People & behavior

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

depend on, rely on

Components

On'yomi

イ | エ

Kun'yomi

よ(る)

Example words
依頼いらい

request; reliance

依存いぞん

dependence

依然いぜん

still, as before

#2

Meaning

great, admirable

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

えら(い)

Example words
偉大いだい

great, grand

偉人いじん

great person

偉いえらい

great, admirable

#3

Meaning

mediate; care for; shellfish

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Example words
紹介しょうかい

introduction

介護かいご

nursing care

仲介ちゅうかい

mediation, agency

#4

Meaning

ceremony, etiquette, affair

Components

On'yomi

Example words
儀式ぎしき

ceremony, ritual

礼儀れいぎ

manners, courtesy

行儀ぎょうぎ

manners, behavior

#5

Meaning

look up; revere; state

Components

On'yomi

ギョウ | コウ

Kun'yomi

あお(ぐ) | おお(せ)

Example words
仰天ぎょうてん

looking up to heaven; astonishment

信仰しんこう

religious faith

仰ぐあおぐ

to look up; to respect

#6

Meaning

lean, incline, tend

Components

On'yomi

ケイ

Kun'yomi

かたむ(く) | かたむ(ける)

Example words
傾向けいこう

tendency, trend

傾斜けいしゃ

slope, incline

傾くかたむく

to lean, to tilt

#7

Meaning

ask, inquire, visit (humble)

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

うかが(う)

Example words
伺候しこう

inquiring after (someone)

伺ううかがう

to ask/visit (humble)

お伺いおうかがい

inquiry (polite)

#8

Meaning

invade, encroach

Components

On'yomi

シン

Kun'yomi

おか(す)

Example words
侵入しんにゅう

intrusion, invasion

侵略しんりゃく

aggression, invasion

侵すおかす

to invade, to violate

#9

Meaning

Buddhist monk, priest

Components

On'yomi

ソウ

Example words
僧侶そうりょ

Buddhist monk

高僧こうそう

high priest

尼僧にそう

Buddhist nun

#10

Meaning

customs; worldly, vulgar

Components

On'yomi

ゾク

Example words
風俗ふうぞく

customs, manners

俗語ぞくご

slang, colloquialism

世俗せぞく

worldly affairs

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.