“Have you been to the post office today?” the boss asked her.
Literally: “postal-convenience-station.”
郵 This kanji means “postal.” It has the “city wall” radical 阝 on the right, which is the outline of the building blocks of a city wall. The phonetic on the left side shows hanging plants, but looks a bit like letters piled up at the post office.
便 This kanji means “convenient.” It has the “person” radical 亻 on the left, since we humans are always looking for more convenient ways to do things. The right side shows a messenger striding along (史) carrying a bundle or package of some kind. It’s certainly more convenient to have someone else carry a heavy burden for you than to do it yourself.
局 This kanji means “office; station.” Although it is written with the “corpse” radical 尸, it should be thought of as the “doorway” radical 户 since the top stroke was accidentally omitted when the kanji was codified several millennia ago. The phonetic 句 at the bottom by itself means “phrase” and shows breath emanating from a mouth. This seems an appropriate choice of a phonetic, since so much talk goes on in offices.
yuugata 夕方 / ゆうがた evening
You gotta have fun in the evening, if you work during the day.
Literally: “moon-place.”
夕 This kanji depicts the crescent moon and is a variation of the kanji 月 for “moon.” It is never used by itself but appears in certain kanji compounds and as a radical.
方 This kanji means “place.” It looks like a square boat lashed to the shore. Since the boat is tied to the shore at a certain location, it came to mean “place.” According to the 2nd-century Chinese etymological text Shuowen Jiezi, it may well be a deliberate distortion of the Buddhist “swastika” (卍), which symbolizes that God is everywhere and in every place, north, south, east, west, above, and below.
yuujin 友人 / ゆうじん friend
I have a friend named Eugene in Eugene, Oregon.
Literally “friend-person.” Formal for tomodachi.
友 This kanji means “friend.” It appears to show one hand (ナ) grasping another person’s hand (又) in friendship. However, according to the 2nd-century Chinese etymological text Shuowen Jiezi, it shows the hands of friends working together toward some mutual goal.
人 This kanji means “person.” It depicts human beings as two-legged creatures, as opposed to horses, cows, etc., which walk around on four legs.
INDEX
activities, katsudoo, 活動 / かつどう, 50
again, mata, また, 62
air, kuuki, 空気 / くうき, 59
airplane, hikooki, 飛行機 / ひこうき, 34
all; everyone, mina, 皆 / みな, 63
animal(s), doobutsu, 動物 / どうぶつ, 24
another, hoka, 他 / ほか, 35
answer, kotae, 答え / こたえ, 57
appetite, shokuyoku, 食欲 / しょくよく, 91
apple, ringo, りんご, 77
appropriate; suitable, tekitoo, 適当 / てきとう, 103
arm(s), ude, 腕 / うで, 106
awesome; terrific, sugoi, すごい, 98
back; behind, ushiro, 後ろ / うしろ, 108
bad/poor at something, heta, 下手 / へた, 33
bag; book bag; backpack, kaban, かばん, 43
