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

144 | remembering the kanji 2 1251
1146
1147 old person
1148
1149 1275 1653
seashore
1150
1151 1168
1152
1153 one’s parents
1154
1159
health; physical condition

19 120
1370 1300
the sun

2230 1581
Chinese food

417

calling card

1441 1440
bean curd; tōfu

1416

Danger!

readings from everyday words | 145

463
1155 “Bottoms up!”“Cheers!”

971 10
1156 10 (long, straight objects)

1251 782
1215

1157 poor; destitute

276 1682
1304

1158 hospital

We conclude this chapter with the few characters in vol. 1 that were learned
directly with their Sino-Japanese readings because there was no good English
equivalent. All you need to do is see how they work in compounds.

1159 shakuhachi flute 1070
1160 7 ri 8
1161 the slightest jot
173

178

chapter 7

Mixed Groups

After the relaxing detour into everyday words, we must return to the
work that remains with signal primitives. From here on, the work will be
more complicated than it was in Chapters 2 and 5 because of the increasing
number of exceptions. In spite of that, I am sure you will find that it does pro-
vide considerable help with what would otherwise be a hodgepodge of discon-
nected readings.

Unlike the “semi-pure” groups, which had only 1 exception, these “mixed”
groups are composed of at least 4 kanji sharing a common signal primitive
that assigns the same reading to at least 2 members of the group, but which
has more than 1 exception. The definition will get clearer as we go along.

The chapter divides mixed groups into three subgroupings of ascending
difficulty. We begin with the easiest: groups of kanji in which a signal primi-
tive has 2 readings that apply to 2 or more kanji each. At times, you will notice,
a character will be assigned both readings.

a. mixed groups of 2 readings only

180

1162 simultaneous

272

1163 bronze

182

1164 trunk of the body

mixed groups | 147

1165 insight 181
1166 canteen; water flask 944
1167 (Chinese) wood oil 204

1168 235
1169
1170 sign; symptom
1171
1284
1172 springboard; jumping board
1173
658

challenge

237

outlook; prospects

236
heaven-on-earth; Shangri-la

283

desertion; escape

148 | remembering the kanji 2

The remaining frames of Section a are not as confusing as they look, if you
take the time to study them. The two readings of the signal primitive overlap
in some kanji and not in others.

Some of the readings you have learned already (refer to the cross-reference
number), but they are all repeated here for the sake of completeness.

361

1174 success
1175 achieving “Buddhahood”

1176 1457
1177
1178 in its prime; full splendor
1179 flourishing
1180
363

loyalty

362

inside the castle walls

167 1205

judgment
trial; hearing

169 1203

company; companion
(musical) accompaniment

166 1202
half

mixed groups | 149

168 1204
lakeside
1181
1182 485
1183
1184 death
1185 the dead

1186 489
1187
1188 hope
1189 long-cherished desire

596

end-of-the-year party

618

very, very busy

1373
broadcasting network

486

blindness

intelligentsia 1065
Zen priest 982

150 | remembering the kanji 2

48 501
1190 Nakasone (surname)

502
1191 augmentation; increase

626
1192 hatred; spite

503
1193 donation

offering; present

1795
1194 Communism

As with many other signal primitives we have met, this one
carries a reading only when it occupies a prominent place
(above or to the right) in the character.

1803
1195 deference; respect

1796
1196 supply

Buddhist “mass”

1024 1800
1197 airport

mixed groups | 151

1799

1198 flood
1199
1200 1597
1201 double post or appointment

1202 1600
1203
modesty
1204
1205 1598

suspicion
mood; disposition

1601

bargain; sale

1599

Kamakura bakufu
A rare reading, mostly of historical importance.

