Kanji A2 Flashcards
上手
good at (yourself or someone else)
じょうず
海外
overseas
かいがい
ocean-outside
映る
to reflect
うつる
使
to use
つか（う）/し
(looks like a person next to some kind of a tool)
描く
to draw (a picture)
かく
same pronumciation as write, but different kanji (書く)
写真
しゃしん
photograph
天
heaven / sky
てん
語
language
ご
昼
midday
ひる / ちゅう
(It looks like a sun peeking through the curtain.)
contrast with 春 Spring
入
to go in, to enter
はい（る） / い（り） / にゅう
前
まえ
before; ago; front
use with に when referring to time
習
to learn
なら（う）/しゅう
(It looks like two kids learning at a desk.)
歌
song
うた / か
(It’s the shape of people opening their mouths and singing; someone looking at a music score)
台
だい
counter for large furniture and electronics 🚗 📺
(It looks like a lamp on a table.)
彼女
her; girlfriend
かのじょ
青春
youth
せいしゅん
blue-spring
匹
ひき
counter for small animals
(It looks like the front legs of a horse peeking through a space.)
長
long, length, leader
なが (い) / ちょう
(It looks like a shape of a comb that you use for long hair.)
お手洗い
bathroom
おてあらい
(hand-washing)
omit が in た + こと sentences
Polite: これを食べたことがありますか。
Casual: これ食べたことある？
和
harmony; Japanese (style)
わ
looks like a cherry tree and a bento box.
電話
telephone
でんわ
英国
United Kingdom
えいこく
界
world; boundary
かい
(It derives from a shape that looks like rice paddies.)
強い
つよい
strong
住宅
housing
じゅうたく
reside-home
目の前
めのまえ
front of your eyes” / “right in front of you”
コーヒーは目の前にあります。(The coffee is right in front of you.)
高
high, tall, expensive
たか (い) / こう
(It looks like a shape of a high-rise building.)
買
to buy
か（う）/ ばい
(It looks like shelves at a supermarket.)
借
to borrow
か（りる）/しゃく/しゃ
(It looks like a boy and traditional Japanese armour.)
(it looks like a person taking stuff from a table)
彼し
boyfriend
かれし
駅前
the area in front of a station; forecourt
えきまえ
もう一度 /
もう一回
もういちど / もういっかい
one more time
院
institution
いん
(The left side is shaped like a pillar of a building and the right side is shaped like a person.)
similar to 部 section
水着
みずぎ
bathing suit
water-put on
起きる
おきる
to wake up
今夜
tonight
こんや
午
midday
ご
similar to the Kanji for “thousand” 千
夜
night
よる / よ / や
person-bed-under covers
(similar to 彼, he)
夕がた
evening
ゆうがた
真っ黒
pitch black
まっくろ
true-black
持
to hold, to have
も（つ）
(the left side is like the Kanji for hand 手)
教
to teach
おし（える）/ きょう
picture of a teacher and a student
寝る
ねる
to sleep
国
country
くに / こく / ごく
It can’t be helped.
しかたがない
仕方がない。
service+direction/the way of doing something
理
logic
り
It’s shaped like a grid.
開会
opening ceremony
かいかい
雨天
rainy weather
うてん
大切
たいせつ (important)
まんが家
manga artist
まんがか
番
number in a series
ばん
(It looks like a grid where you can write in numbers.)
部屋
room
へや
section-roof
“he” is a special reading of 部
好
like / good
す(き) / こう
真ん中
まんなか
center
場所
place
ばしょ
location-place
酒
さけ / しゅ
alcohol
(It’s shaped like a sake bottle with some drops coming off of it.)
