MIT Lesson 7 Kanji: 第7課の漢字

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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.


Printed form:
Readings:
na
Meaning:
name
Mnemonic:
In the dimness of the eavening 夕 (crescent of the moon), you ask a person to tell 口 (mouth) his/her name.
Usage Examples:
名前 (なまえ) name

Printed form:
Readings:
か(く)
ka
Meaning:
to write
Mnemonic:
The upper componet indicate a hand holding a brush and the lower part is a pile of paper.
Usage Examples:
書きます (かきます) write
書いて下さい (かいてください) Please write it.

Printed form:
Readings:
te
Meaning:
hand
Mnemonic:
The pictograph of a hand
Usage Examples:
右の手 (みぎのて) right hand
手紙 (てがみ) letter
手前 (てまえ) this side

Printed form:
Readings:
かみ/がみ
kami/gami
Meaning:
paper
Mnemonic:
The thread radical 糸 and the kanji 氏 for clans. An important paper to record a clan history.
Usage Examples:
白い紙 (しろいかみ) white paper

Printed form:
Readings:
くだ (kuda) below; under
Mnemonic:
The ideograph to symbolize something under the horizontal stroke.
Usage Examples:
下さい (ください) give me (something)
テレビの下 (てれびのした) under the TV

Printed form:
Readings:
あたら(しい)/シン
atara/SHIN
Meaning:
new
Mnemonic:
Trees 木 standing 立 in the wood where a lumberjack cuts fresh new trees with an axe 斤.
Usage Examples:
新聞 (しんぶん) newspaper

Printed form:
古(い)
Readings:
ふる
furu
Meaning:
old
Mnemonic:
An ancient cross standing on a tomb stone.
Usage Examples:
古い (ふるい) old

Printed form:
Readings:
き(きます)/ブン
ki/BUN
Meaning:
to listen
Mnemonic:
Woops! Someone is listening (耳 ears) behind the door (門 gate; two-panel door). [間(あいだ) "interval; bewteen"]
Usage Examples:
聞きます (ききます) listen
聞いて下さい (きいてください) Please listen.

Printed form:
Readings:
コウ
KOO
Meaning:
school
Mnemonic:
The tree radical 木 and the kanji 交 meaning "to interact; exchange".
Usage Examples:
学校 (がっこう) school

Printed form:
Readings:
た(べます)
ta
Meaning:
to eat
Mnemonic:
The top radical indicate "to gather all". The lower component 良 means "goodness". Please eat healthy things.
Usage Examples:
食べます (たべます) eat
食べて下さい (たべてください) Please eat it.

Printed form:
Readings:
か(います)
ka
Meaning:
to buy
Mnemonic:
Shellfish 貝 used to symbolize money and goods. The top component indicates a picture of a net to collect shellfishes.
Usage Examples:
買います (かいます) buy
買って下さい (かってください) Please buy it.

Printed form:
Readings:
つく(ります)
tsuku
Meaning:
to make
Mnemonic:
The person radical on the left. The right side indicates an art work cut and shaped with a knife.
Usage Examples:
作ります (つくります) make
作って下さい (つくってください) Please make it.

Printed form:
Readings:
いま
ima
Meaning:
now; present
Mnemonic:
The top three strokes symbolize "a heap of many years", the fourth bending stroke indicates "something has come in right now".
Usage Examples:
今 (いま) now
今、何時ですか (いま、なんじですか) what time is it now?
今日 (きょう) today
今朝 (けさ) this morning
今月 (こんげつ) this month

Printed form:
Readings:
YA
Meaning:
shop
Mnemonic:
The shop radical to enclose the top and the left. The inside 至 means "to reach" the item that you've been looking for.
Usage Examples:
本屋 (ほんや) booksotre
八百屋 (やおや) vegetable store
ケーキ屋 (ケーキや) cake store

New Readings:
電車 (でんしゃ) electric train
大学 (だいがく) college

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