Read Japanese Kanji Today

280

重

9 strokes

ON READINGS: JŪ, CHŌ

KUN READINGS: omo(i), e, kasa(neru)

heavy, grave, layered

貴重 kichō valuable, precious

二重 nijū, futae twofold, double; duplex

重たい omotai heavy

重ね着 kasanegi layered look

The pictograph the Chinese drew for heavy was a man weighed down by a heavy pack on his back They first simplified it to and then to then wrote the final kanji 重. It means heavy in weight, and also means heavy in burden, grave. As a word by itself it is pronounced OMO-I, E, or KASA-NERU. In compound words it is pronounced JŪ or CHŌ. 体重 TAIJŪ, body-heavy, means body weight, as in “how much do you weigh?” 重大 JŪDAI, heavy-big, means serious. 重力 JŪRYOKU, heavy-power, means gravity, as in the law of gravity.

281

動

11 strokes

ON READING: DŌ

KUN READING: ugo(ku)

to move

動物 dōbutsu animal

活動 katsudō activity, movement

身動き miugoki motion

ゆれ動く yureugoku to sway, to waver

They placed the element for heavy 重 beside the element for power or strength 力 to form the new kanji 動 symbolizing the application of power to a heavy object, and meaning to move. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced UGOKU. In compound words it is pronounced DŌ. 自動 JIDŌ, self-move, means automatic. 自動車 JIDŌSHA, automatic-car, means automobile. 手動 SHUDŌ, hand-move, means manually operated. 運動 UNDŌ, carry-move, means movement, either physical movement, as in exercise, or political and social movements, as in a traffic safety campaign or an anti-nuclear protest.

282

働

13 strokes

ON READING: DŌ

KUN READING: hatara(ku)

work; to work

重労働 jūrodō hard work

実働時間 jitsudō jikan actual working hours

働き者 hatarakimono hard worker

ただ働き tadabataraki to work with no pay

They added the element for man 人 to the kanji for movement 動 and formed the new composite kanji 働 meaning work. Used as a word by itself, generally as a verb, it is pronounced HATARA-KU. Used in compound words 働 is pronounced DŌ.

283

罪

13 strokes

ON READING: ZAI

KUN READING: tsumi

crime, sin

犯罪 hanzai crime

罪悪感 zaiakukan guilt

罪深い tsumibukai sinful

罪状 zaijō guilty

The Chinese drew a pictograph of the net they used to catch things then simplified it first to and then to They added this to the element for non- 非 (which was the pictograph for two wings of the same bird flying off in opposite directions) to symbolize the act of catching in the net the one who does the opposite of what society asks. They wrote the final kanji 罪, meaning crime or sin. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced TSUMI. In compound words it is pronounced ZAI. A 罪人 ZAININ, crime-person, is a criminal. A 重罪 JŪZAI, heavy-crime, is a felony. 有罪 YŪZAI, have-crime, means guilty, as found in a court of law. 無罪 MUZAI, no-crime, means not guilty.

284

買

12 strokes

ON READING: BAI

KUN READING: ka(u)

to buy

買収 baishū buyout, corruption

売買 baibai marketing, trade

買い物 kaimono shopping

買いだめ kaidame hoarding

They put the element for net over the element that signifies money 貝 (which is the kanji meaning seashell), to symbolize the casting of a net to gather shells and build a stock of money, and made the new kanji 買, meaning to buy, which is what you do with money. Used as a word by itself 買 is pronounced KA-U. In compound words it is pronounced BAI.

285

売

7 strokes

ON READING: BAI

KUN READING: u(ru)

to sell

商売 shōbai business

売り出し uridashi sale

売れ行き ureyuki sales, demand

売り物 urimono articles for sale

To write the kanji meaning sell, the Chinese put the element for to put out 出 atop the kanji for buy 買 to symbolize putting out on display what people want to buy. Without modifying the element to put out 出, the new kanji meaning sell would be much too tall to fit into a square, however, so the Chinese flattened 出 to 土, then drew the form 賣, meaning sell. This character was simplified further in the last hundred years to 売, but the older form is still seen. Used as a word by itself, it is pronounced U-RU. In compound words it is pronounced BAI. 売買 BAIBAI, buy-sell, means trade or transactions.

