MIT Lesson 9 Kanji: 第9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:
あさ
asa
Meaning:
morning
Mnemonic:
When the sun 日 comes out between grass, the moon 月 fades away.
Usage Examples:
朝七時 (あさしちじ) 7:00 in the morning
毎朝 (まいあさ) every morning
今朝 (けさ) this morning

Printed form:
Readings:
バン
BAN
Meaning:
night
Mnemonic:
The sun 日 and the kanji 免 "without". When the sun goes away, the night begins.
Usage Examples:
今晩 (こんばん) tonight
毎晩 (まいばん) every night

Printed form:
Readings:
シュウ
SHUU
Meaning:
week
Mnemonic:
周 "to surround" and the radical for advance movement. A week is completed when it advances from Sunday to Saturday.
Usage Examples:
今週 (こんしゅう) this week
一週間 (いっしゅうかん) one week
来週 (らいしゅう) next week

Printed form:
Readings:
トウ
TOO
Meaning:
east
Mnemonic:
The sun rising behind a tree in the east.
Usage Examples:
東京 (とうきょう) Tokyo

Printed form:
Readings:
キョウ
KYOO
Meaning:
capital
Mnemonic:
A picture of a house built on a small hill.
Usage Examples:
京と (きょうと) Kyoto

Printed form:
Readings:
いそが(しい)
isoga
Meaning:
busy
Mnemonic:
The heart radical (the contraction of 心) on the left and the kanji 亡 for "to be lost; to die".
Usage Examples:
忙しい (いそがしい) busy

Printed form:
Readings:
はや(い)
haya
Meaning:
early
Mnemonic:
The sun 日 seen just above grass 十 early in the morning.
Usage Examples:
早い (はやい) early
朝早く (あさはやく) early in the morning
お早うございます (おはようございます) good morning

Printed form:
Readings:
わたし/わたくし
watashi/watakushi
Meaning:
I; me
Mnemonic:
The radical of sheaf of rice 禾 and a picture of a person's nose ム. A Japanese points his/her nose saying "It's me."
Usage Examples:
私 (わたし/わたくし) I; me

Printed form:
Readings:
むら
mura
Meaning:
village
Mnemonic:
A tree 木 and a hand with a pulse 寸.
Usage Examples:
今村さん (いまむらさん) (Mr/Ms) Imamura
中村さん (なかむらさん) (Mr/Ms) Nakamura
村田さん (むらたさん) (Mr/Ms) Murata

Printed form:
Readings:
とも
tomo
Meaning:
friend
Mnemonic:
Two hands together. [右(みぎ)"right"; 左(ひだり)"left"]
Usage Examples:
友だち (ともだち) friend

Printed form:
Readings:
つぎ
tsugi
Meaning:
next
Mnemonic:
A person bending over 欠 two things.
Usage Examples:
次 (つぎ) next

Printed form:
Readings:
ジョウ (JOO)
Meaning:
up; above
Mnemonic:
The ideograph of something above the horizontal stroke.
Usage Examples:
上手だ (じょうずだ) skillful
本の上 (ほのうえ) on the book

Printed form:
Readings:
てら
tera
Meaning:
temple (See also L.6B Photographic Vocabulary Aid)
Mnemonic:
土 soil and 寸 pulse.
Usage Examples:
お寺 (おてら) Buddhist temple
寺田さん (てらださん) (Mr/Ms) Terada
小寺さん (こでらさん) (Mr/Ms) Kodera

Printed form:
Readings:
ミョウ
MYOO
Meaning:
bright
Mnemonic:
The sun 日 and the moon 月.
Usage Examples:
明日 (みょうにち/あした) tomorrow

New Readings:
下手だ (へただ) unskillful
今月 (こんげつ) this month
来月 (らいげつ) next month
来年 (らいねん) next year
木村さん (きむらさん) (Mr/Ms) Kimura

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