MIT Lesson 20 Kanji: 第２０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:
- 頼
- Readings:
- たの(む)
- tano
- Meaning:
- to request; to rely
- Mnemonic:
- 束 bundle of sticks and 頁 big head. Before you ask someone for
a favor, you should put your thoughts together.
- Usage Examples:
- 頼む (たのむ) request
- Printed form:
- 便
- Readings:
- ベン
- BEN
- Meaning:
- convenience
- Mnemonic:
- If a person イ can change 更, it's convenient.
- Usage Examples:
- 便利 (べんり) convenient
- 便所 (べんじょ) toilet
- Printed form:
- 利
- Readings:
- リ
- RI
- Meaning:
- profit; effective
- Mnemonic:
- Rice plants 禾 harvested with sickle which looks like リ.
- Usage Examples:
- Printed form:
- 不
- Readings:
- フ
- FU
- Meaning:
- un-
- Mnemonic:
- Still born baby 小 buried under the ground.
- Usage Examples:
- 不便 (ふべん) inconvenient
- Printed form:
- 速
- Readings:
- はや(い)
- haya
- Meaning:
- speedy
- Mnemonic:
- 束 bundle of things and the radical for advance movement.
[送(おく)"to send"; 近(ちか)"near"; 道(みち)"street"]
- Usage Examples:
- 速い (はやい) speedy
- Printed form:
- 急
- Readings:
- いそ(ぐ)
- iso
- Meaning:
- to hurry; quick
- Mnemonic:
- A mouth wide open (top); hand (middle); and heart (bottom). When
you are in a hurry, you put your hand on your chest with your mouth
wide open.
[思(おも)"to think"]
- Usage Examples:
- 急ぐ (いそぐ) hurry
- Printed form:
- 多
- Readings:
- おお(い)
- oo
- Meaning:
- plenty
- Mnemonic:
- Many moons タ ago... [名(な)"name"]
- Usage Examples:
- 多い (おおい) plenty
- Printed form:
- 重
- Readings:
- おも(い)
- omo
- Meaning:
- heavy
- Mnemonic:
- Car 車 with extra strokes on top and bottom is heavier.
- Usage Examples:
- 重い (おもい) heavy
- Printed form:
- 平
- Readings:
- ヘイ
- HEI
- Meaning:
- flat; peace
- Mnemonic:
- A perfectly symetrical design.
- Usage Examples:
- 平成 (へいせい) Heisei era
- Printed form:
- 成
- Readings:
- セイ/なり
- SEI/nari
- Meaning:
- emerge; bring out
- Mnemonic:
- Combination of soldiers' speards 戈 and 10,000 万 men.
- Usage Examples:
- 成田 (なりた) Narita (city)
- Printed form:
- 乗
- Readings:
- の(る)/ジョウ
- no/JOO
- Meaning:
- to ride; to get on
- Mnemonic:
- A christmas tree 木 decorated with pretty ornaments.
- Usage Examples:
- 乗る (のる) ride
- 乗車けん (じょうしゃけん) passenger ticket
- Printed form:
- 降
- Readings:
- お(りる)
- o
- Meaning:
- to descend
- Mnemonic:
- This institution 院 has changed 変 a lot over years 年.
- Usage Examples:
- 降りる () get off
- Printed form:
- 町
- Readings:
- まち/チョウ
- machi/CHOO
- Meaning:
- town
- Mnemonic:
- Rice field 田 survayed and marked by stakes 丁.
- Usage Examples:
- 町 (まち) town
- 中西町 (なかにしちょう) Town of Nakanishi
- Printed form:
- 市
- Readings:
- シ
- SHI
- Meaning:
- city
- Mnemonic:
- A picture of a market building. 巾 is the kanji for "cloth".
[姉(あね)"older sister"]
- Usage Examples:
- 成田市 (なりたし) Narita City
- 名古屋市 (なごやし) Nagoya City
- 市内 (しない) within the city
- Printed form:
- 自
- Readings:
- ジ
- JI
- Meaning:
- self
- Mnemonic:
- A picture of a person's nose. Japanese points at their nose as
they say, "It's me!"
- Usage Examples:
- 自分で (じぶんで) by oneself
- Printed form:
- 個
- Readings:
- コ
- KO
- Meaning:
- piece(s)
- Mnemonic:
- Person イ and solid 固 (like an aged 古 lump of cheese 口).
- Usage Examples:
- 一個 (いっこ) one piece
- Printed form:
- 心
- Readings:
- シン / こころ
- SIN / kokoro
- Meaning:
- mind; core; heart; soul
- Usage Examples:
- 心ぞう (しんぞう) heart
- 決心する (けっしんする) decide
- Printed form:
- 配
- Readings:
- パイ、ハイ
- PAI, HAI
- Meaning:
- distribute
- Usage Examples:
- 心配する（しんぱいする）to worry
- Printed form:
- 軽
- Readings:
- ケイ/ かる（い）
- KEI/ karu(i)
- Meaning:
- light; slight; milt; easy
- Usage Examples:
- 軽い物（かるいもの）something light
- 口が軽い人（くちがかるいひと）a gossipmonger
- Printed form:
- 券
- Readings:
- ケン
- ken
- Meaning:
- ticket
- Usage Examples:
- 乗車券 (じょうしゃけん) passenger ticket
- 特急券 (とっきゅうけん) special express ticket
- 食事券 (しょくじけん) meal ticket
- New Readings:
- 都内 (とない) within the city of Tokyo
- 少ない (すくない) few; little
- 変える (かえる) change something
- 間に合う (まにあう) be on time
- 学会 (がっかい) academic organization
- 話 (はなし) story; talk
- 通う (かよう) commute
[Japanese 4 Kanji]
[Japanese 4]