予鈴
YOREI
first bell
(signalling that class
or work will soon begin)
齢 age
年齢
NENREI
age, years
零 zero, nothing
零
REI
zero, 0, nought
零下
REIKA
below zero, sub-zero
P128 良 ROU*
good
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and use this ON reading: 浪 wave, reckless
浪費
ROUHI
waste, extravagance
波浪注意報 HAROU
wave, tsunami warning
CHUUIHOU (news, weather report
e.g. after an earthquake)
朗 clear, bright
朗読
ROUDOKU
reading aloud
明朗
MEIROU
cheerful, clear
郎 young man, son 新郎
SHINROU bridegroom
廊 corridor
廊下
ROUKA corridor
* On its own it is read RYOU.
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CHAPTER 3 – STANDARD PHONETICS
P129 予 YO
look ahead
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and use this ON reading: 予 prior, forecast
予約
YOYAKU reservation
予定
YOTEI
plans, schedule
予算
YOSAN
budget, estimate
預 deposit, custody 預金
YOKIN
deposit, bank account
P130 羊 YOU
sheep
Type: radical
Kanji that contain this phonetic and use this ON reading: 羊 sheep
羊毛
YOUMOU wool
洋 ocean, foreign,
洋服
YOUFUKU
Western style clothes
Western
太平洋
TAIHEIYOU
Pacific Ocean
養 raise, nurture
養育
YOUIKU
bring up, raise
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RHYMING PHONETICS
While the first letters of English words are often the way we remember them, with kanji reading, I have found that the final sound is equal y important. In this section, a number of phonetics that indicate rhyming readings are presented. These phonetics do not represent a specific ON reading, but kanji characters that contain them often have readings that ‘rhyme’ or have the same final sound.
Long Vowel Sound
Ends in UU or OU. e.g. SHUU, SHOU
PR1 ⻌ ~OU
movement
Type: radical
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 送 send SOU
送信
SOUSHIN
send (email, etc.)
転送
TENSOU
transmit, forward
(email, etc.)
放送
HOUSOU broadcast
(television, etc.)
道 road, way, DOU
道路 DOURO road
teachings
書道
SHODOU calligraphy
導 guide, lead DOU
指導
SHIDOU
leadership, guidance
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CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
PR2 方 ~OU
way
Type: radical, power phonetic
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 方 direction, way HOU
方法
HOUHOU
method, process
地方
CHIHOU
district, region
訪 visit HOU
訪問
HOUMON visit
放 release,
HOU
放送
HOUSOU broadcast
liberate
放棄
HOUKI abandonment
芳 fragrant HOU
芳香
HOUKOU aroma
房 tassel, house BOU
冷房
REIBOU air-conditioning
僧房
SOUBOU
priests’ temple quarters
防 protect,
BOU
予防
YOBOU
prevention, precaution
defend
肪 fat BOU
脂肪
SHIBOU fat
Inflected
Ends in EI or AI – e.g. AI, KEI, MAI
PR3 米 ~AI/EI
rice
Type: radical
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 米 rice,
BEI/MAI
米国
BEIKOKU
USA, America
United States
米食
BEISHOKU
rice-based diet
玄米茶 GENMAICHA green tea
with roasted rice
迷 be confused, MEI/MAI 迷惑 MEIWAKU trouble, bother lead astray
迷子
MAIGO
lost child
CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
127
Rounded/Soft
Ends in N – e.g. KAN, SHIN, NIN
PR4 単 ~AN
single
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 単 single TAN
単位
TAN’I unit
簡単
KANTAN
easy, simple
弾 bullet DAN 爆弾 BAKUDAN bomb
PR5 品 ~IN
goods
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 品 goods, article HIN
作品
SAKUHIN
work (book, film, etc.)
