People 4
Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.
On'yomi & Kun'yomi
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.
What the component colors mean
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).
Grey - another building block, with no clear meaning or sound role.
forgery, counterfeiting
falsehood, untruth
fake, imitation
masterpiece
hero, great man
excellence, prominence
marquis
kings and nobles
feudal lords
under the umbrella (of)
umbrella (for rain)
parasol
Confucianism
Confucian studies
Confucian scholar
quick-witted, sharp
genius, talent
fleet-footed, fast
compensation, indemnity
redemption, repayment
to compensate, to atone
hermit, immortal
immortal mountain wizard
fairyland, paradise
however, but
proviso, condition
Tajima (place)
Practice
Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.