Kanji - Level 29 - Vocab Flashcards
略語
Abbreviation
Kanji: 略 abbreviation + 語 language
Abbreviation in language is abbreviation.
Reading: りゃくご
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.
省略
Abbreviation
Kanji: 省 conserve + 略 abbreviation
Conserve those letters with abbreviation and it’s… an abbreviation! By using omission you were able to abbreviate that word into a smaller word.
Reading: しょうりゃく
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.
怒気
Anger
Kanji: 怒 angry + 気 energy
An angry energy comes out of you when you have anger.
Reading: どき
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.
怒り
Anger
Kanji: 怒 angry + り
This word looks a lot like 怒る, doesn’t it? But this word isn’t a verb, so you can think of it as referring to anger or wrath itself.
Reading: いかり
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:
I have a lot of anger because I carry (いか) all of my own things (books, luggage, drinks) and no one will ever carry them for me. Plus, the more things I carry, the more anger I carry inside. Ahh!
痛み
A pain
Kanji: 痛 pain + み
痛い is “painful.” This is the noun version, it is a pain or pain.
Reading: いたみ
The reading is the same as 痛い. No pain here.
申請
Application
Kanji: 申 say humbly + 請 request
When you say humbly that you’re requesting something, you’re putting forward an application.
申請 refers to the process of officially applying for approval or permission, like ビザの申請 (application for a visa), ライセンスの申請 (application for a license), or 休暇の申請 (application for leave/vacation).
Reading: しんせい
This is a jukugo word, which means on’yomi readings from the kanji. You already know this reading for 請, but not for 申, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Today you finally submitted your application for a new shin (しん). Your old one had to be painstakingly removed after you banged it against a table. Anyway, congrats on the application for your new shin!
面積
Area
Kanji: 面 face + 積 accumulate
The surface that accumulates into one area is a particular area. This has to do with math. When you add all the surfaces together by accumulating them into one calculation, you get yourself the area!
Reading: めんせき
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.
添付
Attachment
Kanji: 添 append + 付 attach
Append and attach this document to your email. That’s called attachment.
添付 refers to the act of attaching something supplementary to another document, like attaching a file to an email or attaching a map to an invitation.
Reading: てんぷ
The reading for 添 is what you’d expect. The reading for 付 is the on’yomi reading ふ, which you’ve learned with 付近. But for this word it becomes ぷ from the rendaku fairies. Just think of an attachment where instead of a document or something, you get an attachment of poop (ぷ). What a gross attachment. Your friend who likes to send poop attachments is dumb.
航空
Aviation
Kanji: 航 navigation + 空 sky
Navigation in the sky is aviation and flight. Vroom vroom sky flying!
Reading: こうくう
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.
宴
Banquet
Kanji: 宴 banquet
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: うたげ
At a banquet or dinner party, you don’t only get food, you also 歌 GET (うたげ), which is you getting a song from a singer, because entertainment is just as important as the food when you have a feast such as this.
宴会
Banquet
Kanji: 宴 banquet + 会 meet
A banquet meeting is when you meet together for a banquet (or dinner party).
Reading: えんかい
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.
招き猫
Beckoning cat
Kanji: 招 beckon + き + 猫 cat
A beckoning cat is a beckoning cat or maneki neko.
招き猫 are the cat statues believed to bring good luck and fortune to their owners. They’re often placed in front of shops with one paw raised, as if beckoning and saying, “Hey, come on in!”
Reading: まねきねこ
This word uses the kun’yomi readings for both kanji, which you know already!
お腹
Belly
Kanji: お + 腹 belly
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: おなか
The reading is an exception, but it isn’t too hard to remember. It’s the same as 中 (なか), so if you think about it it makes sense. It’s your insides, just like your belly is your insides!
黒板
Blackboard
Kanji: 黒 black + 板 board
A black board is a blackboard.
Reading: こくばん
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
板
Board
Kanji: 板 board
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
板 generally refers to something thin, flat, and solid, like a board, plank, slab, or plate. In some contexts, it can also refer to stock market boards that display trading prices, or bulletin boards used for posting messages in online forums.
Reading: いた
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it uses the kun’yomi reading. You did not learn this reading, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Who can make good use of various boards? An avid eater (いた)! If you’re an avid eater, you’ll need lots of (cutting) boards to prepare all the delicious food you’re going to eat. This makes boards and eaters the perfect match.
大略
Broad outline
Kanji: 大 big + 略 abbreviation
The big abbreviation is where you take everything and abbreviate it down to show the big picture. This abbreviation is the broad outline of something bigger.
大略 is a relatively formal word commonly found in writing. It generally refers to a broader, rougher outline or overview rather than a detailed summary.
