Kanji-of-the-Day: Ear = 耳

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 21, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “ear” = 耳.
It has 6 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “JI” 「ジ」 and “mimi” 「みみ」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Mouth = 口

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 20, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “mouth” = 口.
It has 3 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “KŌ” 「コー」 and “kuchi” 「くち」.

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Confused about Multiple Readings for Kanji?

Posted in: Kanji by admin on

An avid user (thanks J.S!) of iStart Japanese! asked us recently why there are different readings for the kanji we show in the “Kanji-of-the-Day” section on Facebook.

For example, in yesterday’s Kanji-of-the-Day, for 白 (“white”), we wrote in the comments:
‘The most common readings of this kanji character are: “HAKU” 「ハク」 and “shiro” 「…しろ」.’

Most kanji have at least 2 readings: 1 on-yōmi (which we show in ALL-CAPS, like “HAKU”) and 1 kun-yōmi (which we show in lower-caps, like “shiro”). The kun-yōmi are the original Japanese readings, and the on-yōmi are the pronunciations imported from China over the centuries.

The word “shiro” is the original Japanese word for “white”. Usually, the kun-yōmi stand alone as words in a sentence. For example “Kami wa shiro desu. = The paper is white.”

Generally, the Chinese readings (the on-yōmi) occur in two-kanji combinations. For example: HAKU-JIN 【白人】. This means “white person, Caucasian”. Another example is HAKU-CHŌ 【白鳥】= “swan (white bird)”.

We hope this helps!

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Kanji-of-the-Day: White = 白

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 19, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “white” = 白.
It has 5 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “HAKU” 「ハク」 and “shiro” 「しろ」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Life = 生

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 18, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “life” = 生.
It has 5 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
There are many, many readings of this kanji, but the most common readings of this kanji character are: “SEI” 「セイ」 and “nama” 「なま」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Before = 先

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 17, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “before” = 先.
It has 6 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “SEN” 「セン」 and “saki” 「さき」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Exam = 校

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 16, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “exam” = 校.
It has 10 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common reading of this kanji character is: “KŌ” 「コウ」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Study = 学

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 15, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “study” = 学.
It has 8 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “GAKU” 「ガク」 and “mana” 「まま」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Mama = 母

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 14, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “mama” = 母.
It has 5 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “BO” 「ボ」 and “haha” 「はは」.

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Kanji-of-the-Day: Father = 父

Posted in: Kanji by admin on August 13, 2010

Today’s kanji from the iStart Japanese! Team is: “father” = 父.
It has 4 strokes.

For the more advanced Japanese learners:
The most common readings of this kanji character are: “FU” 「フ」 and “chichi” 「ちち」.

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