Remembering the Kanji_ A Systematic Guide to Reading Japanese Characters Vol. 2

94 | remembering the kanji 2 2012

732 pregnancy
733
734 2011

735 3 strikes (in baseball)

736 2013
737 lips
738
553 2009
739 humiliation; disgrace
肩
chinning (exercises) 1582
740 sleep 1583
spindle 1584
1847
mail; post

397

sewing; needlework

semi-pure groups | 95

741 mention (in the press) 359
cultivation; growing 358
742 1790
fiber; textiles
743
(social) welfare 1090
畐 89
adverb 407
744 193
full extent; all
745 2192
Mt. Fuji
746
1453
747
艘 inspector general

748 1875

749 captain (of a ship)

750 1455

yearbook; annual report

96 | remembering the kanji 2 1454

751 abuse
胡
572
752
753 observation
754
864
755 encouragement; stimulation

756 570
757
758 exchange of courtesies

759 571

rights
avatar

216

unknown

219

spices; seasoning

2023

fascination; charm

220
(younger) sister-in-law

semi-pure groups | 97

760 fruit juice 1121
761 section head 1123
762 confectionery 1122
1124
763 naked body
764
765 1541
766
responsibility
767
768 1543
accumulation of good deeds

1542

results; showing

1544

public bonds

812
train

98 | remembering the kanji 2

769 heroic; sublime 814
770 dissolution; disruption 813
972
771 an exception

艝 1211
772
transcript; certified copy

1989
773 boiling

1210

774 feud; discord

The first character in the compound above was not treated
in vol. 1, but the exemplary compound given above is useful
to know. When the phonetic group to which this character
belongs appears again in Chapter 7 (frames 1210–1214),
you will see how easy it is to learn.

1209
775 victory

1955
776 idol; image

semi-pure groups | 99

777 encounter 1956
778 one corner 1958

779 grumbling 1957
腸
Emperor’s Garden 1419
780 complaint; grudging 1420
781 smooth; fair (of face) 1417
782 1418
physical strength
783
1904
784 stronghold (of conservatism)
785
1905

germination; sprout

100 | remembering the kanji 2

786 graceful 1907
787 intrusion 1906

25 867
admission; subscription
788
789 869

790 fiction; make-believe

868
commemorative celebration

580

791 stubborn; persistent
792
973
793
an individual

2029

one month

This character is commonly abbreviated to the katakana
, as in frame 547, which uses the same exemplary

compound with that writing.

1963
794 general plan; main point

semi-pure groups | 101

795 steel 1962
796 strong; robust 1964

797 2120 1573
798 service 1574
1575
799 annual salary
800
801 iron bar or staff

802 general; average 1871
803 conveyance; transport 1873
1872
disc; discus

50 1913
blanket

102 | remembering the kanji 2 2165 1914
804 consumption; use 1915
805
806 following; tailing
807
808 a certain person 1759
809 2087 1760
810 conspiracy; plot 1761
811
812 mediation

1482

concept; general notion

1483

indignation; resentment

1481
manufactured; ready-made

134

plateau

semi-pure groups | 103

142

813 fountainhead; wellspring
814
135
815
816 volunteering

817 suspicion 1410
imitation; sham 1411
818 1412
819 coagulation

820 blanket 405
脹 fear 623
1489
821 hope

795

along a railway line

104 | remembering the kanji 2 lead pipe 794
(ship’s) captain 1874
822
823 1564 838
(married) lady 839
824 841
825 support; maintenance

826 rule; regulation

() English language 1741
film; movie 1742
827 1740
828 center; central

829 739

830 broad sense (of a term)

semi-pure groups | 105

741

831 a mine
832
740
expansion; enlargement

() purity 1155
82, 1529 1540
833 a vein 1154

834 dispute

835

() 1879

836 loneliness; solitude

1878
837 circular arc

1877

838 watermelon

The use of the first character is an example of what

Japanese call ( ), a character chosen to

accompany a reading that does not strictly belong to it.

Since the exemplary compound is a common word, it

has been included here.