自
self
じ / し
a person pointing to their eye
similar to 白 しる white
事こ
accident
じこ
寝しつ
しんしつ
bedroom
まん画
manga
まんが
音楽
music
おんがく
き待
きたい
expectation
from 待 to wait
外国
foreign country
がいこく
回
かい / まわ（る）
times; revolve
(looks like a wheel on an axel)
平和
peace
へいわ
flat-harmony
思い出
memories
おもいで
think-go out
冬
winter
ふゆ / とう
snow is falling
貸
to lend
か（す）
(It looks like a man with a bow and arrow on a horse.)
(It looks like an eye with items leaving it)
洗たく
laundry
せんたく
母親
mother
ははおや
家族
family
かぞく
(home-group)
後
ご
after; in (in the sense of time); behind
use with に when referring to time
着る
きる
to wear, to put on
医
い
doctor
It looks like someone coming to your house
楽
たの（しい）/ らく / がく
comfort; music
(It looks like a conductor moving their arms.)
高校生
こうこうせい
high school student
```
和室
Japanese room
わしつ
動ぶつ
どうぶつ
animal
電気
electricity
でんき
地下てつ
metro
underground train
ちかてつ
世界一
best in the world
せかいいち
奥
at the back (of a space)
おく
(It’s shaped like the inside of a box.)
日本酒
にほんしゅ
Japanese rice wine
休日
a day off / holiday
きゅうじつ
事
thing; matter
こと / ごと / じ
(It’s the shape of a hand holding sticks, used for fortune telling.)
午後
P.M.
ごご
noon-after
楽き
musical instrument
がっき
起こす
おこす
to wake someone up
午前
A.M.
ごぜん
noon-before
昼食
lunch
ちゅうしょく
more formal
茶道
Japanese tea ceremony (way of tea)
さどう
自動車
じどうしゃ
automobile
self-moving-wagon
耳
ear
みみ
(It’s shaped like an ear.)
雨
rain
あめ / う
(It looks like rain outside the window.)
転
to revolve; to change
てん
It derives from a picture of a spinning wheel
茶 (color)
brown
茶色 / 茶いる is the most common way to name the colour, and 茶色い / ちゃいるい is the adjective form.
気
spirit / feeling
き
待つ
まつ
to wait
高校
high school
こうこう
元
origin; former
もと / げん
similar to 分 minute; to understand; counter for minutes
ふん / ぶん / ぷん / わ (かる)
住所
address
じゅうしょ
dwelling-place
写
しゃ / うつ（る）
to copy; be photographed
(It looks like an old fashioned camera or a copy machine)
作
to make, to build
つく（る） / さく
映
reflection; projection
えい / うつ（る）
(it loos like a person standing in front of a mirror or a screen)
運転
drive, driving
うんてん
漢字
かんじ
kanji character
考
to think, to consider
かんがえ（る）
本
ほん
counter for something long and thin, or stick-like ✏️ 🌂
夕
evening
ゆう
(It’s shaped like a crescent moon.)
社
company; shrine
しゃ
(It is made of the radical meaning “god” and the kanji meaning “soil”.)
make Kanji for color into an adjective
add い after the Kanji
黒い back (adj.)
自てん車
自転車
bicycle
self-turn-wagon
勉
べん
effort
文化
culture
ぶんか
literature-change
動く
うごく
to move
茶いろ
brown
ちゃいろ
（tea-color）
中国
China
ちゅうごく
国内
inside a country
こくない
歌う
to sing
うたう
半
half
はん
the verticle line divides the Kanji in half
海
ocean, sea
うみ / かい
じん社
神社
shrine
じんじゃ
所
place
ところ / しょ
It looks like a person walking through a door to enter a place.
地
ground; earth
ち / じ
自ぶんで
by myself
口
mouth
くち / こう / く
(It’s the shape of an open mouth.)
おも白い
interesting / funny
おもしろい
書
to write
か(く) / しょ
shaped like a brush over a table
転校
changing school
てんこう
洗
to wash
せん / あら（う）
(a person washing their hands and feet)
茶
tea
ちゃ / さ
looks like a tea house
和食
Japanese food
わしょく
出る
to exit
でる
立
to stand
りつ / た（つ）
(It’s shaped like a person standing on a line.)
