People 5

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

spy, scout, detect

Components

On'yomi

テイ

Example words
探偵たんてい

detective

偵察ていさつ

reconnaissance

内偵ないてい

undercover investigation

#2

Meaning

count, earl; eldest brother

Components

On'yomi

ハク

Example words
伯爵はくしゃく

count, earl

伯父おじ

uncle (older than parent)

画伯がはく

master painter

#3

Meaning

despise, insult, scorn

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

あなど(る)

Example words
侮辱ぶじょく

insult, affront

侮蔑ぶべつ

contempt, scorn

侮るあなどる

to despise, to look down on

#4

Meaning

combine, merge, join

Components

On'yomi

ヘイ

Kun'yomi

あわ(せる)

Example words
併合へいごう

merger, annexation

合併がっぺい

merger, amalgamation

併せるあわせる

to combine, to put together

#5

Meaning

be biased, lean; radical (left)

Components

On'yomi

ヘン

Kun'yomi

かたよ(る)

Example words
偏見へんけん

prejudice, bias

偏差へんさ

deviation

偏るかたよる

to be biased, to lean

#6

Meaning

salary, stipend

Components

On'yomi

ホウ

Example words
俸給ほうきゅう

salary, pay

減俸げんぽう

pay cut

年俸ねんぽう

annual salary

#7

Meaning

manservant; I (male, casual)

Components

On'yomi

ボク

Kun'yomi

しもべ

Example words
公僕こうぼく

public servant

下僕げぼく

manservant

従僕じゅうぼく

attendant, servant

#8

Meaning

colleague, official

Components

On'yomi

リョウ

Example words
同僚どうりょう

colleague

官僚かんりょう

bureaucrat

閣僚かくりょう

cabinet minister

#9

Meaning

ethics, morality, order

Components

On'yomi

リン

Example words
倫理りんり

ethics, morality

人倫じんりん

human relations, morality

不倫ふりん

immorality, adultery

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.