be surprised, odoroku, 驚く / おどろく, 71
beans; peas, mame, 豆 / まめ, 61
bedroom, shinshitsu, 寝室 / しんしつ, 89
(to) begin, hajimeru, 始める / はじめる, 30
beginning, hajime, 初め / はじめ, 29
bicycle, jitensha, 自転車 / じてんしゃ, 41
bird, tori, 鳥 / とり, 105
blue, aoi, 青い / あおい, 14
body, karada, 体 / からだ, 47
book(s), hon, 本 / ほん, 36
borrow; rent, kariru, 借りる / かりる, 48
bride, shinpu, 新婦 / しんぷ, 88
business trip, shutchoo, 出張 / しゅっちょう, 96
business, shoobai, 商売 / しょうばい, 92
buy, kau, 買う / かう, 51
cap; hat, booshi, 帽子 / ぼうし, 18
car, kuruma, 車 / くるま, 59
cat, neko, 猫 / ねこ, 68
Catholic priest, shinpu, 神父 / しんぷ, 88
chair, isu, 椅 / いす, 38
chat; talk, shaberu, しゃべる, 84
cheap, yasui, 安い / やすい, 109
chopsticks, ohashi, お箸 / おはし, 72
coffee house, kissaten, 喫茶店 / きっさてん, 56
cold (the virus), kaze, 風邪 / かぜ, 51
cold (air temperature), samui, 寒い / さむい, 78
common; usual; ordinary, futsuu, 普通 / ふつう, 27
company, kaisha, 会社 / かいしゃ, 44
complaint, monku, 文句 / もんく, 65
convenient, benri, 便利 / べんり, 17
corner, kado, 角 / かど, 43
culture, bunka, 文化 / ぶんか, 18
custom; habit, shuukan, 習慣 / しゅうかん, 96
dance, odoru, 踊る / おどる, 71
dark, kurai, 暗い / くらい, 58
diarrhea, geri, 下痢 / げり, 28
dictionary, jisho, 辞書 / じしょ, 40
difficult; hard, muzukashii, 難しい / むずかしい, 66
direction, hoomen, 方面 / ほうめん, 35
dirty, kitanai, 汚い / きたない, 57
discovery, hakken, 発見 / はっけん, 30
dislike, kirai, 嫌い / きらい, 55
do, shimasu, します, 87
doctor, isha, 医者 / いしゃ, 37
dream, yume, 夢 / ゆめ, 111
drink, nomimasu, 飲みます / のみます, 70
(to) drive, unten (suru), 運転 (する) / うんてん(する), 106
ear, mimi, 耳 / みみ, 63
easy, yasashii, 易しい / やさしい, 109
eat, tabemasu, 食べます / たべます, 98
empty, karappo, 空っぽ / からっぽ, 47
English language, eigo, 英語 / えいご, 25
envious, urayamashii, うらやましい, 107
era; age; period of time, jidai, 時代 / じだい, 39
escape, nigeru, 逃げる / にげる, 69
etc.; and so forth, nado, など, 66
evening, yuugata, 夕方 / ゆうがた, 113
examine a patient, mimasu, 診ます / みます, 62
example, rei, 例 / れい, 76
exercise; sports, undoo, 運動 / うんどう, 106
expensive; high; tall, takai, 高い / たかい, 100
experience, keiken, 経験 / けいけん, 52
explanation, setsumei, 説明 / せつめい, 83
face, kao, 顔 / かお, 46
fantastic; terrific, suteki, すてき, 98
father [honorific], otoosan, お父さん / おとうさん, 74
find, mitsukeru, 見つける / みつける, 65
fine; just right, kekkoo, けっこう, 54
finger, yubi, 指 / ゆび, 110
fish, sakana, 魚 / さかな, 77
foot/feet, ashi, 足 / あし, 15
for example, tatoeba, 例えば / たとえば, 101
for the sake of …, tame ni, 為に / ために, 101
free time, hima, 暇 / ひま, 34
freedom; free, jiyuu, 自由 / じゆう, 41
friend, yuujin, 友人 / ゆうじん, 114
front, mae, 前 / まえ, 61
game; match, shiai, 試合 / しあい, 85
get angry, okoru, 怒る / おこる, 73
get up, okiru, 起きる / おきる, 73
go, ikimasu, 行きます / いきます, 37
god; god(s), kami, 神 / かみ, 45
good at something; skillful, joozu, 上手 / じょうず, 42
government, seifu, 政府 / せいふ, 79
grammar, bunpoo, 文法 / ぶんぽう, 19
gr
andfather [honorific]; grandpa, ojiisan, おじいさん, 72
grandmother [honorific]; grandma, obaasan, おばあさん, 70