106 | remembering the kanji 2 56

839 sailor; member of the crew

840 1299 481
phoneme; vocal sound
841
666
() loss

842 forgiveness; tolerance 1770
payment of a bill 1769
843 1768
enormous
844
() large crowd 1163
a county assembly 1843
845 1162
monarch
846

847

semi-pure groups | 107

848 mayor 412
849 sisters 413
414
850 pulmonary disease

851 1500
852
a mural (painting)
853
1691
() (personal) weakness; bad habit

854 1501
855
unavoidable
856
983

100 million yen

632

memory (of something)

608
preparation; arrangements

108 | remembering the kanji 2 701
857
858 capture
859
860 908
861
862 harvest

863 700
864
protection; patronage
865
1106 1725
expression; complaint 1727
1726
fingerprint

opposite
a pair

rebirth 694
695
coin (solid money) 991

post; mail
convenient

semi-pure groups | 109

1490

866 fiendish; satanic
867
1491
868
869 pluck; mettle
870
1492
871 take off (e.g., an airplane)
872
873 filial duty; filial piety 1253
yeast 1430
874 1254
professor

succession; order 1391
dispute; contention 1392
1393
descendants

110 | remembering the kanji 2 mainstay; “backbone” 853
艚 sagacious; wise 852
1374
875 tension; strain

876 554 320
unlucky
877
343
878
cross-examination
879
1351
880 conclusion (of an argument)

() circumcision 1553
jurisdiction 1552
881 1551
damage
882

883

semi-pure groups | 111

334

884 homage; respect
885
336
886
police
887
888 1987
wonder; astonishment
889
925
()
romantic fellow; dandy
890
891 1435
plastered; stewed to the gills
892
116

rubble; macadam

1469
reading aloud or in public

1470

vagrancy; wandering

46 1468
conscience

112 | remembering the kanji 2 sense of reserve 1996
艙 prisoner; captive 1991
1992
893 skin
894
5 77
895 left and right; both sides 952
629
896 assistant
897
sluggishness
898
1821
899
900 ethics; moral philosophy

901 1822

the Olympic Games

569 1820
of course

semi-pure groups | 113

1003

902 responsibility
903
507
904
905 pregnancy
906
1004
907 fare (for transportation)
908
909 583

910 source; cause

584

matrimony

606
expression of gratitude

history 692
ambassador 990
693
government official

114 | remembering the kanji 2

316

911 hostel; residence
912
655
913
adoption or rejection

61 1839
shop
Note how 2 signal primitives appear in the same kanji.

914 full name 1828
915 paper money 1829
1830
916 matrimony

761

917 supplement
918
762
919
firearms

1347
president of a country

semi-pure groups | 115

920 1830 1408
921 traffic 1690
1409
922 stomachache
923
924 dance (classical)

925 75
926
927 truth

928 630

penitence; good behavior

276
quelling (of a disturbance)

1021 247
advertising 1431
281
cruel

structure

116 | remembering the kanji 2

929 joint use 1030
930 fence 1056
1032
931 flower vase

We conclude this chapter with three characters related by a common primitive
element but sharing Chinese pronunciations unevenly.

胃 482
932
knowledge; intelligence
933
824
934
an employee

1334

organization; formation
loom

chapter 6

Readings from Everyday Words

By the time you pick up this book you will have already learned at least the
rudiments of Japanese grammar and in the process have learned some of the
most useful words of everyday spoken Japanese. Taking advantage of this fact,
as well as the fact that you already know the meanings of all the characters
treated here, you can enlarge your knowledge of the on-yomi by seeing how
those everyday words, in fact, look when set to kanji.

Take, for example, the ordinary Japanese word for a medical “doctor,” which
is . The two kanji with which it is written mean respectively “to doctor”
and “someone.” This allows us to add two new readings to those we already
know:

1694
935 medical care

1360 1256
936 doctor

The names of well-known places can be used in much the same way, as in the
following two frames:

1326 504
937 the northeast

118 | remembering the kanji 2 1822 312
938 Tokyo

We can also make use of well-known company names or other popular proper
names. For example, what student of Japanese has not thumbed through the
dictionaries of Japan’s foremost Japanese-English lexicographers, Kenkyūsha?
By learning what the name, in fact, means, you will have learned three more
Chinese readings:

675
939 study; investigation

1320
940 research

1092
941 company

Without making any particular effort to keep these various sorts of “everyday
words” separate from one another, let us see how far they take us into the sec-
ond half of this book.

As before, readings and compounds that have appeared earlier will be drawn
on as much as possible to lighten the burden. Occasionally, if only rarely, a com-
mon everyday word will lead us to a character that falls outside the compass of
these pages. In such cases, it is enough to learn the on-yomi being practiced
without stopping to learn a new kanji and its reading. For example, the word for
“neat” or “pretty,” one of the first you learn in studying Japanese, is . It is
made up of the character for “figured cloth” and that for “lovely.” Normally, the
word is not written in characters at all, but since it is an easy way to learn the
otherwise difficult reading of the latter kanji, restoring its original kanji writing
is helpful:

readings from everyday words | 119

2002
942 neat; clean; pretty

In still other cases, both readings of a known compound will be new. In this
case, we will combine both kanji into a single frame, like this:

1950 1398
1939 1473
943 rice; meal; dinner

With that, we may carry on for another 218 frames. Incidentally, if you find
that you do not know a particular word chosen for the exemplary compound,
you might as well take the trouble to learn it. After all, the words are common
everyday words.