286

商

11 strokes

ON READING: SHŌ

KUN READING: akina(u)

trading, doing business

商業 shōgyō commerce, trade

商社 shōsha trading company

商品 shōhin commercial goods, item

商い akinai business

A pictograph of a merchant opening a box to display his wares symbolized trading or dealing in business. They simplified it first to and then to and wrote the final form 商, meaning trading or doing business. Used as a word by itself, usually as a verb, it is pronounced AKINA-U. In compound words it is pronounced SHŌ. A 商人 SHŌNIN, trading-person, is a merchant. 商売 SHŌBAI, trading-sell, means business. A 商店街 SHOTENGAI, trading-shops-street, is a shopping market.

287

読

14 strokes

ON READINGS: DOKU, TŌ

KUN READING: yo(mu)

to read

読書 dokusho reading

句読点 kutōten punctuation

読み物 yomimono reading material

読む yomu to read, to divine

The Chinese combined the element for sell 売 with the element for sayings 言 and formed the new composite kanji 読, meaning to read. Used as a word by itself, usually a verb, it is pronounced YO-MU. In compound words it is pronounced DOKU or TŌ. 読売 YOMI-URI, read-sell, is the name of a leading Japanese newspaper. 読者 DOKUSHA, read-person, means readers or the reading public.

288

員

10 strokes

ON READING: IN

member, employee, staff

満員 man-in crowded

定員 tei’in capacity

社員 sha-in employee, staff

委員会 i’inkai commission

The element for shell 貝, in its meaning money, was combined with the element for mouth 口, indicating persons, open-mouthed and talking, to symbolize the members of an organization discussing money, which is the core issue of many groups. The new kanji was written in final form 員, and means a member, employee, staff, or executive of an organization. It is pronounced IN, whether it is used as a word by itself or used in compound words. A 党員 TŌ-IN, party-member, is a member of a political party. A 船員 SEN-IN, ship-staff, is a member of a ship’s crew. A 工員 KŌ-IN, build-employee, is a factory worker.

289

円

4 strokes

ON READING: EN

KUN READING: maru(i)

yen, circle, round

円高 endaka high value of the yen

円形 enkei circle, round shape

円み marumi roundness

だ円 daen ellipse

The Chinese placed the element for the staff member talking money 員 on top of a rounded coin ○ to form a new kanji meaning yen, circle, or round (as in a yen coin). They squared the circle and made the form 圓. This kanji was later replaced by the simplified element 円, which originally was a pictograph of a bank-teller’s window The old form of yen 圓 is also used, particularly on documents and checks, presumably because it is harder to forge or misread than the simplified version. Either version is pronounced EN, both when used as a word by itself or in compound words. 十円 JŪ-EN is 10 yen. 円 can also be pronounced MARU-I, meaning round.

290

門

8 strokes

ON READING: MON

KUN READING: kado

gate

専門家 senmonka professional

門限 mongen curfew

門出 kadode departure

肛門 kōmon anus

The Chinese drew a pictograph of a swinging gate and, without much simplification, drew the final kanji 門, meaning gate. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced MON or KADO. In compound words it is pronounced MON. A 正門 SEIMON, straight-gate, is the main gate. A 水門 SUIMON, water-gate, is a sluice gate or a floodgate. A 入門 NYŪMON, enter-gate, as a verb means enter a school, and as a noun means a primer or an introductory text.

