Kanji 5

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Each character entry below contains a ≤1 MB QuickTime movie of the character being painted with a brush, created by Prof. Saeko Komori of Chubu University. Please see the JP Net Kanji Project for more details.

In the following definitions, on (Chinese-based) readings are represented by katakana, and by capital romaji letters; kun (native Japanese-based) readings are represented by hiragana, and by lower-case romaji letters. This is a common dictionary convention, and does not have any bearing on meaning.

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 人

Readings: ジン JIN

Meaning: person

Mnemonic:
A side view of a person walking.

Usage examples:
アメリカ人 (アメリカじん) an American
日本人 (にほんじん) a Japanese

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 白

Readings: しろ shiro

Meaning: white

Mnemonic:
The sun 日 and its white sunlight (top stroke).

Usage examples:
白い (しろい) is white

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 黒

Readings: くろ kuro

Meaning: black

Mnemonic:
The chimney 里 where soot collects and fire 火 (the bottom strokes).

Usage examples:
黒い (くろい) is black

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 赤

Readings: あか aka

Meaning: red

Mnemonic:
The earth 土 and a flame 火.

Usage examples:
赤い (あかい) is red

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 青

Readings: あお ao

Meaning: blue

Mnemonic:
The grass (top component) looks blue under the moon 月 at night.

Usage examples:
青い (あおい) is blue

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 雨

Readings: あめ ame

Meaning: rain

Mnemonic:
Rain drops keep falling under the cloud...

Usage examples:
雨 (あめ) rain

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 見

Readings: み- mi-

Meaning: see; look at; show

Mnemonic:
An eye 目 on a pair of legs.

Usage examples:
見ます (みます) (I'll) see (it).
見せます (みせます) (I'll) show (it).

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 同

Readings: おな- ona-

Meaning: same

Mnemonic:
One 一 mouth 口 in an enclosure represents the oneness of opinions.

Usage examples:
同じ (おなじ) the same

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 少

Readings: すこ-/ショウ suko-/SHOO

Meaning: few; a little

Mnemonic:
A portion from something small 小 is cut off by another stroke.

Usage examples:
少し (すこし) a little; a few
少々 (しょうしょう) a little

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 車

Readings: くるま/シャ kuruma/SHA

Meaning: car

Mnemonic:
A sketch of a two-wheeled cart.

Usage examples:
車 (くるま) car

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 国

Readings: コク/ゴク KOKU/GOKU

Meaning: country; nation

Mnemonic:
Within the boundary of a country, there is a king 王 and jewels 玉.

Usage examples:
国語 (こくご) mother-tongue (the Japanese language)
中国 (ちゅうごく) China
中国語 (ちゅうごくご) Chinese language

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 和

Readings: ワ WA

Meaning: Japanese; peace

Mnemonic:
An ear of grain 禾 and a mouth 口.

Usage examples:
和英 (わえい) Japanese-English (dictionary)
英和 (えいわ) English-Japanese (dictionary)

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 英

Readings: エイ EE

Meaning: England

Mnemonic:
The grass radical on the top and 央 (center).

Usage examples:
英語 (えいご) English language
英国 (えいこく) England

New Readings

[Quizzes (JavaScript required): Meaning (15 questions) | Reading (21 questions) | Character Recognition (12 questions)]

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