January; New Year’s 379
justice 381

1050

government
regency; regent

152 | remembering the kanji 2 1477 1670
1206 adjustment
1207
1208 881
1209
subjugating; conquest

380

guarantee

1685

nature of a disease

b. mixed groups with 2 exceptions only

Unlike the mixed groups in Section a, those that follow share two character-
istics: (1) they contain at least 3 kanji with a common reading; and (2) only 2
members of the group have readings different from the others. Let us begin
with an example:

肱 thundering cry 454
1210 brown 453
drought 451
1211

1212

mixed groups | 153

452
1213 interview; audience

673
1214 notice board

It may have crossed your mind to ask why we should bother to classify these
characters into groups at all—or it certainly will by the time the groups get
smaller and smaller.

The answer is twofold. On the one hand, if we did not, you would find your-
self adrift in a massive sea of disconnected readings far earlier than you need
to be. On the other, since we have learned more than 800 characters up to this
point by means of the signal primitives, to ignore them in cases where there
are exceptions would be to cut short our understanding of how these signal
primitives work in the Japanese writing system. Without some experience in
the mixed groups treated in these chapters, you will not appreciate the complex
blend of consistency and inconsistency that characterize the on-yomi.

16
1215 archaic word; old adage

148
1216 lakeside; along a lake

333
1217 accident

206
1218 elegance; simplicity

154 | remembering the kanji 2 distress; suffering 225
residence 1063
1219
1220 difference 1644
majestic; magnificent 1643
1221 longitude and latitude 1645
1222 1646
1223 defense 1647
South Korea
1224
1225 529

1226 journalist; reporter

24 525
acquaintance
1227 oneself

mixed groups | 155

1228 source 526
1229 century 1354
1230 mourning 599
527
1231 queen 1436
1232 worry; concern

723

1233 steep hill
1234
722
1235
animosity; antipathy
conspiracy; rebellion
cloth; textile

The second reading is rare. The compound in the final read-
ing combines an on-yomi and a kun-yomi.

724

griddle; grill
notice board

156 | remembering the kanji 2

726
1236 selling

1213
1237 publishing company

1294

1238 Osaka and Kobe

The Japanese commonly take one character from the name
of two places or organizations and then turn the result into
an on-yomi compound which then represents the two origi-
nal words. In this example, the result is the name of a large
corporation that runs a railway, a department-store chain,
and a baseball team.

943 1473
1239 rice; meal; dinner

725

1240 reply; answer

2160 966
1241 mask

1225

1242 contradiction

1227
1243 office work

mixed groups | 157

1228

1244 dispersion; dissipation
1245
1007 1226
1246
judo
1247 gentleness; mildness
1248
1249 945, 1082, 1139 781

1250 five minutes
1251 oneself
1252 greatly; considerably

1358

powder

920

dissension; controversy

2028

atmosphere; ambience

978 1449
dwarfed “bonsai” plants

1157 782

destitute; poor
rich and poor

783

distribution

158 | remembering the kanji 2 national flag 1764
1763
1253 Japanese chess 1767
1254 1765
1255 fundamental 1762
1256 2158 1766
academic term
1257
1258 fraud
1131
肪 Japanese checkers
1259
1260 369
1261 shallow or superficial learning

368

cash; money

1286

praxis; practical

mixed groups | 159

367

1262 pier; landing-wharf
The exemplary compound includes a kun-yomi.
1263
1264 1114 808
1265 “What a pity!”
1266
1070, 1088 744
1267
1268 Taiwan
1269 3 (vehicles)

745

sloth; indolence

748

matrix

1099 747

Meiji Era (1868–1912)
law and order

747

primitive

1060 1654

Japan’s superexpress
“Bullet Train”

160 | remembering the kanji 2

1648

1270 low tide; ebb tide
1271
1272 1650
1273
weekly (magazine)
1274
1275 1651

perspiration

1649

essential

1090 1652
5 (houses, buildings)

1147 1653
seashore

1276 103
1277
father and elder brother(s)
brothers (and sisters)

Note that the primitive element 胄 does not figure as a mem-
ber of this group, but is used later as a signal primitive from
frame 1390.

434

horse racing
competition

mixed groups | 161

1278 general conditions 145
1279 1089 104
1280 blessing
celebration

self-denial

The final six frames of Section b merit careful study. Some of the readings
were learned earlier. A few of them will be met with only rarely. In any event,
the complete list is presented here.

