Kanji - Level 18 - Vocab Flashcards
予告
Advance notice
Kanji: 予 beforehand + 告 announce
If you announce something beforehand you will have advance notice. Advance notice is always nice to give.
You’ll also see this used as an abbreviation of 予告編, meaning trailer or preview.
Reading: よこく
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
広告
Advertisement
Kanji: 広 wide + 告 announce
When you announce something to a wide audience, you’re just throwing your message out there for everyone to hear. This is just a big wide advertisement.
Reading: こうこく
Sorry, you only learned the kun’yomi reading with 広. So, think of it this way when you need to remember this word’s meaning: You’re advertising something. It’s a big advertisement to advertise how terrible a person こういち is. Come up with some terrible things he’s done so that you can imagine this crazy Koichi advertisement you made and ran on national TV.
笑い
A laugh
Kanji: 笑 laugh + い
You know that 笑う is “to laugh.” This is the noun version, because the う in 笑う turns to い (so don’t confuse this as an adjective). What is the noun version of “to laugh”? It’s a laugh.
Reading: わらい
The reading is the same as 笑う, so just make sure you know that so you can know this as well.
弓道
Archery
Kanji: 弓 bow + 道 road
The path of the bow. This is archery.
Reading: きゅうどう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
黒煙
Black smoke
Kanji: 黒 black + 煙 smoke
Black smoke is black smoke. It’s also something you should avoid if you can.
Readings: こくえん, くろけむり
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
借用
Borrowing
Kanji: 借 borrow + 用 task
The task of borrowing something is when you’re borrowing something. It’s also when you get a loan.
Reading: しゃくよう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
叩頭
Bow
Kanji: 叩 tap + 頭 head
Tap your head against the floor to show your subservient respect by doing this deep bow. This is the most respectful bow you can possibly do. (Thank you China, for bringing this word into Japanese and thank you Japanese for bringing this into English.)
Reading: こうとう
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You haven’t learned this reading for 頭 yet, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
They used to make you kowtow every single time you came to とうきょう. That’s full on head to floor kowtowing in front of everyone who is already in とうきょう to prove that you appreciate being there. They might even make you do it these days too, if you’re not being respectful enough while you’re there.
弓
Bow
Kanji: 弓 bow
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: ゆみ
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it should use the kun’yomi reading. When learning the kanji, you didn’t learn that reading, so here’s a mnemonic to help you with this word:
All we need to shoot a bow is you ‘n’ me (ゆみ). One person holds the bow, the other fires the arrows. Teamwork makes the dream work. Even for shooting bows. Just you ‘n’ me.
脳
Brain
Kanji: 脳
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: のう
The reading is the same as what you learned with the kanji. Don’t have to use your brain for that.
脳死
Brain death
Kanji: 脳 brain + 死 death
If your brain is dead you have brain death.
Reading: のうし
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
脳みそ
Brains
Kanji: 脳 brain + み + そ
Do you know みそ Soup and how miso goes in it? This is that miso. It’s soft and strange feeling. Now, your brain miso, that’s your brains or your gray matter. Essentially, if someone cuts your head open with a katana, this is perhaps what would come out.
Reading: のうみそ
Reading is just what you learned with the kanji. Just use your 脳 a bit and it should be easy.
洗脳
Brainwashing
Kanji: 洗 wash + 脳 brain
Give your brain a nice wash. No! Wait! It’s not as nice as it sounds. This is brainwashing.
Reading: せんのう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
仏僧
Buddhist priest
Kanji: 仏 buddha + 僧 priest
A Buddha priest is a Buddhist Priest.
Reading: ぶっそう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
喫茶店
Cafe
Kanji: 喫 consume + 茶 tea + 店 shop
If you consume tea in a shop, it could either be a cafe, a tea house, or slightly confusingly, a coffee shop. Welcome! Sit down. Relax. Have some tea (or coffee).
This word often refers to cafes with a retro feel to them, though they can be modern too. These places usually serve a variety of drinks and light meals.
