Water & rivers

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

dirty, pollute

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

けが(す) | よご(す) | きたな(い)

Example words
汚染おせん

pollution, contamination

汚点おてん

stain, blot

汚いきたない

dirty

#2

Meaning

condition, situation

Components

On'yomi

キョウ

Example words
状況じょうきょう

situation, circumstances

実況じっきょう

live (broadcast)

不況ふきょう

recession, slump

#3

Meaning

marsh, swamp; luster

Components

On'yomi

タク

Kun'yomi

さわ

Example words
沢山たくさん

a lot, many

光沢こうたく

luster, gloss

沢登りさわのぼり

stream climbing

#4

Meaning

attach, append, add

Components

On'yomi

テン

Kun'yomi

そ(える) | そ(う)

Example words
添加てんか

addition (of an additive)

添付てんぷ

attachment

添えるそえる

to add, to attach

#5

Meaning

cross over; hand over

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

わた(る) | わた(す)

Example words
渡航とこう

voyage, going abroad

譲渡じょうと

transfer, assignment

渡るわたる

to cross over

#6

Meaning

stay overnight; anchor

Components

On'yomi

ハク

Kun'yomi

と(まる) | と(める)

Example words
宿泊しゅくはく

lodging, staying

停泊ていはく

anchorage, mooring

泊まるとまる

to stay the night

#7

Meaning

beach, seashore

Components

On'yomi

ヒン

Kun'yomi

はま

Example words
海浜かいひん

seashore, beach

砂浜すなはま

sandy beach

浜辺はまべ

beach, seaside

#8

Meaning

float; be buoyant

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

う(く) | う(かぶ)

Example words
浮力ふりょく

buoyancy

浮遊ふゆう

floating, drifting

浮かぶうかぶ

to float; to come to mind

#9

Meaning

random, rambling; comic

Components

On'yomi

マン

Example words
漫画まんが

manga, comic

漫才まんざい

comic dialogue (manzai)

散漫さんまん

distracted, rambling

#10

Meaning

melt, dissolve

Components

On'yomi

ヨウ

Kun'yomi

と(ける) | と(かす)

Example words
溶解ようかい

dissolution, melting

溶岩ようがん

lava

溶けるとける

to melt, to dissolve

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.