1281 704, 983 1555
1282 teacher 1557
1283 one’s life; lifetime 1558
1284 1556
707
one’s full name
farmer; peasant

705
woman
nature; disposition

706
a “sign” of the zodiac
Venus; morning star

162 | remembering the kanji 2 709 1560
1285 real estate 1569
1286
708
sacrifice

c. remaining mixed groups

As indicated earlier, this final class of mixed groups is by far the most diffi-
cult and—unfortunately—the most numerous. Despite the many exceptions,
it pays to learn these characters in their respective groups. Fortunately, a good
number of the characters included for the sake of completeness have already
been learned under another rubric.

As before, characters that have more than one standard reading are treated
in full here with exemplary compounds provided for each of their readings.

956, 1004 515

1287 map
1288 earthquake

1289 516
1290
battery

1045

enforcement; excecution
alms; offering (to a priest)

38

Yasushi (personal name for
a man)

mixed groups | 163

1132 961
1291 outsider; stranger

1292 998 904
1293 secret 636
635
1294 urination; urinary
secretion

999
necessary; need

1295 uncle 718
The exemplary compound is normally read . 721
719
1296 chastity

1297 coach; director

720

1298 retreat into silence
retreat into silence

164 | remembering the kanji 2 840 481
1299 phoneme 479
1300 1022 480
music
1301 Gospel
1302
1303 memorization

1304 1101 461
1305 seashore
1306
1307 625

remorse

1031 458
every day

460

plum blossoms

989

humiliation; disgrace

459

brisk; prompt

mixed groups | 165

1337

1308 prosperity

Pay special attention to the following group of 12 kanji, made up of 2 read-
ings and 2 exceptions. This is a unique group whose mastery now will save you
much confusion later. Be careful not to include frames 508–509, where the
present signal primitive figured as part of a larger signal primitive.

1302

1309 defense
1310
1311 1357

1312 spinning (cloth)
1313
1314 492

Buddhist priest; bonze
young master; greenhorn

491

interference; obstruction

494
fat

1015

marks indicating emphasis,
similar to italics in Western
typesetting

166 | remembering the kanji 2 secretary general 1078
1315 direction 490
1316 your kind offer 493
1317 formal visit 495
1318
1319 497
1320 deeply felt emotion
1321
1322 1883
1323 laying out (e.g., rails)

978

value; worth

832
neglect; leaving unattended

811

procreation

mixed groups | 167

1324 botanical garden 205
1325 73
confrontation
1326 honest; frank
1327
937 504
1328 Tokyo 506
1329 1343
freezing 2030
1330 1044 1301
1331 practice
1332
alchemy

display; exhibit

1128 267
injection 268

telephone pole

168 | remembering the kanji 2 1982
1333 parking lot

1334 notes; endnotes 266
1335 977 954
one’s husband 880
1336 Buddhist priest
1337 995
address; residence
脾
1338 round trip
1339
1340 800
1341
dress; costume [rare]

796

reward or prize

985

indemnity; compensation

801
conductor (on a bus or train)

mixed groups | 169

1342 983 799
1343 extraordinary; emergency
1344
1345 1040 798
dining hall
1346
1347 797
1348
1349 ruling political party
1350
14, 1006, 2163 1105
reason; origin 1107
freedom; free 1109
1039 1106
oil

universe; space

abstraction

1112

axle; wheel

1108
hands-in-one’s-sleeves

170 | remembering the kanji 2 each one; each person 291
1351 2159 292
1352 character; nature 1624
1353 294
1354 (government) cabinet
1097 1350
1355 299
1356 guest 1433
1357 passenger; tourist 293
295
1358 (logical) coherence
1359
comic storytelling

dairy farming
570
abbreviation

sum total

mixed groups | 171

936 1256
doctor
1360
1361 1257

1362 boiling
1363
1364 1259
1365
1366 police station
1367
1260
1368
“Indian summer”

1261

(various) countries

1258

author

1262

foolhardy courage

966 1344

together
heartstrings; emotionalism

990, 1074 1846

Kyoto
conditions

172 | remembering the kanji 2

1254
1369 gambling

1370 1150 1300

sun
The signal primitive at play in this and the following frames
has its own reading, as was learned back in frame 1137.