2007 1019
944 guidance; information

964 36

1082, 1139 781

945 oneself

595
946 peace of mind

120 | remembering the kanji 2 1503 535
telephone 344
947
948 1909
949 1242
950
951 telephone number
952
953 1974
954
supper

2035 859
a man; male

(3), 2034, 2162 98
a woman; female

1608 1975
study 1235

742
1153
lunch (carry-along, picnic-style)

1509 1596
baseball

readings from everyday words | 121

286
955 (electric) train

1287, 1004 515

959 1180

956 map

1079 582
957 housing development

1780 50
1376 846
958 subway; metro

956 1180
327

959 library

1073 107
324

960 university

691
961 all right; okay

As an exception, we include 3 kanji in the next frame, all of them no doubt
very familiar to you already.

122 | remembering the kanji 2 1622 111
962 581
969 951
foreigner
1178
963 cooking; food 265

945 36
440 241

964 nature 1

966 1
1344
965 one day
4
965
1367 7

966 together

967 April

968 July

readings from everyday words | 123

970 9
962 951
969 9 people

969 9
1436 159
970 9 o’clock

1156 10
6

971 sixteen

(4) 40
1811

972 ¥1,000

1567 457
64

973 ¥10,000 (in formal receipts)

1400 1459

1614, 2234, 2238 873

974 bank

1048
975 voyage; trip

124 | remembering the kanji 2

161
576
976 Tuesday
The third kanji in the compound has a kun-yomi.

245
729
977 (cow’s) milk

1250 1449
978 dwarfed and potted plant

130
979 Wednesday

2169 195
980 Thursday

568
1827 1379
981 afternoon

704, 1281 1555

2115 1400

982 with all one’s might

readings from everyday words | 125

1429 1632
1342 799
983 emergency; extraordinary

2032 269
984 Friday

768
985 Mt. Fuji

211
986 Japan

1555 150
987 Saturday

1504 1497
1827

988 English-Japanese dictionary

187
263
989 complete

1074, 1368 1846

990 Kyoto

126 | remembering the kanji 2 2014 1507
991 telegraph
992
298 59
993 lively; alive and well

994 1578
185
995 kanji
996
997 300
998 350
999 joke

1336 954
address 1127

2017
main entrance; front porch

1335 266
husband

1292 904
secret

1294 635
necessity; need

readings from everyday words | 127

1000 simple; uncomplicated 1928
1001 1859
1002 stairway 969
1003 1887
1004 self-confidence
1005 515
1006 airplane 420
1007 956, 1287 1105
earthquake 1226
1008 750
bicycle 1036
14, 1345, 2163
free; freedom
1245
judo
1021

last year

128 | remembering the kanji 2 2100 1626
1009 newspaper
439
1010 store; shop 588

1011 Keiō University 2001
607
1012 morning
290
557
57
1013 sightseeing; a visit 1050

1014 vicinity 1129

1483 784

1015 public park 1612

1016 No Smoking!

readings from everyday words | 129

543 1550
coffee shop 252

1017 2099 1587
1534 318
1018 this week
1019
1020 468, 2111 1194
1021 this time

1022 1374 545
1023 factory
1024
1025 1008 247
advertisement

1300 479
music 1735

1476 1669
expressway; superhighway

1197 1800
airport

754

classroom

130 | remembering the kanji 2 2228 1034
“Open for Business” 1792
1026
1510 1152
1027 cleaning; housecleaning 1658
1028
1029 1247
1030
1031 photograph
1032
1033 1146
1034
express (train)

1349

salary

1304 458
every day

1587 1711
doll

1884

next year

1438 879
invitation

readings from everyday words | 131

105

1035 primary school
1036
323
1037
1038 business
1039
1904, 2204 1137
1040 question 1617
1041
1042 1488 389
problem

1346 1107

soy sauce
The first kanji in the compound is not in the general-use list,
but can be found on most every dinner table in Japan.