greatly; awful; tough, taihen, 大変 / たいへん, 99
happy, ureshii, 嬉しい / うれしい, 107
he; him, kare, 彼 / かれ, 48
head, atama, 頭 / あたま, 16
here, koko, ここ, 57
hobby, shumi, 趣味 / しゅみ, 95
homework, shukudai, 宿題 / しゅくだい, 94
hospital, byooin, 病院 / びょういん, 19
husband, danna, だんな, 23
husband and wife, fuufu, 夫婦 / ふうふ, 27
I (humbly) receive, itadakimasu, 頂きます / いただきます, 39
increasingly, masumasu, ますます, 62
injury, kega, けが, 52
inside, naka, 中 / なか, 67
introduction, shookai, 紹介 / しょうかい, 92
island, shima, 島 / しま, 87
job; work, shigoto, 仕事 / しごと, 86
last night, yuube, 夕べ / ゆうべ, 112
laundry, sentaku, 洗濯 / せんたく, 83
learn; remember; memorize, oboeru, 覚える / おぼえる, 70
learn; study, manabu, 学ぶ / まなぶ, 61
lend, kasu, 貸す / かす, 49
letter, tegami, 手紙 / てがみ, 102
like, suki, 好き / すき, 98
a little … [adverb], chotto, ちょっと, 21
a little, sukoshi, 少し / すこし, 98
location; place, basho, 場所 / ばしょ, 17
lose (something), nakusu, なくす, 67
love, ai, 愛 / あい, 14
lunch, chuushoku, 昼食 / ちゅうしょく, 22
marriage, kekkon, 結婚 / けっこん, 53
meat, niku, 肉 / にく, 69
medicine, kusuri, 薬 / くすり, 59
(to) meet, au, 会う / あう, 16
method; way, hoohoo, 方法 / ほうほう, 36
minute, fun, 分 / ふん, 26
money, okane, お金 / おかね, 73
morning, asa, 朝 / あさ, 15
mother [honorific], okaasan, お母さん / おかあさん, 72
mouth, kuchi, 口 / くち, 58
my mother [humble], haha, 母 / はは, 29
my father [humble], chichi, ちち, 20
my husband [humble], otto, 夫 / おっと, 75
my parents [humble], oya, 親 / おや, 75
my wife [humble], kanai, 家内 / かない, 45
narrow, semai, 狭い / せまい, 81
near; close, chikai, 近い / ちかい, 21
neighborhood, kinjo, 近所 / きんじょ, 54
nephew, oi, おい, 72
new, atarashii, 新しい / あたらしい, 16
newspaper, shinbun, 新聞 / しんぶん, 87
next to, tonari, となり, 105
niece, mei, めい, 62
night, yoru, 夜 / よる, 110
novel, shoosetsu, 小説 / しょうせつ, 94
O.K.; all right; fine, daijoobu, 大丈夫 / だいじょうぶ, 22
octopus, tako, タコ, 100
of course, mochiron, もちろん, 65
old, furui, 古い / ふるい, 26
older brother [honorific], oniisan, お兄さん / おにいさん, 74
older sister [honorific], oneesan, お姉さん / おねえさん, 73
oppose, hantai, 反対 / はんたい, 31
order (something), chuumon, 注文 / ちゅうもん, 21
outside, soto, 外 / そと, 97
painful, itai, 痛い / いたい, 39
pay, harau, 払う / はらう, 31
person, kata, 方 / かた, 50
photograph, shashin, 写真 / しゃしん, 84
plate; dish, sara, 皿 / さら, 79
play a string instrument, hikimasu, 弾きます / ひきます, 33
pleasant; enjoyable; fun, tanoshii, 楽しい / たのしい, 101
poem, shi, 詩 / し, 85
polite, teinei, 丁寧 / ていねい, 103
politics, seiji, 政治 / せいじ, 79
poor, binboo, 貧乏 / びんぼう, 18
post office, yuubinkyoku, 郵便局 / ゆ うびんきょく, 112
pot, nabe, 鍋 / なべ, 66
practice, renshuu, 練習 / れんしゅう, 76
praise, homeru, ほめる, 35
preparation, junbi, 準備 / じゅんび, 43
pretty; clean, kirei, きれい, 56
probably, tabun, 多分 / たぶん, 99
quarrel, kenka, けんか, 54
question, shitsumon, 質問 / しつもん, 90
rain, ame, 雨 / あめ, 14
reason; explanation, wake, わけ, 108
relatively; fairly, kanari, かなり, 45
relatives, shinseki, 親戚 / しんせき, 89
rest; break; holiday, yasumi, 休み / やすみ, 110