664
1371 hoisting; raising

544
1372 colon; large intestine

546
1373 boiling water

1020 545
1374 factory

996
1375 wound; injury

958 846
1376 subway train

847
1377 change; shakeup

mixed groups | 173

1378 1061 845
1379 discourtesy 903
艟
order; discipline
1380
philanthropy 47
1381 gambling
1382 227 1376
peppermint 949
1383
restraint; restriction
1384
bookkeeping
1385
1386 shopping street 890
thoroughfare; highroad 157
198
lifetime; one’s life

cinnamon

174 | remembering the kanji 2 155
1387
Keiko (personal name
1388 of a woman)

1389 970
胄
excellent piece of
1390 work
1391
156
1392
1393 envelope
1394 feudalism
1395
reading room 1618
619
delighted; satisfied 499
1058 895
explanation 500
577 498
taxes

acute; sharp-witted

tax evasion

mixed groups | 175

1461

1396 large garden radish
1397
1460
1398
1399 regret; remorse

1400 1466
1401
1402 infinity
1403
1404 1467

eyeball
Buddhist ceremony for
consecrating a new image

974 1459
bank

1465

withdrawal; retreat

711

branch office or store

713
branch and leaf; nonessentials

714

limbs; members

176 | remembering the kanji 2 technical skill 712
1405 forked road 772
1406
106
1407
1408 child; juvenile
1409
1410 372

1411 negotiations
1412
1413 647

selection; excerpt

1125 124

Ministry of Science and
Education
reflection; consideration

1049, 2153 117
sugar

1139 899
5 seconds

123

queer; curious

mixed groups | 177

1414 1127 371
1415
sidewalk
rate; ratio
a pawn (in Japanese chess)

862

inferiority complex

Although the readings in the following group will both be familiar, it is helpful
to see them together.

舎 1116 1239
1416 No. 1 1240
1417
544
1418 disciple
1419 brothers (and sisters)
1420
sarcasm 802
damage; harm; injury 807
equinox 883

178 | remembering the kanji 2 1688
1421
1422 fatigue
1423
1424 805
1425
1426 wedding reception
1427
1428 806
1429
1430 bankruptcy

18 803
radio waves; air waves

804

old woman

1633

haiku poem

1637

one’s senior

1634

water pipe; conduit

983 1653
emergency; extraordinary

1635

pessimism

mixed groups | 179

1431 doors (of a gate) 1638
1432 1636
983
1433 guilty
1434
1435 158
1436 within the temple precincts

1437 660
1438
1439 backup; support
1440
976

chamberlain

970 159
time

346
poet

1034 879
invitation

945

inferior

1065 246
special

180 | remembering the kanji 2 1153 1440
1441 bean curd; tōfu 1684
1442 soybeans 1629
1443 1703
1444 smallpox 1441
1445
battle 1443
1446 1704
1447 registration 1442
1448 mountain climbing 547
1449 1081
forefront; van
leading (in singing)
headache

bumper year

limpid; clear

short temper

wool

mixed groups | 181

1047 549
the West; Occident
1450
1451 933
1452
1453 aspect; phase

1454 1479
1455
1456 rest and recuperation
1457
1325
1458
ceramics manufacturing

1088

cradle; birthplace

550

details; particulars

551
fresh

45, 1111 548

Niimi (surname)
beautiful woman

1064 91

civility; courtesy
city block no. 2

182 | remembering the kanji 2 merchant (class) 92
1459 94
1460 apex; summit 591
1461 194
1462 prefectural office 165
1463 339
1464 (bank) savings 653
1465 1134
1466 electric light
1467
1468 correction; revision

a fall (from power)

adoption or rejection 819
hobby; pastime 820
821
latest; newest

mixed groups | 183

822

1469 photographing
1470
1471 region 1696
harbinger; forerunner 1983
1472 1699
1473 Europe 1698
1474 blow; assault 1697
1475 pivot
1476
1477 1068 1664
promise 1669
1670
1023
highway; expressway