291

聞

14 strokes

ON READINGS: BUN, MON

KUN READING: ki(ku)

to hear, to ask

新聞 shinbun newspaper

見聞 kenbun knowledge, experience

前代未聞 zendaimimon unheard of, unprecedented; record-breaking

聞き違い kikichigai miscommunication

They put the element for ear 耳 at the entry to the gate 門, eavesdropping, to form a new kanji 聞 meaning to hear or to ask (asking so that you may hear the answer). Used as a word by itself, generally as a verb, it is pronounced KI-KU. In compound words 聞 is pronounced BUN or MON.

292

問

11 strokes

ON READING: MON

KUN READINGS: to(u), to(i), ton

to ask, to inquire

問題 mondai problem, matter, question

訪問する hōmon suru to visit

問い合わせ toiawase inquiry

問屋 ton-ya wholesaler

They added the element for mouth 口 at the entry to the gate 門, speaking, and formed a composite kanji 問 meaning to ask or to inquire. 問 means ask more in the sense of to question or interrogate than in the sense of “please tell me,” as the kanji 聞 means. Used as a word by itself, generally as a verb, 問 is pronounced TO-U, TO-I, or TON. In compound words it is pronounced MON. 学問 GAKUMON, learn-inquire, means studies, knowledge, scholarship.

293

間

12 strokes

ON READINGS: KAN, KEN (GEN)

KUN READINGS: aida, ma

between (time or space), space

中間 chūkan interlevel

世間 seken public

間柄 aidagara relation

間違える machigaeu to mistake; making a mistake

The Chinese put the element for sun 日 shining through the space between the swinging doors of the gate 門 to symbolize the idea of time between or space between. They wrote the new kanji 間, meaning time or space between. As a word by itself it is pronounced AIDA or MA. In compound words it is pronounced KAN or KEN. 人間 NINGEN (NIN-KEN pronounced euphonically), person-between, means human being or humankind. 時間 JIKAN, time-between, means time interval. 一時間 ICHIJIKAN, one-hour-between, means one hour. 中間 CHŪKAN, middle-between, means midway.

294

関

14 strokes

ON READING: KAN

KUN READING: seki, kaka(waru)

barrier

関節 kansetsu joint

関係 kankei relationship

関取 sekitori sumo wrestler

関わる kakawaru to have a relationship

They put the element for barrier (a pictograph of a road with a barrier across it) in front of the gate 門 to form a new kanji 関 meaning barrier. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced SEKI or KAKA-WARU. In compound words it is pronounced KAN. 関東 KANTŌ, barrier-east, refers to the Kanto area, the Tokyo-Yokohama region, east of the old boundary between Tokyo and Osaka. 税関 ZEIKAN, tax-barrier, means a customs house. The same two kanji in reverse order, 関税 KANZEI, barrier-tax, means the customs duty you pay. 大関 ŌZEKI, big-barrier, is the second highest Sumo rank.

295

開

12 strokes

ON READING: KAI

KUN READINGS: hira(ku), a(ku), a(keru)

to open

開始 kaishi to start, to open

再開 saikai renewal; to restart

開き戸 hirakido swinging door

開け放し akehanashi opened

To the element for gate 門, the Chinese added a pictograph of two hands taking down the bar which blocked the gate (simplified first to then to ) allowing the gate to open. They drew the final kanji 開, meaning open. Used as a word by itself, generally a verb, it is pronounced HIRA-KU, A-KU or A-KERU. In compound words it is pronounced KAI. 公開 KŌKAI, public-open, means open to the public. 切開 SEKKAI (SETSU-KAI pronounced euphonically), cut-open, means an incision or operation. 開戦 KAISEN, open-war, means to start a war.

296

閉

11 strokes

ON READING: HEI

KUN READINGS: shi(meru), to(jiru)

to close

閉店 heiten closed

密閉 mippei seal

閉じ込める tojimomeru to seal, to keep in, to lock in

閉め切り shimekiru closing

To the element for gate 門, the Chinese added a pictograph of a bar propped into place and braced to close and block the gate after it was closed. They drew the final form of the kanji 閉, meaning to close. Used as a word by itself, generally a verb, it is pronounced SHI-MERU or TO-JIRU. In compound words it is pronounced HEI. 閉口 HEIKŌ, close-mouthed, means speechless, dumb-founded.

