Kanji - Level 30 - Vocab Flashcards
浮気
Affair
Radicals: 浮 float + 気 energy
You are floating above everything, at least that’s how your spirit feels. You’re having an affair, and feel like nothing will catch you but… wait, what’s that? Is that your wife? Oh no… not floating anymore, you’re not.
Reading: うわき
This kanji uses the kun’yomi read for the first kanji, and the on’yomi reading for the second. You’ve learned them both already, so you should be able to read this too.
先程
A little while ago
Kanji: 先 previous + 程 extent
The previous extent of time was a little while ago. Just think to a previous extent of time that was indeed a little while ago. Now, associate!
先程 is limited to a relatively brief time frame within the same day. So it can be used for something mentioned earlier in a speech or at an event from earlier in the day, but not for something from a few days ago. 先程 is also polite and formal, so it’s generally used in professional or respectful settings.
Reading: さきほど
The reading is the words 先 and 程, put together.
魅力
Allure
Kanji: 魅 alluring + 力 power
The alluring power is the power of allure.
Reading: みりょく
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.
一覧
A look
Kanji: 一 one + 覧 look at
One look at… just one. A little one. Just a look. Just a glance. That’s all I want.
It also has another meaning! When you’re talking about computers and you want to see everything in one look, you will arrange it into a nice list or table. That way you only have to look at the data one time!
Reading: いちらん
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.
遊園地
Amusement park
Kanji: 遊 play + 園 garden + 地 earth
The play park ground is where you go play. It’s fun. It’s an amusement park!
Reading: ゆうえんち
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
適当
Appropriate
Kanji: 適 suitable + 当 correct
Everything is suitable and right. Therefore it is appropriate, proper, and suitable. Strangely enough, this also means irresponsible. Maybe it’s because when everything is suitable and right for you, you’re taking too much and not leaving enough for everyone else, making you irresponsible?
Reading: てきとう
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.
服飾
Attire
Kanji: 服 clothes + 飾 decorate
The clothes with which I decorate myself with is my attire or my fashion.
Reading: ふくしょく
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.
背後
Background
Kanji: 背 back + 後 behind
Something that’s behind your back is in the background. It’s also probably plotting against you, behind the scenes. Sneaky, sneaky.
Reading: はいご
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. As long as you know the readings for these kanji, you should be able to read this word just fine.
預金
Bank deposit
Kanji: 預 deposit + 金 gold
Deposit your gold here in the bank. When you do that, it is a bank deposit.
Reading: よきん
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.
バイキング
Buffet
Kanji: No kanji (let’s celebrate!)
バイキング comes from the English word Viking, but in Japanese, it often refers to a buffet.
バイキング came to mean “buffet” thanks to Japan’s first all-you-can-eat restaurant, “Viking”, which was named after a feast scene from a movie called (you guessed it) “Viking”.
Reading: バイキング
官僚的
Bureaucratic
Kanji: 官 government + 僚 colleague + 的 target
If 官僚 is “bureaucracy,” then adding a 的 to it would make it bureaucratic.
Reading: かんりょうてき
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. Knowing 官僚 will help a lot too.
強盗
Burglary
Kanji: 強 strong + 盗 steal
You are strong so you break into someone’s home, hold them up, then steal from them. Ha ha! Take that, next door neighbor! This is a burglary or robbery, depending on how crazy you get after you use that strength to break down that door.
Reading: ごうとう
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on’yomi readings from the kanji. But 強 has two on’yomi readings, and you haven’t really seen this one yet, so here’s a mnemonic to help you out:
Think about how when you commit a robbery, you go (ごう) into someone’s house, then you go to jail as well, if you’re caught.
版権
Copyright
Kanji: 版 edition + 権 rights
You have edition rights over this. This edition is yours, and if anyone copies this edition, they get in trouble. You have copyright.
Reading: はんけん
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.
電飾
Decorative lighting
Kanji: 電 electricity + 飾 decorate
The 電 is what powers electric things. Many times, these electric things light up (especially back in the day, when electricity did this a lot more than other things). So, you have “lighting.” Then, you have decorate. So, if you decorate with lighting, you have decorative lighting.
This is quite a specific word that is generally used as a product category for decorative lighting. It’s a less common word than other expressions, such as デコレーションライト or イルミネーションライト.
Reading: でんしょく
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.
微か
Delicate
Kanji: 微 delicate + か
The kanji means delicate, and so does this word. Something that’s delicate is probably also faint and indistinct. So use 微か to describe things like faint sounds, delicate breezes, and indistinct memories.