今回
今度
こんかい
こんど
this time
自ぶん
自分
self
じぶん
can be used for myself, yourself, herself, himself, I, and me.
写す
うつす
to copy
(It looks like an old fashioned camera or paper on a copy machine.)
夏
summer
なつ / か
(It looks like a person wearing a hat is dancing.)
茶道
sado (Japanese tea ceremony)
tea-way
れん習
practice
れんしゅう
出
to go out, to exit
で（る） / しゅつ / だ（す）
場
location
じょう / ば
looks like a horse carrying a package pulling up tp its destination
earth (土) and the sun (日)
黄
yellow
き
To name the color, always use きいろ / 黄色
To make an adjective use きいろい / 黄色い, and not きい / 黄い.
写る
うつる
to be photographed
服
clothes
ふく
(shelf with clothes hanging from it.)
真
しん / ま
true; reality
(the shape of traditional pottery.)
おん度
おんど
temperature
数字
counter for numerals / numbers
すうじ
働
to work
はたら（く）
(It’s a combination of a “person” and “to move”.)
着
to put on
き(る) / つ(ける) / ちゃく
this kanji also means “to arrive” つく
閉
to close
しめる / しまる / とじる / へい
closed gate
起
き / お（きる）/ おこ（す）
to wake up; to get up
(It’s shaped like a stroller with a baby. / kicking somebody to wake up)
待
たい / ま（つ）
to wait
(the left side is a person, the right side looks like part of the kanji for time)
和服
Japanese style clothes
わふく
寝
しん / ね（る)
to sleep; to lie down
(left side is a person, right side is a bed with a pillowon it, with a roof on top)
病
illness; sickness
びょう
(It’s the shape of someone laying on a hospital bed.)
(looks like a person confined to a hospital)
中止
cancel
ちゅうし
座
to sit
ざ / すわ（る）
(shape of two people 人人 sitting)
入口
entrance
いりぐち
電
electricity
でん
(It has the kanji for rain with a lightning bolt underneath it.
旅 / 旅行
りょ / たび
りょこう
trip
(It looks like a person with a suitcase.)
今朝
this morning
けさ
医者
お医者さん
doctor
いしゃ
お医者さん
空
sky / air / empty
そら (sky) / くう / から (empty)
春
spring
はる / しゅん
sun at the bottom
contrast with 昼 midday
夕ごはん
dinner
ゆうごはん
(ばんごはん also means dinner)
出口
an exit
でぐち
足
foot / leg
あし / そく
(It looks like a person running.)
意見
opinion
いけん
idea-look
仕事
work
しごと
serve-thing
夜ごはん
yet another word for dinner
よるごはん
奥さん
(someone else’s) wife
おくさん
literally, back-person
親切
しんせつ（な） (kind)
intimateperson - earnest
世界
world
せかい
手紙
てがみ
a letter (correspondence)
hand-paper
会
meeting; to meet
かい / あ (う)
(It looks like a table under a roof, like a conference room.)
運てん
うんてん
to drive a vehicle, transport
青年
young man
せいねん
blue-year
下手
not good at (but doesn’t hate)
へた
彼
he
かれ / かの
(It looks like someone’s profile.)
(similar to 夜, night)
黒
black
くろ / こく
a chimney with black smoke (upside down)
手作り
てづくり (handmade)
Te-dzukuri
会社
company
かいしゃ
元気
healthy；health
げんき
(former-spirit)
台風
typhoon
たいふう
意
idea; mind
い
combination of the kanji for sound and heart
think (sort of) with a hat
晩
nightfall; night
ばん
(the sun walking away)
Even though 晩 does mean nightfall, it is not often used by itself to state the time of the day
夕食
dinner
ゆうしょく
more formaal
仕事
job
しごと
青
blue
あお / せい
(It’s shaped like a potted plant.)