result, kekka, 結果 / けっか, 52
ring, yubiwa, 指輪 / ゆびわ, 110
room, heya, 部屋 / へや, 33
rudeness, shitsurei, 失礼 / しつれい, 91
sad; lonely, sabishii, 寂しい / さびしい, 77
scary; frightening, kowai, 怖い / こわい, 57
school, gakkoo, 学校 / がっこう, 27
score; grade; point, ten, 点 / てん, 104
seat, seki, 席 / せき, 81
see, miru, 見る / みる, 64
she; her, kanojo, 彼女 / かのじょ, 45
short (in length), mijikai, 短い / みじかい, 62
should, beki da, べきだ, 17
sick; ill, byooki, 病気 / びょうき, 20
simple, kantan, 簡単 / かんたん, 46
singer, kashu, 歌手 / かしゅ, 49
sky, sora, 空 / そら, 97
sleep, nemasu, 寝ます / ねます, 68
slow; late, osoi, 遅い / おそい, 74
small; little, chiisai, 小さい / ちいさい, 21
snow, yuki, 雪 / ゆき, 111
soap, sekken, せっけん, 81
society, shakai, 社会 / しゃかい, 84
south, minami, 南 / みなみ, 63
speak, hanashimasu, 話します / はなします, 30
specialty, senmon, 専門 / せんもん, 81
spicy; hot, karai, 辛い / からい, 47
spring, haru, 春 / はる, 31
stand, tachimasu, 立ちます / たちます, 99
star, hoshi, 星 / ほし, 36
stay/live somewhere, kurasu, 暮らす / くらす, 58
stop, tomaru, 止まる / とまる, 105
store, mise, 店 / みせ, 64
store, shooten, 商店 / しょうてん, 94
strange, hen, 変 / へん, 32
summer, natsu, 夏 / なつ, 68
swim, oyogimasu, 泳ぎます / およぎます, 75
take, toru, 取る / とる, 105
tea, ocha, お茶 / おちゃ, 71
teacher, sensei, 先生 / せんせい, 82
teacup, yunomi, 湯飲み / ゆのみ, 112
telephone, denwa, 電話 / でんわ, 23
test, shiken, 試験 / しけん, 86
that (one), sore, それ, 97
the future, shoorai, 将来 / しょうらい, 93
thick; fat, futoi, ふとい, 26
thief, doroboo, どろぼう, 25
this (one), kore, これ, 57
throat, nodo, のど, 69
ticket, kippu, 切符 / きっぷ, 55
today, kyoo, 今日 / きょう, 60
tomorrow, ashita, 明日 / あした, 15
tooth, ha, 歯 / は, 29
town, machi, 町 / まち, 60
train/subway station, eki, 駅 / えき, 25
treat to food or drink, ogoru, おごる, 72
ugly, minikui, 醜い / みにくい, 64
umbrella, kasa, 傘 / かさ, 48
under; below, shita, 下 / した, 90
u
sually; generally, taitei, たいてい, 100
vegetables, yasai, 野菜 / やさい, 108
very, totemo, とても, 105
view, nagame, 眺め / ながめ, 67
visit, tazuneru, 尋ねる / たずねる, 102
walk, sanpo, 散歩 / さんぽ, 78
want; desire (something), hoshii, 欲しい / ほしい, 37
war, sensoo, 戦争 / せんそう, 82
(to) wash, arau, 洗う / あらう, 15
water, mizu, 水 / みず, 65
weekend, shuumatsu, 週末 / しゅうまつ, 97
west, nishi, 西 / にし, 69
what?, nani, 何 / なに, 67
when?, itsu, いつ, 39
white, shiroi, 白い / しろい, 90
who?, donata, どなた, 24
who?, dare, 誰 / だれ, 23
why?, naze, なぜ, 68
win, katsu, かつ, 50
woman; female, josei, 女性 / じょせい, 42
wonderful; terrific, subarashii, すばらしい, 98
work, hataraku, 働く / はたらく, 32
world, sekai, 世界 / せかい, 80
write, kakimasu, 書きます / かきます, 44
years of age, sai, 歳 / さい, 77
yesterday, kinoo, 昨日 / きのう, 54
you, anata, あなた, 14
young, wakai, 若い / わかい, 108
younger brother [humble], otooto, 弟 / おとうと, 74
younger sister [humble], imooto, 妹 / いもうと, 37
“you’re welcome,” doo itashimashite, どういたしまして, 24
CHART OF RADICALS
1 STROKE
1 一 one
2 丨 line
3 丶 dot
4 丿 bend
5 乙(し) second
6 亅 hook
2 STROKES
7 二 two
8 亠 lid
9 人 (亻,
Speak and Read Japanese Page 10