Reading: きっさてん
The readings are what you’d expect except for きつ getting shortened to きっ and 茶, which has this strange さ reading. To remember that it’s さ instead of ちゃ, think of this tea house you’re going in. You think it’s nice and pleasant, and it is for a while… until someone starts working a saw (さ) outside, ruining the atmosphere. BEWWEEEEHHHEEEHHHHHE gatatatatatat BWEEEHEEE.
平静
Calm
Kanji: 平 peace + 静 quiet
A place that is peace and quiet is a very calm and serene place. Ahh, so nice!
Reading: へいせい
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
飴
Candy
Kanji: 飴 candy
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. When we talk about this kind of candy, it’s usually hard candy 🍬 or a lollipop 🍭 though.
Reading: あめ
This word is made up of a single kanji, and it uses the kun’yomi reading. You learned this reading with the kanji, so you should be able to read it already!
留守番
Caretaker
Kanji: 留 detain + 守 protect + 番 number in a series
You know how 留守 means “absence” or “away from home”? Well, now that you’re absent from your home, it’s someone else’s turn to come to your home and take care of it. This person is the caretaker, someone who’s looking after one’s house.
Reading: るすばん
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. Knowing 留守 will be important as well.
洗車
Car wash
Kanji: 洗 wash + 車 car
A wash that washes cars is a car wash.
Reading: せんしゃ
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. Don’t confuse this with the same-sounding 戦車 though… unless you’re washing your 戦車 in a 洗車…
証明書
Certificate
Kanji: 証 evidence + 明 bright + 書 write
You hopefully know that 証明 means “proof.” So, when the proof is written down, what kind of proof is it? It’s a certificate of some kind. I’m going to need to see some 証明書 if you want to get in here, sir.
Reading: しょうめいしょ
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. Knowing 証明’s reading will also be helpful.
お守り
Amulet
Kanji: お + 守 protect + り
You know how 守る is “to protect,” right? This is like that, but it’s the noun version. It’s not really “a protection,” though it kind of is. What things can you wear to protect you from things like bad luck, demons, and ancient aliens? That would be an amulet or a charm. You’ll see these kinds of things sold at temples and such.
Reading: おまもり
The reading is like that of 守る, so if you know the reading of that word you should be able to read this one as well.
胸
Chest
Kanji: 胸 chest
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: むね
This vocab word uses the same reading as the one you learned with the kanji. At least I won’t have to bring up the image of you mooning (むね) people with your breasts or whatnot. Oh dang, I just went and did it.
分類
Classification
Kanji: 分 part + 類 type
You take a type of something and break it off into a part. This part is the classification of that item.
Reading: ぶんるい
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
お笑い
Comedy
Kanji: お + 笑 laugh + い
You know that 笑う is “to laugh.” This is a noun version of that, though it’s not “a laugh,” (that’s 笑い). Add お to that and you have the thing that makes you laugh. It’s comedy. It’s the joke that’s elevated with お because it made you laugh SOOOOO much. Haha!
Reading: おわらい
The reading is the same 笑う or 笑い. It’s also the same as what you learned with the kanji.
文句
Complaint
Kanji: 文 writing + 句 paragraph
A paragraph in writing is what you send someone when you want to submit a complaint. You want to make sure these are in writing, though, otherwise you don’t have proof of your complaint. Also, don’t make it longer than a paragraph, because that’s too long and nobody cares about how you think the shop staff mistreated your dog Fluffy.
Reading: もんく
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
告白
Confession
Kanji: 告 announce + 白 white
To announce something and make it white is to make a confession. Think of a completely blank sheet of paper - your confession clears all the announcements from the sheet of paper, making it white.
This word is often used when someone confesses romantic feelings for someone else.
Reading: こくはく
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
可愛い
Cute
Kanji: 可 possible + 愛 love + い
It’s possible to love this thing. It’s so gosh darn cute! Any really cute thing is possible to love.