文
sentence; literature
ぶん / もん
料
fee; material
りょう
The radical on left means rice and the radical on right comes from a picture of a spoon. So, a spoonful of rice.
社長
company president
しゃちょう
寝ぼう
ねぼう
oversleeping
方
direction; the way of doing something
ほう / かた
the ほう reading is used in the phrase のほうが / の方が (more)
内
inside, indoor
うち / ない
(It looks like a curtain inside a house.)
飲
to drink
の (む) / いん
(It’s made up of the kanji “to eat” and an upside down cocktail glass.)
せい座
seiza (proper sitting); sitting on your knees
せいざ
お茶する
to go to a café / to hang out
おちゃする
出す
“to give” or “to move something from inside to outside”,
だす
秋
autumn
あき / しゅう
tree-fire
枚
まい
counter for something flat 📄 👕
(including telephones!)
(It’s the shape of a person swinging their axe against a tree, to cut a flat piece of wood.)
旅行
to travel
りょこう
開
to open
あける /あく / ひらく / かい
open gate
動
どう / うご（く）
move; motion
(the right-hand side looks like someone raising their knee to run)
病院
hospital
びょういん
一回
いっかい
one time
晩ごはん
dinner
ばんごはん
赤
red
あか
It’s shaped like a grill with red fire (upside down)
黒ばん
blackboard
こくばん
部
section
ぶ
similar to 院 institution
The radical on the right means “place where people live”.
英
English
えい
(It’s shaped like a person with a crown.)
体
body
からだ / たい
(It looks like two people sleeping.)
person-root
空手
karate (empty-hand)
からて
間
interval; between
かん / あいだ
similar tto Kanji for “hear” 聞; “hear” has an ear in it.
動画
どうが
video
電車の駅
train station
でんしゃのえき
赤ちゃん
baby
あかちゃん
red-child
運動
うんどう
exercise
目
eye
め / もく
(It looks like a shape of an eye on its side.)
住
to live / to reside
す(む) / じゅう
(It looks like a person next to a camdle holder; an apartment building.)
洋服
Western clothes
ようふく
音がく
sound / music
おんがく
(It looks like a singer with their arms held out.)
知
to know; wisdom
し（る）/ ち
朝食
breakfast
ちょうしょく
more formal
安
relax, peaceful, inexpensive
やす (い) / あん
( a woman underneath a roof, where she is relaxing.)
今晩
tonight
こんばん
止
to stop
とまる / とめる / し
looks like a policeman stopping traffic
same reading as “stay” 泊
大西洋
Atlantic Ocean
たいせいよう
big-Western-Ocean
屋
roof; room; shop
おく / や
化
to change
か
It looks like people sitting back to back
one facing one way, the other
会長
chairperson; president
かいちょう
(long-meeting)
回る
まわる
to revolve
外
outside, outdoor
そと / がい
(the right side is someone pointing outside)
世界中
around the world
せかいじゅう
入る
to go in
はいる
東京
Tokyo
とうきょう
（Eastern-Capital）
仕
to serve
し
(It’s made up of a radical that means “person” and the shape of someone sitting, whom we serve.)
親
parent; intimate
おや / しん
(It looks like a parent “looking” over their child, using the kanji “to see”.)
道
way / road
みち / どう
looks like a trolley car travelling on a road
さん歩
stroll
さんぽ
家
home; professional (word ending)
いえ / か
(Made up of radicals that mean roof and pig)
歩
to walk
あるく / ほ / ぽ
sort of like 足 leg/foot あし
歌手
a singer
かしゅ
楽しい
fun
たのしい
京
capital (place)
きょう
(Shaped like a Japanese castle.)
思
to think
おも（う）/ し
don’t confuse with 赤 red
picture of a brain
rice paddy with legs
頭
head; counter for large animals
あたま / ず / とう
(The right side of the kanji looks like a person with a hat. – legs-eye-hat)
休
to rest
やす(む) / きゅう
a person leaning against a tree
度
ど / たび
degrees (temperature and angles); occurrences
紙
かみ / し
paper
者
someone; person
しゃ / もの
(It’s shaped like a person wearing a sash.)