Reading: たいりゃく
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.
官僚
Bureaucrat
Kanji: 官 government + 僚 colleague
A government colleague is a bureaucrat, or a government official. The one who works for and is part of the bureaucracy.
Reading: かんりょう
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.
閣議
Cabinet meeting
Kanji: 閣 the cabinet + 議 deliberation
When the cabinet meets for deliberation they are having a cabinet meeting. So governmenty.
Reading: かくぎ
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.
閣僚
Cabinet ministers
Kanji: 閣 the cabinet + 僚 colleague
The cabinet colleagues are the cabinet ministers. They’re the people in the Cabinet that are all colleagues with each other. They just happen to be known as ministers.
Reading: かくりょう
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.
中欧
Central Europe
Kanji: 中 middle + 欧 Europe
The middle part of Europe is Central Europe, wherever that is.
Reading: ちゅうおう
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.
倒壊
Collapse
Kanji: 倒 overthrow + 壊 break
When something collapses and breaks, it is when a collapse happens. When this happens, it is destruction. It is also probably something that was already crumbling apart.
Reading: とうかい
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.
同僚
Colleague
Kanji: 同 same + 僚 colleague
We work at the same place and are colleagues, making us colleagues or coworkers.
As you might guess from the 同 kanji, 同僚 generally refers to people working in the same workplace with the same rank or status. In other words, you wouldn’t usually call your boss your 同僚!
Reading: どうりょう
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.
全壊
Complete destruction
Kanji: 全 all + 壊 break
To break it all is to break everything. Everything is broken. Complete destruction!!!
Reading: ぜんかい
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.
寄与
Contribution
Kanji: 寄 draw near + 与 give
When you draw near to give something, you are probably giving a contribution.
寄与 is a very formal word that refers to significant contributions in professional or official settings. It’s commonly used in academic or business contexts to highlight how someone’s work contributes to the advancement of a field of study or the growth of a company.
Reading: きよ
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
好奇心
Curiosity
Kanji: 好 like + 奇 odd + 心 heart
You like it because it gives you an odd feeling in your heart. You don’t quite know what it is you like, but that’s because it’s curiosity that you have.
Reading: こうきしん
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.
娘
Daughter
Kanji: 娘 daughter
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
娘 primarily means daughter but can also refer to a young woman (often unmarried). This is because its original form is 産す女 (むすめ), or “a woman who gives birth.” Over time, it came to represent both daughters and young women.
Reading: むすめ
The reading is the same as what you learned with the kanji.
締切
Deadline
Kanji: 締 tighten + 切 cut
Things 締める (tighten), and eventually 切る (cut off), meaning you’ve reached the deadline! You can associate this with the feeling of your chest tightening once you approach the due date for something.
Note that you’ll often encounter this written with okurigana like 締め切り as well. You might even see it with a simplified version of the 締 kanji written 〆切, which is relatively common in handwriting!
Reading: しめきり
The reading for this is the stem form of both verbs, so 締め (しめ) and 切り (きり), put together!
請求
Demand
Kanji: 請 request + 求 request
You request then you request again. This is starting to turn into more of a demand if you ask me. Also can refer to a claim or a charge as well.
Reading: せいきゅう
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.
診断
Diagnosis
Kanji: 診 diagnose + 断 cut off
I’m going to cut off the part of me that I’m trying to diagnose… well, not literally cut off, but cut off my diagnosing. I have come to a conclusion. A diagnosis!
Reading: しんだん
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.
寄付
Donation
Kanji: 寄 draw near + 付 attach
If you draw near someone and attach some stuff to them, you’re making a donation. They get to keep it, after all.
寄付 means donating money, goods, or resources, usually for a charitable purpose.
Reading: きふ
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
乾季
Dry season
Kanji: 乾 dry + 季 seasons
The dry seasons is the dry season.
Reading: かんき
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.
江戸
Edo
Kanji: 江 inlet + 戸 door
The bay door isn’t what you might think, it refers to Edo, which is what Tokyo was called back in the day. You’ll still see references to it everywhere, though, so it’s good to learn. You can also call this Tokyo if you want, but I’d prefer if you answered “Edo,” instead.
Reading: えど
The readings are the ones you learned with the kanji. Of course, it will be easy if you know the word Edo already.
効力
Effectiveness
Kanji: 効 effective + 力 power
Something’s effective power is its effectiveness. If it has effective power, it remains in effect.
This word usually refers to the legal force or effectiveness of a law, agreement, contract, or treaty, but it can also be used to talk about the efficacy of other things, such as medicine.
Reading: こうりょく
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.