Reading: かわいい
The reading for this word is screwed up, though if we’re lucky, you already know the word for cute. It seems to have injected itself into American and English culture a decent amount, anyways. If you are one of the lucky ones, you’ll know that this word is read as かわいい. If you’re not, think of the cute thing being a cow. Then you say, “that cowはいい” (かわいい), or “that cow is good” because it’s so cute.
借金
Debt
Kanji: 借 borrow + 金 gold
The money (and gold) you borrow is your debt. Be sure to pay it back before the yakuza come for you.
Reading: しゃっきん
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. The しゃく gets shortened to しゃっ though, so beware. Just think of that like the little bit that you lost to the yakuza, because they weren’t happy you didn’t pay back your debt. cut
辞書形
Dictionary form
Kanji: 辞 quit + 書 write + 形 shape
This is a combination of the word 辞書 “dictionary” and the suffix 〜形 or “form.” Put them together and you get dictionary form!
Reading: じしょけい
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
書類
Document
Kanji: 書 write + 類 type
If you put writing into a category, you’d have to write it down after you’ve chosen what category it is in. Where would you write that down? Into a document, probably.
Reading: しょるい
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
上品
Elegant
Kanji: 上 above + 品 product
Remember how 下品 is “crude” and “vulgar” - this is obviously the opposite. This is elegant.
Reading: じょうひん
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
等しい
Equal
Kanji: 等 equal + し + い
This is a single kanji with an い on the end, meaning you know it’s probably an adjective. What’s the adjective form of equal? It’s equal (and also similar or equivalent). That “similar” one is a bit weird, because “similar” is not equal, though I’d lean more towards equal.
Reading: ひとしい
Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun’yomi reading. You didn’t learn that reading with this kanji, so here’s a mnemonic to help you: What should be equal above all things? I think each person (ひと) should be equal!
対等
Equality
Kanji: 対 versus + 等 equal
It doesn’t matter what you say versus equal rights. If you really want things to be equal, you have to support equality.
Reading: たいとう
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
等号
Equal sign
Kanji: 等 equal + 号 number
How do you represent an equal number? With an equal sign.
It’s worth pointing out that this is a pretty formal word that’s used in advanced math. In everyday conversation, people would use イコール for the equal sign.
Reading: とうごう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
留学生
Exchange student
Kanji: 留 detain + 学 study + 生 life
Remember 留学, which means “study abroad”? Do you also remember 学生, which is “student”? This word is like those two words mashed together (they share a 学), making it a “study abroad student.” What’s a better way to say that? How about exchange student!
Reading: りゅうがくせい
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
遠く
Far away
Kanji: 遠 far + く
This is the noun/no-adjective version of the kanji far, so it means far away or distant.
Reading: とおく
This uses the kun’yomi reading which you learned with 遠い. How convenient!
一等
First class
Kanji: 一 one + 等 equal
When you’re equal to one you are the very top. You are first class and first rank. In fact, you are the best.
Reading: いっとう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. いち gets shortened to いっ though, so watch out for that if you want to remain the best, yeah?
初恋
First love
Kanji: 初 first + 恋 romance
Your first love is your first love or your first crush. This usually refers to the first time you fall in love, but it can also refer to the person you fall in love with.
Reading: はつこい
Similarly to 初耳, 初 behaves more like a prefix here, which means that this uses kun’yomi readings. You already know these for both 初 and 恋, so you should be good to go!
五枚
Five flat objects
Kanji: 五 five + 枚 flat object counter
You know that 枚 is a flat objects counter. So, now we’re counting! You have five flat objects.
Reading: ごまい
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
〜枚
Flat object counter
Kanji: 枚 flat object counter
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well, so this is flat object counter.
This counter can be used with various “flat” things, such as clothing items, sheets, paper, stamps, dishes, and more. Notice how they’re all kind of flat shaped?
