing

末尾まつび

end, tail end

尻尾しっぽ

tail (of an animal)

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.