Kanji - Level 19 - Vocab Flashcards
学歴
Academic history
Kanji: 学 study + 歴 continuation
A continuation of studying is the time that passes that we study. This is academic history, so pay close attention!
Reading: がくれき
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.
形容詞
Adjective
Kanji: 形 shape + 容 form + 詞 part of speech
A part of speech that creates the shape and form of a word is something that is descriptive (its shape and form are in there, after all!). This shape and form part of speech is an adjective. You are so beautiful!
Reading: けいようし
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.
五十音順
Aiueo order
Kanji: 五 five + 十 ten + 音 sound + 順 order
This is a little confusing for someone who didn’t grow up with the Japanese language. You have fifty sounds. Then, they’re in a certain order. So, these fifty sounds are the Japanese syllabary. That’s hiragana / katakana, probably from back in the day when there were more sounds than there are now. So, the “fifty sounds in order” makes up aiueo order, where the “aiueo” is あいうえお representing the five columns.
Reading: ごじゅうおんじゅん
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.
流石
As expected
Kanji: 流 stream + 石 stone
A stream containing stones is like… the most natural thing ever. It’s just as expected.
Note that you’ll encounter this being written in kana as well, but the meaning is the same.
Reading: さすが
Unfortunately, the reading for this is a total exception that you’ll just have to memorize, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Just as expected, I saw Suga (さすが) at the bar again last night… Mr. Suga spends a little too much time at the bar, and we’re starting to get worried for him. 流石に Mr. Suga…
猫舌
Aversion to hot foods
Kanji: 猫 cat + 舌 tongue
A cat’s tongue is for some reason associated with an aversion to hot foods. I guess I haven’t seen a cat drinking up boiling milk, but whatever. Just imagine a cat licking up something super hot and freaking out. Cats don’t like hot things, which is why this is an aversion to hot foods.
Reading: ねこじた
The reading is the two vocab words separately put together, just as you’d expect from a body-part related kanji. So, 猫 plus 舌 = ねこじた. Just remember that 舌 is read here as じた, and not した.
焼き芋
Baked sweet potato
Kanji: 焼 bake + き + 芋 potato
Baked potato is actually baked sweet potato (or roasted sweet potato). Although it’s literally just potato, most Japanese speakers will automatically think of sweet potato when they hear this word. Yum! 🍠
Reading: やきいも
The reading is the readings from 焼く and 芋 put together.
信徒
Believer
Kanji: 信 believe + 徒 junior
A junior believer is a believer or follower. They certainly aren’t the leader or anything because of their junior status, but at least they’re there, and at least they’re believing. Oh, and excuse me, may I take a moment of your time? I’d like to tell you about the glory that is the Crabigator….
Reading: しんと
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.
得
Benefit
Kanji: 得 acquire
When you are able to acquire whatever you want, you start to see the benefits of everything around you and begin to profit from them. Aren’t you so amazing?
Reading: とく
The reading for this is the same as with the kanji you learned. とく!
毛布
Blanket
Kanji: 毛 fur + 布 cloth
A fur cloth isn’t something you’d just throw away. You’d probably turn this warm fur cloth into a nice blanket.
毛布 usually refers specifically to a wool blanket, as opposed to comforters for example.
Reading: もうふ
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.
〜冊
Book counter
Kanji: 冊 book counter
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: さつ
The reading is the same as well. It’s probably treated like on’yomi jukugo because it’s attached to things (like numbers!).
仏教徒
Buddhist
Kanji: 仏 buddha + 教 teach + 徒 junior
You know 仏教 means “Buddhism” so a follower of Buddhism is a Buddhist.
Reading: ぶっきょうと
Add the on’yomi reading for 徒 to the word you already know. Done!
忙しい
Busy
Kanji: 忙 busy + し + い
This is a single kanji with しい on the end, meaning it’s an adjective. What’s the adjective form of busy? It’s also busy.
Reading: いそがしい
You’re busy because you have to take care of your friend’s ice ogres (いそが) this weekend. You don’t know why you agreed to this, you were busy enough, but now you’ll never get anything done running around taking care of these little ice ogres.
多忙
Busy
Kanji: 多 many + 忙 busy
If you’ve had many busy days, then you’re even more busy than you thought!
Reading: たぼう
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
年代順
Chronological order
Kanji: 年 year + 代 substitute + 順 order
You put years in order of the period they come in and you’re really putting them in chronological order.
Reading: ねんだいじゅん
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.
布
Cloth
Kanji: 布 cloth
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: ぬの
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: You take your cloth and put it on top of your head. It’s there because right at noon (ぬの) the sun is in the middle of the sky and burns your scalp. So, you cover it with a cloth. Imagine yourself setting an alarm for noon to help you to focus on the noon part.
