Thread & net

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

fiber; tie; maintain

Components

On'yomi

Example words
維持いじ

maintenance, upkeep

繊維せんい

fiber

維新いしん

restoration (Meiji)

#2

Meaning

latitude; weft

Components

On'yomi

Example words
緯度いど

latitude

経緯けいい

details, circumstances

北緯ほくい

north latitude

#3

Meaning

edge; connection, fate

Components

On'yomi

エン

Kun'yomi

ふち

Example words
縁側えんがわ

veranda

血縁けつえん

blood relation

額縁がくぶち

picture frame

#4

Meaning

inherit, succeed, continue

Components

On'yomi

ケイ

Kun'yomi

つ(ぐ)

Example words
継続けいぞく

continuation

中継ちゅうけい

relay, broadcast

継ぐつぐ

to succeed to, to inherit

#5

Meaning

purple, violet

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

むらさき

Example words
紫外線しがいせん

ultraviolet rays

紫色むらさきいろ

purple (color)

紫紺しこん

bluish purple

#6

Meaning

introduce, mediate

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Example words
紹介しょうかい

introduction

自己紹介じこしょうかい

self-introduction

紹介状しょうかいじょう

letter of introduction

#7

Meaning

flourish, prosper; frequent

Components

On'yomi

ハン

Kun'yomi

しげ(る)

Example words
繁栄はんえい

prosperity

繁盛はんじょう

prosperity, booming

繁華街はんかがい

downtown, busy district

#8

Meaning

net; network

Components

On'yomi

モウ

Kun'yomi

あみ

Example words
網羅もうら

comprehensive coverage

通信網つうしんもう

communication network

網目あみめ

mesh (of a net)

#9

Meaning

crest; pattern

Components

On'yomi

モン

Example words
紋章もんしょう

crest, emblem

家紋かもん

family crest

指紋しもん

fingerprint

#10

Meaning

entwine; connect, contact

Components

On'yomi

ラク

Kun'yomi

から(む) | から(まる)

Example words
連絡れんらく

contact, communication

短絡たんらく

short circuit; jumping to conclusions

絡むからむ

to get tangled, to be involved

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.