297

戸

4 strokes

ON READING: KO

KUN READING: to

door

一戸建 ikkodate single-family house

戸主 koshu householder

戸別に kobetsu ni door-to-door

江戸時代 Edo jidai Edo period

A pictograph of half a gate means door. There is not much simplification that can be done on this pictograph but the Chinese did make it more aesthetic and wrote the final kanji 戸. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced TO. In compound words it is pronounced KO. 戸口 TOGUCHI, door-opening, is a doorway. 戸外 KOGAI, door-outside, means outdoors.

298

是

9 strokes

ON READING: ZE

KUN READING: kore

right, proper; this

是認 zenin approval, endorsement

社是 shaze company creed

国是 kokuze national policy

The Chinese put the element for the sun 日 above the element for correct and proper 正, modified slightly to give aesthetic proportion to the square, to form the new kanji 是, symbolizing that the sun is in the heavens and all is right with the world. 是 means really correct and proper. It is not often used as a word by itself. When it is, it is pronounced KORE. In compound words it is pronounced ZE. 是正 ZESEI, proper-correct, means to correct. 是非 ZEHI, proper-opposite, means at all costs, or by any means.

299

頁

9 strokes

KUN READING: pēji

page

何頁 nan pēji how many pages

From a pictograph of a head with hair on it meaning head or neck, the Chinese drew a kanji 首 meaning head or neck, as described earlier. They also formed another kanji from the same pictograph of a head, but without the hair this time, and with human legs attached, 頁, to mean just head. It was later extended to mean a written page, the head part of a book. 頁 is used rarely as a kanji by itself, and when it is, it only has the extended meaning of a page. In this case, it is pronounced PĒJI, which is the Japanicized pronunciation of the English word “page.” Otherwise, the kanji 頁 is used as an element in other kanji 頭, where it brings the meaning head.

300

題

18 strokes

ON READING: DAI

subject, theme, title

出題 shutsudai setting a question (for test/exam)

宿題 shukudai homework

課題 kadai challenge, assignment

題題材 daizai material, subject

Then the Chinese combined the element for proper 是 with the element for head (or page) 頁 and formed a new kanji 題 meaning subject or theme or title. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words it is pronounced DAI. 話題 WADAI, talk-subject, means the topic of conversation, the talk of the town. 問題 MONDAI, inquire-subject, means the problem. A 題名 DAIMEI, subject-name, is the title of a book or a movie.

301

豆

7 strokes

ON READINGS: TŌ, ZU

KUN READING: mame

beans; very small, miniature

豆腐 tōfu bean curd, tofu

豆苗 tōmyo pea sprouts

枝豆 edamame green soybean

豆本 mamebon miniature book

The Chinese drew a pictograph of a covered pot where beans are cooked to symbolize the beans. They simplified it first to then wrote the final form 豆, meaning beans or very small or miniature. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced MAME. In compound words it is pronounced TŌ or ZU. 大豆 DAIZU, big-beans, are soybeans. 小豆 AZUKI, small-beans, are red beans, the second most popular bean in Japan after soybeans. 豆本 MAMEHON, bean-books, are special miniature books, less than about 3 inches high and 2 inches wide.

302

腐

14 strokes

ON READING: FU

KUN READING: kusa(ru)

to rot, to decay, to spoil

腐心 fushin struggle

腐敗 fuhai corruption, rot, decay

腐る kusaru to rot, to decay, to spoil

腐った kusatta rotten, damaged

The Chinese combined the element for government 府 with the element for meat 肉 to symbolize decay or something rotten. They wrote the final form of the kanji 腐, by extending the walls of the government building down to cover up the rotting meat. As a word by itself, usually a verb, it is pronounced KUSA-RU. In compound words it is pronounced FU. 腐 means rot or decay or spoil. 豆腐 TŌFU, bean-decay, is tofu, bean curd.

