Quality & state

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

dry

Components

On'yomi

カン

Kun'yomi

かわ(く)

Example words
乾燥かんそう

dryness

乾杯かんぱい

a toast, cheers

乾くかわく

to dry, to become dry

#2

Meaning

strange; odd (number)

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

あや(しい)

Example words
奇妙きみょう

strange, odd

奇跡きせき

miracle

奇数きすう

odd number

#3

Meaning

bad luck; evil, disaster

Components

On'yomi

キョウ

Example words
凶悪きょうあく

heinous, fiendish

吉凶きっきょう

fortune (good or bad)

凶器きょうき

deadly weapon

#4

Meaning

dark, mysterious; profound

Components

On'yomi

ゲン

Kun'yomi

くろ

Example words
玄関げんかん

entrance hall

玄米げんまい

brown (unpolished) rice

玄人くろうと

expert, professional

#5

Meaning

cinnabar red; sincerity

Components

On'yomi

タン

Example words
丹念たんねん

careful, meticulous

丹精たんせい

diligence, painstaking care

丹田たんでん

lower abdomen (tanden)

#6

Meaning

ordinary, common

Components

On'yomi

ボン

Kun'yomi

およ(そ)

Example words
平凡へいぼん

ordinary, mediocre

非凡ひぼん

extraordinary

凡人ぼんじん

ordinary person

#7

Meaning

silent, keep quiet

Components

On'yomi

モク

Kun'yomi

だま(る)

Example words
沈黙ちんもく

silence

黙認もくにん

tacit approval

黙るだまる

to be silent

#8

Meaning

quick, agile, alert

Components

On'yomi

ビン

Example words
敏感びんかん

sensitive

鋭敏えいびん

sharp, keen

過敏かびん

oversensitive

#9

Meaning

huge, gigantic

Components

On'yomi

キョ

Example words
巨大きょだい

huge, gigantic

巨人きょじん

giant

巨額きょがく

huge sum

#10

Meaning

hill

Components

On'yomi

キュウ

Kun'yomi

おか

Example words
丘陵きゅうりょう

hills, downs

砂丘さきゅう

sand dune

段丘だんきゅう

terrace, plateau

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.