Reading: かすか
You should should speak in a delicate and faint voice when you cuss (かす). So delicate that the cuss words are indistinct to other people, even. It’s the only acceptable way to cuss.
電気柵
Electric fence
Kanji: 電 electricity + 気 energy + 柵 fence
If you combine 電気 (electricity) with 柵 (fence) you have an electric fence. Shocking, I know.
Reading: でんきさく
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.
移住者
Emigrant
Kanji: 移 shift + 住 dwell + 者 someone
If you shift the place you dwell, you’re someone that we call an emigrant, an immigrant, or a migrant. Welcome, friend!
You can use this word both for people who migrate between countries and those who migrate within the same country.
Reading: いじゅうしゃ
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.
博覧会
Exposition
Kanji: 博 exhibition + 覧 look at + 会 meet
An exhibition that you look at and all the people come meet together. Well, that just sounds like the description of an exposition.
Reading: はくらんかい
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.
柵
Fence
Kanji: 柵 fence
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well. Isn’t that fencetastic?
Reading: さく
This word uses the on’yomi, which you learned with the kanji. Just think about the sack (さく) hanging on the fence.
初版
First edition
Kanji: 初 first + 版 edition
The first edition is the first edition.
Reading: しょはん
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.
旗
Flag
Kanji: 旗 flag
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: はた
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it probably uses the kun’yomi reading. You did not learn this reading, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
The one with the flag is the Mad Hatter (はた). Just imagine looking through a group of people. You have to find the Mad Hatter, and he has to find you. That’s why he offered to wear a flag on his hat.
背
Height
Kanji: 背 back
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: せ
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it probably uses the kun’yomi reading. You did not learn this reading, so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Where you’re from, everyone measures their height in celery (せ). No inches or centimeters for you, it’s celery sticks only. How many celery sticks tall are you?
快速
High speed
Kanji: 快 pleasant + 速 fast
It’s pleasant but also fast. When getting on a train, it’s nice to find a train that’s both of these things. What makes it pleasant? That would be the high speed. What makes it fast? Also the high speed. Really, if you’re on a train you’d rather get to your destination sooner than later, so a high speed 快速 train is the way to go.
Reading: かいそく
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.
新婚旅行
Honeymoon
Kanji: 新 new + 婚 marriage + 旅 trip + 行 go
You know that 旅行 is a trip. The other part is new marriage. What’s the trip you go on after a new marriage? The honeymoon!
Reading: しんこんりょこう
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.
照明
Illumination
Kanji: 照 illuminate + 明 bright
Illuminate and make things bright, my illumination!
Reading: しょうめい
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.
鉄柵
Iron fence
Kanji: 鉄 iron + 柵 fence
Ready for this one? An iron fence is an iron fence. Don’t you love it when it’s straightforward?
Reading: てっさく
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own. Be careful though, 鉄 is normally read as てつ, but in this case it is shortened to てっ.
鉄板
Iron plate
Kanji: 鉄 iron + 板 board
Well, you’ve got iron and you’ve got a board. You’d probably just call it an iron plate, though. But this often isn’t just any iron plate. If you could guess from the reading, it’s often used in cooking as an iron griddle, or a teppan grill. Ever heard of Teppanyaki?
Figuratively, it means a sure thing or a practically guaranteed success. For example, you can use 鉄板 for a racehorse almost certain to win, or a joke that consistently gets big laughs.
Reading: てっぱん
This is a jukugo word that uses the on’yomi readings of the kanji. Watch out for the rendaku and you should be good!
成程
I see
Kanji: 成 become + 程 extent
If you become aware of something to an extent you’ll end up saying I see or That’s right! But you won’t see if you didn’t become aware enough. So it’s that extent of understanding you’re trying to reach before you can chime in with an “Ahh, indeed.”
Reading: なるほど
The readings for this word are both kun’yomi readings. The reading for 成 is from 成る and it keeps the る part. It’s just hidden in the kanji. If you can remember that, you’ll know this reading!
日系
Japanese descent
Kanji: 日 sun + 系 lineage
The 日 stands for 日本 here, making it mean “Japanese.” So what’s a more common way of saying Japanese lineage? That would be Japanese descent or Japanese origin.
日系 can be used for both people and entities, such as 日系アメリカ人 (Japanese-American) or 日系企業 (Japanese-operated company).
Reading: にっけい
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.
幼稚園
Kindergarten
Kanji: 幼 infancy + 稚 immature + 園 garden
If 幼稚 is childish, then a garden for childish people would be a place full of lots of children, probably growing in some way. When you’re growing little children in a garden, you’re putting them into some kind of school. In this case, it’s a kindergarten.
