Counting & measure

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

one (formal/legal)

Components

On'yomi

イチ

Example words
壱万円いちまんえん

10,000 yen (formal)

壱番いちばん

number one (formal)

金壱万きんいちまん

sum of 10,000 (legal)

#2

Meaning

two (formal/legal)

Components

On'yomi

Example words
弐万円にまんえん

20,000 yen (formal)

金弐千きんにせん

sum of 2,000 (legal)

弐百にひゃく

two hundred (formal)

#3

Meaning

length; height; sturdy

Components

On'yomi

ジョウ

Kun'yomi

たけ

Example words
丈夫じょうぶ

sturdy, healthy

頑丈がんじょう

robust, solid

背丈せたけ

height, stature

#4

Meaning

how many, how much; some

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

いく

Example words
幾何学きかがく

geometry

幾分いくぶん

somewhat, to some extent

幾ついくつ

how many

#5

Meaning

counter for animals; match

Components

On'yomi

ヒツ

Kun'yomi

ひき

Example words
匹敵ひってき

being a match for, rivaling

一匹いっぴき

one animal (counter)

数匹すうひき

several animals

#6

Meaning

grain, drop; counter for grains

Components

On'yomi

リュウ

Kun'yomi

つぶ

Example words
粒子りゅうし

particle

一粒ひとつぶ

one grain

米粒こめつぶ

grain of rice

#7

Meaning

width, breadth

Components

On'yomi

フク

Kun'yomi

はば

Example words
幅広いはばひろい

wide, broad

全幅ぜんぷく

full, entire

大幅おおはば

large, substantial

#8

Meaning

counter for items; place

Components

On'yomi

カ | コ

Example words
箇所かしょ

place, spot

箇条書きかじょうがき

itemized listing

一箇月いっかげつ

one month

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.