韓国
South Korea
かんこく
薬
medicine
くすり / やく
(It’s shaped like a medicinal herb.)
looks like the kanji for “comfort” with an extra line on top)
英語
English language
えいご
白
white
しろ / はく
similar to the Kanji for “self” 自
朝
morning
あさ / ちょう
(the moon is going away)
世
world; society; generation
せ / よ / せい
(It’s made up of three tens (十), and 30 years would be a generation.)
運
うん / はこ（ぶ）
carry; transport; luck
(the right-hand side looks like some boxes being carried by the left-hand side)
字
じ
character
looks like “school” but only has one stroke on top
漢
Kan / Han（Chinese）
loots like a Chinese warrior
運ぶ
はこぶ
to carry
分
minute; to understand
ふん / ぶん / ぷん / わ (かる)
also the counter for minutes
色々 (色色)
various
いろいろ (な-adjective)
color-color
映画
movie
えいが
帰
to return; to go back
かえ（る）/き
(It looks like a sled and a child.)
画
picture; brush strokes (as in how many brush strokes to write a character)
が / かく
(It’s shaped like a picture frame.)
すう字
すうじ
numeral / numeric character
親友
best friend
しんゆう
literally: intimate friend
泊
stay (somewhere temporary－like at a hotel)
とまる / はく / ぱく
don’t confuse with 海 sea うみ
right-hand side means “self”
same reading as “stop” 止
also counter for number of night at a hotel はく / ぱく
色
color
いろ / しょく
(It’s shaped like a brush on a paint palette.)
also counter for colors
天気
weather
てんき
物
thing
もの/ぶつ
looks like a child and an animal.
天国
heaven
てんごく
音
sound
おと / おん
(It looks like a singer with their arms held out; it looks like a speaker)
族
tribe; group
ぞく
(right side looks like person holding flags)
着物
きもの
wear-thing
一色
one color
いっしょく
意み
いみ
meaning
from 意 (idea)
駅
station
えき
The radical on the left is the kanji for horse
楽
comfort; music
たの（しい）/ らく / がく
犬
dog
いぬ / けん
(It looks like the mouth of a dog.)
父親
father
ちちおや
洋
ocean; Western (style)
よう
さく夜
さくや
last night
人気
popular
person-spirit
にんきん
読書
reading books
どくしょ
手
hand
て / しゅ
(It looks like the lines on your palm.)
お茶
tea
おちゃ
気持ち
a feeling
きもち
spirit-hold
日本語
Japanese language
にほんご
勉強
べんきょう
study
車
car; vehicle
くるま / しゃ
強
きょう / つよ（い）
strong
料理
cooking
りょうり
material-logic
毎晩
every night
まいばん
明
bright
あか（るい） / あ / めい
店
a shop
みせ / てん
(This kanji looks like someone selling a product at a desk under a roof.)
名
name / reputation
な / めい
合
to fit; to suit; to match
あ（う） / ごう
looks similar to “to meet”, 会 あ(う)
(looks like a Japanese teacup with a fitted cover.)
業
business / work (as in the place where you work)
ぎょう
(looks like a tall tower with 4 people on the roof!)
名前
name
なまえ
有名
famous
ゆうめい（な）
名し
a business card
めいし
明日
tomorrow
two readings: あした; あす (more formal)
bright-day
そつ業する
to graduate
そつぎょうする
the kanji means business / work
店いん
a shop clerk
てんいん
店内
inside of a shop
てんない
shop-inside
店長
a store manager
てんちょう
合けい
in total
ごうけい
合かくする / 合格する
to pass an exam
ごうかくする
じゅ業
a lesson
じゅぎょう
えい業
business; sales
えいぎょう
聞く
きく
means both “to listen” and “to ask.