Reading: ようちえん
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. Will help to know 幼稚 as well.
欠乏
Lack
Kanji: 欠 lack + 乏 scarce
We are lacking and things are scarce. We have a lack and scarcity of resources.
Reading: けつぼう
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.
漏出
Leak
Kanji: 漏 leak + 出 exit
Something is leaking and whatever is leaking is exiting what it was in before. This is when a leak occurs.
漏出 is a formal word that means leakage, spillage, or seepage. It’s often used for physical leaks of substances like liquids, gases, or other materials.
Reading: ろうしゅつ
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.
ご覧
Look at
Kanji: ご + 覧 look at
You’ll hear this a lot of in polite speech, used in place of 見る (it’ll be ご覧になって下さい, literally “please become so that you are looking at _____”). The meaning is the same as the kanji, though, so this part should be easy at least. Why don’t you ご覧 the reading explanation, now.
Reading: ごらん
The reading is the same as what you learned with the kanji. Go look at the next lesson, now.
結婚
Marriage
Kanji: 結 bind + 婚 marriage
Let’s bind this marriage up with a marriage. No better way to make a marriage happen than a marriage, right?
Reading: けっこん
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.
求婚
Marriage proposal
Kanji: 求 request + 婚 marriage
When you request marriage with someone else, you are doing a marriage proposal. Will you marry me, Brad Pitt?
Reading: きゅうこん
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.
精神的
Mental
Kanji: 精 spirit + 神 god + 的 target
Your 精神 is your spirit or your mind. If you add 的 to it, you get mental. It can mean spiritual too, but it more often shows up in reference to a person’s mental or emotional state.
Reading: せいしんてき
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.
精神病
Mental illness
Kanji: 精 spirit + 神 god + 病 sick
精神 is your spirit or mind, the non-physical part of you. When it’s sick, it’s a mental illness or mental disorder.
Note that the term 精神病, when used on its own, carries a stigma and is considered a bit disrespectful and outdated.
Reading: せいしんびょう
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. Will help if you know 精神 already, though.
国旗
National flag
Kanji: 国 nation + 旗 flag
A country’s flag is the flag they use for their nation. It’s the national flag.
Reading: こっき
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. The こく gets shortened to こっ, though, so look out for that.
騒音
Noise
Kanji: 騒 boisterous + 音 sound
Boisterous sound is when there’s a lot of noise around you. It’s the din of the crowd or environment.
Reading: そうおん
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.
懐かしい
Nostalgic
Kanji: 懐 nostalgia + か + 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 nostalgia? It’s nostalgic.
Reading: なつかしい
The reading is the one you learned with the kanji. Do you remember doing that? Oh man, those were the days. How 懐かしい.
我が〜
Our
Kanji: 我 I + が
Here we have I followed by the particle が, giving us a somewhat old-fashioned and stylized way of say our, one’s own, or my.
One explanation for this is that in ancient Japanese, が was used as a possessive particle, much like の is in modern Japanese.
Reading: わが
You haven’t learned this reading for 我 so here’s a mnemonic to help you:
Let us present you with our walrus (わ). Well it’s my walrus really, but I’m happy to share.
越権
Overstepping your authority
Kanji: 越 go beyond + 権 rights
If you go beyond your rights, you are going too far. You’re doing what you’re not supposed to do, and you’re overstepping your authority.
Reading: えっけん
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.
主
Owner
Kanji: 主 master
The master is the owner who has dominance or control over something.
主 is usually used with other words to indicate a person who owns something or who is principally involved in an action. That might sound a little vague, so check out the collocations and context sentences to get a better grasp of this word!
Reading: ぬし
The reading is of course different from what you learned with the kanji. Think of this:
The owner of those nude sheep (ぬし) doesn’t even need their wool, he just likes owning nude sheep. So he keeps them as pets and shaves them every day. He’s not interested in sheep with fur. Only nude sheep for this owner!
撮影
Photography
Kanji: 撮 photograph + 影 shadow
If you photograph a shadow, you’re obviously doing some kind of photography. (In the old days photography meant using light to burn shadows onto special paper, but now it’s all fancy and digital.) This isn’t just still photography though; it also means filming (as in a video or movie). Basically, if it has to do with taking photos or video, 撮影 is your dude.
Reading: さつえい
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.
枕
Pillow
Kanji: 枕 pillow
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Reading: まくら
The reading is the same as the one you learned with the kanji, huzzah!
盗作
Plagiarism
Kanji: 盗 steal + 作 make
Steal what other people make? Wow. Way to go. That is plagiarism.
Reading: とうさく
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.