混乱
Confusion
Kanji: 混 mix + 乱 riot
There’s a riot and everything’s getting all mixed up! Within that, there is of course a ton of confusion.
Reading: こんらん
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.
内容
Contents
Kanji: 内 inside + 容 form
Inside that form… there is something inside there. What are the contents?
Reading: ないよう
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.
大きい順
Decreasing order
Kanji: 大 big + き + い + 順 order
When the order is from big (to small), you are talking about decreasing order. That’s largest first.
Reading: おおきいじゅん
The reading is the word 大きい plus 順’s reading you learned with the kanji.
細かい
Detailed
Kanji: 細 thin + か + い
This is an adjective utilizing the second meaning of 細, detailed. So, this just means detailed or fine!
You can remember that this one is “detailed” or “fine” because the かい makes you think of coyotes. Your hobby is making extremely detailed and fine model railroads out of nothing but raw meat. This, however, means that coyotes regularly come in and destroy all of your fine handiwork.
Reading: こまかい
This word has a different reading from the ones you’ve learned so far, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
After the coyote wrecks your model railroad, he bites you on the head, sending you into an indefinite coma (こま).
劇団
Drama troupe
Kanji: 劇 drama + 団 group
A drama group is a drama troupe or theatrical company.
Reading: げきだん
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
飲酒
Drinking alcohol
Kanji: 飲 drink + 酒 alcohol
Drink alcohol is drinking alcohol, or just drinking. This always refers to alcohol though.
Reading: いんしゅ
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You haven’t learned this reading of 飲 yet, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Where’s a good place for drinking alcohol? An inn (いん), of course!
容易
Ease
Kanji: 容 form + 易 easy
The form in front of you is easy. Whatever it is, you’ll be able to do it with ease.
Reading: ようい
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.
易しい
Easy
Kanji: 易 easy + 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 easy? It’s also easy.
Reading: やさしい
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: Everything is so easy for you to do. Why? Because you don’t do anything yourself. You ask others. You say things like “Hey, can you get me some water?” They say “yassah!” (やさ) very enthusiastically.
八冊
Eight books
Kanji: 八 eight + 冊 book counter
When you have eight books you have eight books. This is an example of how to count books, so if you have eight of them this is what you’d say.
Reading: はっさつ
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 はち part gets shortened as it often does when put into situations like this, making it はっ. The 冊 is all normal, and to the “book(s).” Har!
非常口
Emergency exit
Kanji: 非 injustice + 常 normal + 口 mouth
You know how 非常 means emergency and how 口 can be some kind of doorway (like in 入り口, for example)? Well, if that’s the case, then you have an emergency doorway. Usually you run away from emergencies, though, making this an emergency exit.
Reading: ひじょうぐち
The reading is the words 非常 and 口 combined together. The thing that makes this weird is that it’s a mix of the kun and on’yomi readings. I guess things get all jostled up when you have yourself an emergency.
入団
Enrollment
Kanji: 入 enter + 団 group
If you enter a group, it’s called enrollment or enlistment. You’re joining the group.
Reading: にゅうだん
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.
連日
Every day
Kanji: 連 take along + 日 sun
What happens when you take along a day? It becomes every day.
Reading: れんじつ
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
笛
Flute
Kanji: 笛 flute
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: ふえ
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: Pretend you’re trying to whistle, but you can’t. All that comes out is air. You make a “Fuuuuuuueh” sound over and over, because you can’t get the whole whistling thing down. Go ahead and pretend to do that (or do it for real).
二枚舌
Forked tongue
Kanji: 二 two + 枚 flat object counter + 舌 tongue
You have two flat objects that make up your tongue. What kind of tongue is made up of two of anything? That’s a tongue that’s split, that’s a forked tongue.
Reading: にまいじた
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. That’s the case for the first two kanji, but 舌 actually uses the kun’yomi. Not only that, it’s read here as じた, and not した.
布団
Futon
Kanji: 布 cloth + 団 group
Put some cloth in a group and you get a futon. It’s just the kind of nice, soft bedding or sleeping mat you’d like to curl up on.
Keep in mind that this word is different from the English version. We’re not talking about sofa-beds for your dorm room here. In Japanese, your 布団 is the traditional bedding you lay out on the floor at night and put away in the daytime. 布団 can refer to the sleeping mat, the duvet that covers it, or both items as a set.
Reading: ふとん
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 reading for 団 is the secondary reading that went with the kanji, though, so watch out for that. If you can figure out the meaning of this word, chances are you already know how to spell it, so carry that over to Japanese.