1206
adjustment

184 | remembering the kanji 2

1478 1667
1479 imperial proclamation
1480
1668

alienation

1665

reliance; trust

785

1481 pine, bamboo, and plum

A word of explanation about the explanatory compound in
this frame: because of their resistance to the winter cold, the
pine, bamboo, and plum often appear together in end-of-the
year decorations. From there, they have come to be associ-
ated with festive occasions in general.

787
1482 legal suit

1015 784
1483 public park

786

1484 venerable old man

665
1485 proposal; proposition

mixed groups | 185

1486 390
1487 dike
1488
576 388
1489 absolutely; by all means
1490
1038 389
1491 problem
1492
1493 792
1494 craving; appetite; ambition

789
bathing room

788

deep ravine; glen

1143 968
slang; vulgarism

793
surplus; breathing room

1184

bygone days
past and present

186 | remembering the kanji 2 census registration 1567
1495 narrow defeat 1187
1496 1185
1497 mix-up; mistake 1186
1498 debt; liability 1188
1499 measures; steps
1500
1501 1054 143
1502 life; livelihood
1503
1504 661
all-embracing; comprehensive

41

eloquence

947 344
telephone

988 1497
dictionary

mixed groups | 187

611

1505 recess; rest
1506
1507 1133 1593
reservation 1595
1508 1594
1509 deposit (in a bank) 1596
1510
preface (to a book)
1511 954
1512 baseball

1513 1027 1658
exception; exclusion 1660
cleaning 1659
1663
epic

“Go Slowly!”

painting; coating

188 | remembering the kanji 2 1661
1514
1515 halfway; on the way

1516 1657
1517
empty space (in a
1518 painting)
1519
1520 683
1521 gathering data or material
1522
1046 682

one’s possessions or wealth
wallet

1094 681
genius

1623
closing time (of a shop)

662
conductor (of an orchestra)

302
splendor; dazzling brilliance

301
navy

mixed groups | 189

1067 303
exercise; sports
1523
1524 78 1534

1525 youth
verdigris; green rust
80
1535
1526
mind; psyche
1527 indolence; sloth

1528 1539
1529
clean
1530 purity; innocence

83 1536

application; petition
building; construction

81 1538
clear skies

82, 834 1540
standstill; stationary

84 1537
feelings; emotions

190 | remembering the kanji 2

349
1531 condition; state

1710
1532 sculpture; statue

317
1533 circumference

1018 318
1534 week

1522
1535 pertinent; relevant

The signal primitive above has no Chinese reading, as we
learned back in frame 640.

1523
1536 impeachment

1520
1537 nucleus

1521
1538 timetable

舊 1731
1539
economy; economics

mixed groups | 191

1732

1540 private study; library
1541
1542 1729

homophony

1730
cleanser; laundry soap

chapter 8

Readings from Useful Compounds

We have done everything we can with the signal primitives but are still left
with 701 frames to complete our study of the Chinese readings. Now we return
to the procedure followed in Chapter 6, focusing on the exemplary com-
pounds. Many of the words that appear in the following 237 frames are not
common to everyday conversation, but they are all words that you will meet
frequently in everyday reading materials such as newspapers, magazines, bill-
boards, street signs, and menus. If you have studied the language formally for
a half a year or more, you will probably know at least a third of them already.

1705
1543 pronunciation

114 76
1544 carpenter

422
1545 Japan’s “rainy season”

1252
1546 plan; idea being considered

1554
1547 (national) constitution

readings from useful compounds | 193

1548 1047 1602
1549 the “Kansai” district
1550 538
1551 pork cutlets
1552 924
1553 trouble; inconvenience 614
1554
1555 jury 1910

bribery; buying off 831
1510
2104
independence 522
431
20
repeal; abolition 1796
987 370
tract of land
150