上品
JOUHIN
elegant, refined
商品
SHOUHIN
product, commodity
単品
TANPIN
single item, à la carte
品質
HINSHITSU quality
臨 attend, meet RIN
臨時
RINJI temporary,
extraordinary
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CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
PR6 占 ~EN
fortune-telling
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 占 fortune-telling, SEN
占拠
SENKYO occupation
occupy
(of territory)
占星術 SENSEIJUTSU astrology
店 shop
TEN
支店
SHITEN
branch office
点 dot, point, TEN
欠点
KETTEN
fault, defect
grade
点検
TENKEN inspection
粘 sticky NEN
粘土
NENDO clay
粘着
NENCHAKU coherence, adhesion
粘膜 NENMAKU mucous membrane
PR7 免 ~EN
evade
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 免 evade,
MEN
免許
MENKYO
licence, permit
dismiss
勉 study,
BEN
勉強
BENKYOU study
make an
effort
CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
129
PR8 亦 ~
EN
also
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 変 change,
HEN
変更
HENKOU
change, modify
strange
変革
HENKAKU transformation,
evolution
恋 love REN 恋愛
REN’AI love
遠距離恋愛 ENKYORI
long distance
REN’AI
relationship
PR9 因 ~IN/ON
cause
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 因 cause IN
原因
GEN'IN
cause, origin
要因
YOUIN
primary factor,
main cause
咽 throat IN
咽喉
INKOU
throat (medical)
恩 kindness,
ON
恩情
ONJOU
compassion, affection
mercy
恩人
ONJIN
benefactor, patron
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CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
PR10 元 ~AN/EN
origin
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 完 complete,
KAN
完璧
KANPEKI perfect
perfect
完全
KANZEN
perfect, complete
冠 crown
KAN
冠詞
KANSHI
article (linguistics)
王冠
OUKAN crown
玩 play with,
GAN
愛玩
AIGAN
care for, cherish
enjoy
(esp. pet, small object)
頑 stubborn GAN 頑固 GANKO stubborn
頑強
GANKYOU
tenacious, dogged
頑健
GANKEN
robust health
元 origin GEN 元気 GENKI
in good spirits,
energetic
PR11 番 ~N
number
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 番 turn, number BAN
一番
ICHIBAN
number one, best
番号
BANGOU number
審 investigation, SHIN
審議 SHINGI deliberation
hearing
翻 turn over,
HON
翻訳 HONYAKU translation
waver
CHAPTER 3 – RHYMING PHONETICS
131
Double-barrelled
Contains two distinct syllables e.g. KAKU, SHITSU, RAKU
PR12 各 ~AKU
each
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 各 each, every KAKU 各種
KAKUSHU
every kind, all sorts
格 status KAKU 規格
KIKAKU
standard, norm
落 fall RAKU 落石注意 RAKUSEKI beware falling rocks CHUUI
絡 entwine RAKU 連絡
RENRAKU contact
PR13 莫 ~AKU
sundown
Type: creative component
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 漠 desert, obscure BAKU
砂漠
SABAKU desert
膜 membrane MAKU
粘膜
NENMAKU mucous membrane
幕 curtain
MAKU
幕切れ MAKUgire
curtain fall, end of act
PR14 楽 ~AKU
fun
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 楽 music,
RAKU
楽天的 RAKUTENTEKI optimistic
comfort, fun
楽
RAKU
comfort, ease
薬 drug, medicine YAKU
薬品
YAKUHIN medicine
薬局
YAKKYOKU pharmacy, drugstore
薬剤師 YAKUZAISHI pharmacist
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PR15 出 ~UTSU
exit
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 出 exit, go out SHUTSU 提出 TEISHUTSU submission, handing in
出張
SHUCCHOU business trip
屈 bend, yield KUTSU
理屈
RIKUTSU
theory, reason
PR16 谷 ~OKU
valley
Type: radical
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 谷 valley KOKU
幽谷
YUUKOKU
deep ravine
俗 common,
ZOKU
俗事
ZOKUJI
worldly concerns,
vulgar
mundane events
俗臭
ZOKUSHUU vulgarity, worldliness
欲 desire, crave YOKU
欲望
YOKUBOU desire
食欲
SHOKUYOKU appetite (for food)
浴 bathe YOKU
浴場
YOKUJOU bathhouse,
bathroom
海水浴 KAISUIYOKU sea bathing
岩盤浴 GANBANYOKU stone sauna
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PR17 直 ~OKU
direct
Type: kanji
Kanji that contain this phonetic and have the same final sound: 植 plant (n.),
SHOKU
植物
SHOKUBUTSU plant, vegetation
plant,
grow (v.)
殖 increase,
SHOKU
生殖
SEISHOKU reproduction
multiply
利殖
RISHOKU money-making
直 straight,
CHOKU
The Kanji Code Page 13