Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (2): Pictures Became Kanji.

Pictures became kanji. When you look at a picture, you know what it means. When you look
at the kanji made from a picture, you can guess what it means. The kanji for "bird" is a picture
of a bird.
Kanji usually have at least two readings. One is called on-yomi or the Chinese reading, and
the other is kun-yomi or the Japanese reading.

Meaning
bird

Reading
On-reading: chou
Kun-reading: tori

Mnemonics
The four slashes on the bottom are the bird's feet. Above the feet are the wings and
above the wings is the head. There is an eye on the face. The beak is on the top of the
head. Can you see a shape of the bird from this character?

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (8): A Combination of Pictures
Pictures turned into kanji. A combination of pictures also became kanji.

Meaning
nest

Reading
On-reading: sou
Kun-reading: su

Mnemonics
A bird nest is on the top of the tree. There are three little birds in the nest.

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (8): A Combination of Pictures
Pictures turned into kanji. A combination of pictures also became kanji.

Meaning
emperor

Reading
On-reading: tei
Kun-reading: -----

Mnemonics
The top part of the character is the emperor's hat with a crown. The bottom part is a
gown of the emperor. Can you see the appearance of an emperor in this character?

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (8): A Combination of Pictures
Pictures turned into kanji. A combination of pictures also became kanji.

Meaning
east

Reading
On-reading: tou
Kun-reading: higashi

Mnemonics
The sun rises in the east. There is a tree in the east. The sun appears behind the tree.
The kanji "east" is a combination of kanji "sun" and "tree."

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (6): Verticals and Horizontals
Pictures turned into kanji. Diagonal lines are used to draw pictures as well as vertical and
horizontal lines. Most kanji are made with vertical and horizontal strokes. Let's fit the pictures
into a square grid to make kanji.

Meaning
fish

Reading
On-reading: gyo
Kun-reading: sakana

Mnemonics
There are three parts in this character: a fish head, body and tail fin. In the picture the
body part is drawn with curved lines, but it changed into straight lines in kanji.

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (6): Verticals and Horizontals
Pictures turned into kanji. Diagonal lines are used to draw pictures as well as vertical and
horizontal lines. Most kanji are made with vertical and horizontal strokes. Let's fit the pictures
into a square grid to make kanji.

Meaning
elephant

Reading
On-reading: zou, shou
Kun-reading: -----

Mnemonics
The round head of an elephant became square in kanji. The top part of kanji signifies
an elephant 's trunk. The bottom part is the legs and the tail. In kanji they are drawn
with vertical lines.

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (6): Verticals and Horizontals
Pictures turned into kanji. Diagonal lines are used to draw pictures as well as vertical and
horizontal lines. Most kanji are made with vertical and horizontal strokes. Let's fit the pictures
into a square grid to make kanji.

Meaning
horse

Reading
On-reading: ba
Kun-reading: uma

Mnemonics
The top left part expresses the head and neck of a horse. The right side is the mane.
The four dots on the bottom are the four legs. In kanji the whole shape is drawn with
vertical lines.

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (7): The Chinese Invented Kanji
The Chinese made kanji characters by observing their culture. If you look at the kanji, you
can see the lifestyle of the Chinese.

Meaning
spring

Reading
On-reading: shun
Kun-reading: haru

Mnemonics
China has had a cold winter. People are looking forward to the coming of spring. A
warm sun rises in spring. People go out to enjoy the sun. The bottom part of the
character is "sun." The top part is the character for "three people."

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (1): Kanji Express Meaning.

Kanji do not express sounds. They express meaning. Kanji take the form of outlines. The
meaning is understood from this form. Romaji express sounds. When you see the word "ki
(tree)," you know what the pronunciation is, but not what it means.
Let's learn the outline and its meaning for each basic unit.

Meaning
to learn

Reading
On-reading: gaku
Kun-reading: mana(bu)

Mnemonics
A child is wearing a cap. The cap has a decoration of the school logo. The child is
going to school, wearing the cap. This kanji means, "to learn."

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (2): Pictures Became Kanji.
Pictures became kanji. When you look at a picture, you know what it means. When you look
at the kanji made from a picture, you can guess what it means. The kanji for "bird" is a picture
of a bird.
Kanji usually have at least two readings. One is called on-yomi or the Chinese reading, and
the other is kun-yomi or the Japanese reading.

Meaning
wing

Reading
On-reading: u
Kun-reading: hane, ha

Mnemonics
A bird has two wings. Both wings have the same shape. The wings have many little
feathers. Can you see the bird's wings from this charcater?

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (2): Pictures Became Kanji.
Pictures became kanji. When you look at a picture, you know what it means. When you look
at the kanji made from a picture, you can guess what it means. The kanji for "bird" is a picture
of a bird.
Kanji usually have at least two readings. One is called on-yomi or the Chinese reading, and
the other is kun-yomi or the Japanese reading.

Meaning
paddy

Reading
On-reading: den
Kun-reading: ta

Mnemonics
In the wide open fields, there are footpaths. There are a lot of square paddies. A paddy
is made of many squares. Can you see a paddy from this character?

Kanji of the Week

Kanji Rule (3):
Adjectives Can Also Become Pictures.
Adjectives can also be expressed by shapes. For example, the character for "big." People
spread their arms to show the size. By looking at this shape, you can tell the size.

Meaning
early

Reading
On-reading: sou
Kun-reading: haya(i)

Mnemonics
The sun rises over a field in the morning. It is still early when the sun is just coming
up from the field. Can you see the sun and the field (grass) in this character?