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Kanji 6

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: 先

Readings: さき/セン saki/SEN

Meaning: ahead; previous

Mnemonic:
A picture of a leader holding a flag and walking with big steps.

Usage examples:
この先 (このさき) ahead of this

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 生

Readings: セイ SEE

Meaning: birth; life

Mnemonic:
Young grass is sprouting from the ground.

Usage examples:
先生 (せんせい) teacher

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 学

Readings: ガク GAKU

Meaning: learning; study

Mnemonic:
A smart child 子 wearing a fancy hat.

Usage examples:
学生 (がくせい) student

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 出

Readings: で/で- de/de-

Meaning: to go (come) out; leave

Mnemonic:
A sketch of plants coming out from the ground.

Usage examples:
出口 (でぐち) exit
出かけます (でかけます) [I] (will) go out

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 入

Readings: い- (i-) - enter
はい(る) (hairu) - to go in

Mnemonic:
A course of a river entering into the ocean.

Usage examples:
入り口 (いりぐち) entrance
入ります (はいります) (will) go in

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 口

Readings: くち/ぐち kuti/guti

Meaning: mouth

Mnemonic:
A wide-opened mouth.

Usage examples:
入口 (いりぐち) entrance
山口 (やまぐち) (Mr./Ms.) Yamaguchi

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 前

Readings: まえ mae

Meaning: front; before

Mnemonic:
A lord wearing a helmet with horns leading his warriors under the moon 月 carrying swords.

Usage examples:
店の前 (みせのまえ) in front of a store
前の入り口 (まえのいりぐち) front entrance

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 間

Readings: あいだ (aida) - (space) between
カン (KAN) - interval; space; between; (as suffix) between, among

Mnemonic:
The sun 日 shining into a space between double paneled doors 門.

Usage examples:
電話と出口の間 (でんわとでぐちのあいだ) between a telephone and an exit
一時間 (いちじかん) one hour

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 右

Readings: みぎ migi

Meaning: right

Mnemonic:
A hand ナ which brings food to the mouth 口.

Usage examples:
右 (みぎ) right

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 左

Readings: ひだり hidari

Meaning: left

Mnemonic:
A hand ナ to hold a ruler エ.

Usage examples:
左 (ひだり) left

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 店

Readings: みせ mise

Meaning: shop; store

Mnemonic:
A store with a curtain in front and a fortune-teller 占 inside.

Usage examples:
店 (みせ) a store

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 電

Readings: デン DEN

Meaning: electricity

Mnemonic:
When it rains 雨 hard, lightning (a dragon 竜 in the sky) may strike.

Usage examples:
電車 (でんしゃ) electric train

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 話

Readings: ワ WA

Meaning: talk; speech

Mnemonic:
The radical for "words" 言 and "a tongue" 舌 which produces a thousand 千 words.

Usage examples:
電話 (でんわ) telephone

Stroke order: (MOV)

Printed form: 方

Readings: ホウ (HOO) - direction; side
かた (kata) - direction, person, method

Mnemonic:
万 means "all possible directions" and the top stroke determines one designated direction.

Usage examples:
右の方 (みぎのほう) the right-hand side
こちらの方 (こちらのほう) this direction
この方 (このかた) this person
あの方 (あのかた) that person


[Quizzes (JavaScript required): Meaning (15 questions) | Reading (13 questions) | Character Recognition (13 questions)]

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