玄関
Entranceway
Kanji: 玄 mysterious + 関 related
The most mysterious thing that’s connected to a house is the entranceway. When you’re walking into one you never know what’s coming next. You just take off your shoes and hope the rest of the house isn’t really weird or something. If it is, the entryway is then your only way out.
Reading: げんかん
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
欧米
Europe and America
Kanji: 欧 Europe + 米 rice
You have Europe and America. This word refers to Europe and America.
When people use 欧米 in Japan, they usually mean Western countries in general (the West), including North America and Western Europe. You’ll often see it in news reports related to Western countries or in topics comparing Japanese and Western cultures, customs, or trends.
Reading: おうべい
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.
極めて
Extremely
Kanji: 極 extreme + め + て
極める is “to carry to extremes.” So, 極めて is something similar. It’s used to refer to something that’s extremely _______.
Reading: きわめて
The reading comes from 極める.
熱烈
Fervent
Kanji: 熱 heat + 烈 violent
Your fever turns violent when you express your fervent feelings.
熱烈 is a relatively formal word that describes someone being fervently absorbed in something or someone and showing ardent or passionate behavior, like 熱烈に応援する (support fervently).
Reading: ねつれつ
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.
猛烈
Fierce
Kanji: 猛 fierce + 烈 violent
If you’re fierce and violent then you are fierce and violent.
Reading: もうれつ
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.
猛〜
Fierce
Kanji: 猛 fierce
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well. You can put this on other words to say that it’s a “Fierce ____” or “Energetic _____,” or something along those lines. If you see this, you know that something is done fiercely or really energetically.
Reading: もう
The reading is the same as what you learned with the kanji, probably because it’s stuck onto things making it all jukugo and such.
腹切り
Harakiri
Kanji: 腹 belly + 切 cut + り
You cut your abdomen. This is what you do when you’re doing harakiri, aka ritual suicide.
Reading: はらきり
The readings come from 腹 and 切る. If you’re lucky, you already know the word harakiri as it’s made its way into English as well.
英雄
Hero
Kanji: 英 England + 雄 male
You’ve learned 英 means “England,” but it can also mean excel. So what kind of person excels at being brave? A hero!
英雄 is a relatively formal word often used to describe historical or legendary heroes, like William Wallace or King Arthur. In more casual contexts, like when talking about superheroes or referring to your dad as your hero, ヒーロー is more common.
Reading: えいゆう
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.
迷い
Hesitation
Kanji: 迷 astray + い
Remember how you learned that 迷う means “to go astray” or “to get lost?” Well when you feel like you’re about to go astray or get lost it causes hesitation. You end up with a lot of doubt about where to go or what to do. It’s a natural progression.
Reading: まよい
You learned this reading already when you learned 迷う! Just swap the う for an い.
主催
Host
Kanji: 主 master + 催 sponsor
The master sponsor for an event is the host who’s hosting (and possibly sponsoring) it.
主催 is a formal term often used in business, official events, or public gatherings. While it can imply sponsorship, it mainly refers to the act of leading and organizing an event or activity, as well as the person or group hosting it.
Reading: しゅさい
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.
腹が減った
Hungry
Kanji: 腹 belly + が + 減 decrease + っ +た
When your belly has decreased in the amount of stuff inside it, you become hungry.
腹が減った is a casual way of saying I’m hungry in Japanese, often with a bit of a rough or masculine tone.
Reading: はらがへった
The reading is 腹 plus 減る put together. With these two combined, you have はらがへった.
In casual speech, you might hear 腹減った without the が more often. The version with が is more common in writing or fixed expressions like 腹が減っては戦ができぬ (you can’t fight on an empty stomach).
索引
Index
Kanji: 索 search + 引 pull
You search then pull items from the index — you know, that list of keywords in alphabetical order at the end of a nonfiction book. Or in 五十音順 order, if you’re fancy enough to be reading Japanese!
Reading: さくいん
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. Just think of the first part of the word index (いん). Where do you search? In the index.
入り江
Inlet
Kanji: 入 enter + り + 江 inlet
When you enter an inlet, you’ve gone into the inlet. It’s also where water goes inside of the inlet (it’s entering the inlet from the ocean, or whatever), so that’s another way to think about it.
Reading: いりえ
For this reading, just imagine this as 入り with 江 pushed on at the end! Also note this is commonly written as 入江, but the reading stays the same!
日欧
Japan and Europe
Kanji: 日 sun + 欧 Europe
The 日 refers to “Japan” (It’s the 日 of 日本). So, you have Japan and Europe, which makes this Japan and Europe or Japanese-European.
日欧 is a fairly formal word commonly found in newspapers or official reports, where it’s often used for brevity when referring to Japan and Europe together, like in 日欧関係 (Japanese-European relations).
Reading: にちおう
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.