善悪
Good and evil
Kanji: 善 morally good + 悪 bad
You have morally good and bad. This is the battle between good and evil.
Reading: ぜんあく
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.
助詞
Grammar particle
Kanji: 助 help + 詞 part of speech
A part of speech that’s just meant to help your grammar out are the little things. They tie grammar and words together, and that’s about it. These are grammar particles or just plain old particles.
Reading: じょし
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.
得意
Good at
Kanji: 得 acquire + 意 idea
When you’re able to acquire ideas at a fast rate, you must be familiar with whatever it is you’re doing. If you acquire ideas in this way, there’s a good chance you’re good at or skilled at this action.
Reading: とくい
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.
集団
Group
Kanji: 集 collect + 団 group
A group that has collected together is a bunch of people. It is a group or crowd.
Reading: しゅうだん
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.
歴史
History
Kanji: 歴 continuation + 史 history
The continuation of history is history itself. This is the main word for “history” and you’ll see it a lot if you’re in school or something.
Reading: れきし
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.
改善
Improvement
Kanji: 改 renew + 善 morally good
When you renew something and it ends up morally good it’s definitely an improvement.
Reading: かいぜん
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.
小さい順
Increasing order
Kanji: 小 small + さ + い + 順 order
When something goes from small and goes in order it’s in increasing order, or smallest first.
Reading: ちいさいじゅん
The reading is the word 小さい plus the reading for 順.
自動詞
Intransitive verb
Kanji: 自 self + 動 move + 詞 part of speech
Remember how 動詞 means “verb”? When the verb’s action happens by itself or to the subject itself, it’s an intransitive verb.
In other words, it doesn’t need a direct object to complete its action. These are verbs like 行く or 着く or 消える. They’re doing something, but they’re not doing it to anyone or anything. Can you think of other 自動詞 in Japanese?
Reading: じどうし
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.
昆虫
Insect
Kanji: 昆 insect + 虫 insect
An insect insect is… you guessed it! An insect.
Reading: こんちゅう
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi of the kanji. You learned this reading for 昆 when you learned the kanji, but you haven’t learned the on’yomi for 虫 yet, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Did you know that insects are Chewbacca’s (ちゅう) favorite thing? He’s fascinated by all types of insects, and keeps them in boxes as pets. There are a good few of them crawling around in his fur, too.
いい加減
Irresponsible
Kanji: い + い + 加 add + 減 decrease
You add and you subtract. This brings you back to zero. There was absolutely no point in doing those actions. Completely pointless. In fact, I’d say that was downright irresponsible of you. The extra いい is there to mean “good,” as in “good, you’ve figured out how pointless that was, now stop.”
Reading: いいかげん
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.
求人
Job posting
Kanji: 求 request + 人 person
When you’re requesting people, you put up a job posting because you’re seeking workers.
Reading: きゅうじん
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. Since 人 has two on’yomi readings, here’s a mnemonic to help you remember which one to use:
As you’re looking at job postings, you notice they’re all looking for people with cucumbers and jeans (きゅうじん). That’s the only qualification they’re after, cucumbers and jeans.
喜び
Joy
Kanji: 喜 joy + び
This is the noun version of the kanji rejoice, so it means joy and delight. You rejoice because there are lots of reasons for your glee.
Reading: よろこび
You already learned this reading when you learned 喜ぶ so you should be able to read this one too!
昆布
Konbu
Kanji: 昆 insect + 布 cloth
Insect cloth is actually konbu. Konbu seaweed is very common in Japan, and it’s delicious. And insects happen to love using it as cloth, too. They make all their clothes out of konbu.
Readings: こんぶ, こぶ
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 布 part gets changed to ぶ, probably because if a food doesn’t have konbu you say boo (ぶ).
恋人
Lover
Kanji: 恋 romance + 人 person
A person of romance is someone you do romancey things with. That person is your lover.
Reading: こいびと
The reading is a bit strange. it’s the two separate words 恋 and 人 put together, making the reading こいびと. Oooh lala. Two words coming together like two people coming together. Rawrs.
乱戦
Melee
Kanji: 乱 riot + 戦 war
A riot of war is where things go nuts. This is a melee! A free for all!
Reading: らんせん
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.
宙
Midair
Kanji: 宙 midair
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: ちゅう
This has the same reading as the kanji you learned, meaning you know the reading!
混血
Mixed race
Kanji: 混 mix + 血 blood
If you have mixed blood, some people might say you’re of mixed race. Own it!
Reading: こんけつ
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