Reading: まい
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
禁止
Forbidden
Kanji: 禁 prohibit + 止 stop
Stop! That’s prohibition (prohibited)! When something is prohibited and you’re forced to stop, that thing is obviously forbidden. If you see this you should probably not do the thing it’s telling you not to do.
Reading: きんし
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
予報
Forecast
Kanji: 予 beforehand + 報 news
A news report that covers things beforehand (before they happen) is a forecast. For example, a weather forecast is a 天気予報.
Reading: よほう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
金曜日
Friday
Kanji: 金 gold + 曜 weekday + 日 sun
This is a day of the week. You know this because it has 曜日 in it. But what day of the week is it? The gold day of the week is the greatest day. It’s the day that makes you feel like gold because it’s the end of the weekdays and the beginning of the weekend! This day is Friday.
Reading: きんようび
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well. It will help to know the word 曜日 as well.
友達
Friend
Kanji: 友 friend + 達 attain
A friend that you attain is your friend. This is the most common way to say “friend,” so learn it if you want to make any!
Reading: ともだち
The readings for both of these are readings you haven’t learned yet, though maybe you already know this word since it’s fairly common. Think of it this way. You have your friend Tom (とも) Cruise. You like him, and he likes you. You’re close enough friends that you can touch (だち) each other too. Like, on the shoulder or on the hand or whatever, without it being awkward. So, you like to Tom touch (ともだち) when you can, because he has nice skin.
銀座
Ginza
Kanji: 銀 silver + 座 sit
The silver seat isn’t some crazy kingdom where the king sits upon a silver seat. It is a famous place in Tokyo. Perhaps if you read the reading it will become more apparent what the meaning is (since they’re the same). This silver seat place is Ginza.
Reading: ぎんざ
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you’ll know how to read this as well.
品物
Goods
Kanji: 品 product + 物 thing
A product thing is any type of general goods. It’s about as specific as you can get when you’re talking about things like this.
Reading: しなもの
This is a jukugo word that uses the kun’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own, but don’t be fooled into using the on’yomis! This isn’t ひんぶつ — no, it’s しなもの!
落書き
Graffiti
Kanji: 落 fall + 書 write + き
When writing just happens to “fall” on the wall (whoops, wasn’t me who did that, how strannnnge) it’s writing that’s not supposed to be where it is. This kind of writing is graffiti.
Reading: らくがき
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. 書, however, is kun’yomi in this case and also has rendaku. So just remember that it’s read as が for this vocab and you’ll be fine.
焼き鳥
Grilled chicken
Kanji: 焼 bake + き + 鳥 bird
A nicely baked bird isn’t just any bird, it’s grilled chicken or roast chicken. You may also know it by its Japanese name: yakitori.
Reading: やきとり
The readings are the vocab kun’yomi readings. With 焼き, you can use the reading you learned with the kanji. With 鳥 just remember back to the vocab word, とり. Combine and eat.
焼き肉
Grilled meat
Kanji: 焼 bake + き + 肉 meat
Nicely baked meat is grilled meat or yakiniku. Mmm, yum! If you go to Japan look out for 焼肉 places (same meaning and reading). They’re pretty tasty, if you’re into meat at least.
Reading: やきにく
焼き uses the reading you learned with the kanji. 肉 does too. Put them on the grill and enjoy!
手荷物
Hand baggage
Kanji: 手 hand + 荷 luggage + 物 thing
Remember 荷物 and how it means “baggage” or “luggage.” Add a hand to it and you have hand baggage or hand luggage.
Reading: てにもつ
If you know 荷物 and you know 手, then you should be able to Voltron the two together into one mega reading.
幸い
Happiness
Kanji: 幸 happiness + い
Happiness is happiness!
Reading: さいわい
Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun’yomi reading. You haven’t learned this reading yet so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
If your life is filled with nothing but happiness, every time someone says something to you, all you can do is say, “Sigh, what (さいわ)?” You sigh and say what. Because you’re too happy to really listen. You’re just sighing all day and not paying attention.