2045 1472
1343 798
dining room; refectory

1206

meal ticket

825

Holy Writ; the Bible

132 | remembering the kanji 2 2222 589
1043 refrigerator
1328 1343
1044 574
practice
1045 72
1046 318 1801
wild; unruly; rebellious
1047 1517 682
1048 wallet
1049 1548 1602
1050 1450 549
the West; Occident
1997
theater
1411, 2153 117
sugar
381
the government

readings from everyday words | 133

46
1616

1051 a specialist

1052 1804
637
1053
1054 athlete
1055
1056 1352
1057 169
1058
1059 end of the line; terminal

1500 143
life; livelihood

878

student

1938

elections

1929
war

1392 499
explanation

354

text; exam

134 | remembering the kanji 2 1269 1654
1060 the “Bullet Train” 845
1061 1378 331
1072
failure 393

1062 a lot 91
246
1063 birthday
Note the phonetic change in the second kanji. 79
1064 303
1065 1458 1362
1066 politeness; courtesy 1664
1067
1440
special

2112
famous

1523
exercise; sports

1068 1475
promise

readings from everyday words | 135

1073

1069 translation

1070 1088, 1264 744
1071 1071 524
1072 typhoon

1073 1070 524
Japanese bath
1074
1075 1984
1076
stationmaster

960 107
1745

very much; awfully; awful

990 1846
1985, 2078 253
conditions; “things”

421

geisha

1399

Western clothes

136 | remembering the kanji 2 2033 95
1077 a cap; hat

1078 1736
1079 1066
1080
1081 pharmacy
1082
1083 957 582
1084 Japanese quilt or mattress
1085
13 1845
all; everything

1445 1441
headache

945, 1139, 1246 781
fairly; considerably

964

Great Buddha (statue)

2103 957
generally; on the whole

1219

full; one cupful

readings from everyday words | 137

(2) 3
1145 1170
3 strokes (as in a kanji)
1086

The next 5 frames present the characters used for some of the more common
“counters” for which Japanese is notorious.

1087 2232 586
1088 one time 744
1089 1070, 1264 332
1090 3 (vehicles) 1652
1091 1826
1092 2 (sheets of …) 986
1093 1274 512
5 (houses)
2092
2 (volumes of …)

(city of) Sendai
2016
12 years old

138 | remembering the kanji 2 1518 681
1094 genius

In the exemplary compounds given in the next two frames, note how pronun-
ciation of the first syllable of the second kanji is changed from to
because of the clumsiness of having two “a” sounds back to back.

1095 pitiable; pathetic 401
1096 cute 737
1097
1098 1354 294
a guest
1099
1100 1892
1101
troublesome

1267 746
269 1005
Meiji Era (1866–1912)

119

(city of) Nikkō; sunlight

1302 461
Hokkaidō

readings from everyday words | 139

1102 Taiwan 1749
1103 943
1104 lead pencil 858
1105 567 348
cooperation 1725
1106 1833, 2205 751
1107 a reader 1156
1108 860 1274
1109 1850, 2134, 2241 101
1110 grammar 1119
2203
a fire

grandfather

grandmother
145
Shinto shrine

140 | remembering the kanji 2

45, 1457 548

1111 a beauty; beautiful woman

860
1112 trouble; ordeal

255
1113 prince

1263 808
1590

1114 “Too bad!”“What a shame!”

516 186
1115 absence (from home or post)

1416 1239
1116 No. 1

1972
1117 “I beg your pardon.”

1930

1118 sitting in Zen meditation

Observe that the first character is a variant of the general-
use character . It is used typically for sitting in Zen.

855
1119 “Do have a look!”

readings from everyday words | 141

2016
1120 broadcasting

1452
1121 hot springs; spa

1179
1122 science

324 1775
1123 unreasonable; too difficult

74
1124 furniture

1410 124
1125 Ministry of Science and

Education

1531
1126 “I am very sorry for you!”

1414 371
1127 sidewalk

1331 267
1128 taking care; watching out

142 | remembering the kanji 2 1930 15
aim; goal 69
1129
1130 1624 314
1131 1958 1753
1132 scenery
1133
1134 1258 1807
1135 Go; Japanese checkers 1766
1136
1291 961
outsider; stranger

1506 1593
weather forecast

1463 165
electric light

259
685
modern times; the present

1635 188
propaganda 963

readings from everyday words | 143

1137 1705 1424
1138 trading company 1051

1139 the family 1222
1412
1140 945, 1082, 1246 899
1141 5 min., 5 sec. 781
1142 360
1143 382
1144 reserved seat 1193
1145
education 759

to look at (honorific) 1564
1492
vulgarism; slang 968
22
(samurai) warrior 377
1086
a movie; film 1170