303

頭

16 strokes

ON READING: TŌ, ZU

KUN READINGS: atama, kashira

head, leader

頭部 tōbu head

頭痛 zutsū headache

頭金 atamakin deposit, down-payment

頭文字 kashiramoji capital letter, initials

They combined the element for bean (a slang word for head) 豆, with the element for head (without the hair; also used to mean the page of a book) 頁 to form a new kanji 頭 meaning head, a human head or a literal head. Used as a word by itself 頭 is pronounced ATAMA or KASHIRA. In compound words it is pronounced TŌ or ZU. A 舟頭 SENTŌ, ship-head, is a ship’s captain. A 先頭 SENTŌ, precede-head, is the leader of the pack.

304

馬

10 strokes

ON READING: BA

KUN READINGS: uma, ma

horse

乗馬 jōba horse riding

馬小屋 umagoya stable

絵馬 ema wooden plaque

河馬 kaba hippopotamus

The Chinese drew a picture of a horse to mean horse. They drew the pictograph as mainly mane and legs then simplified it to They squared it off to make the final form 馬. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced UMA or MA. In compound words it is pronounced BA. A 木馬 MOKUBA, wood-horse, is a wooden horse. A 回転木馬 KAITENMOKUBA, around-revolve-wood-horse, is a merry-go-round. 馬力 BARIKI, horse-power, is horsepower. A 馬車 BASHA, horse-car, is a carriage or wagon. 競馬 KEIBA, compete-horse, is a horse-race. 竹馬 TAKE-UMA, bamboo-horse, are stilts.

305

尺

4 strokes

ON READING: SHAKU

foot (unit of length), scale

尺度 shakudo scale

長尺 chōjaku long (length)

縮尺 shukushaku reduced scale

They drew a pictograph of a man, wearing the headband that workers tie around their heads when they are on the job, leaning on his shovel measuring with his foot the width of the path he is clearing. They wrote the final kanji 尺, meaning foot, the measurement. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words it is pronounced SHAKU. 一尺 ISSHAKU (ICHI-SHAKU pronounced euphonically) is one shaku, one Japanese foot in length. A Japanese foot is virtually the same as the English foot (six one-thousandths short). A 尺八 SHAKUHACHI, shaku-eight, is a Japanese flute. One shaku equals ten sun (the kanji for sun is 寸, indicating the distance between the bottom of a hand and the pulse). The length of the Japanese flute was one shaku, eight sun, hence the name shakuhachi.

306

駅

14 strokes

ON READING: EKI

station

駅長 ekichō station master

駅伝 ekiden long-distance relay

駅舎 ekisha station building

The Chinese put the element for the worker with the headband leaning on the shovel as he cleaned up behind the horses at the stagecoach station 尺, with the element for horses 馬 to write the new kanji 駅, meaning the station. It now refers to bus or railroad stations. Used either as a word by itself or in compound words it is pronounced EKI. An 駅員 EKI’IN, station-employee, is an employee of the station. 東京駅 TŌKYŌEKI is Tokyo Station.

307

駐

15 strokes

ON READING: CHŪ

to stop, to stay, to reside

駐在員 chūzai’in resident officer

駐車場 chūshajō parking lot

駐輪場 chūrinjō bicycle-parking lot

They combined the element for horse 馬 with the element for master 主 (which was the oil lamp, always lit, placed upon the hearth) into a new kanji 駐, meaning to stop or stay or reside. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words it is pronounced CHŪ. 駐車 CHŪSHA, stop-car, means parking. 駐日 CHŪNICHI, reside-Japan, means resident in Japan. 駐日大使 CHUNICHITAISHI, reside-Japan-big-messenger, means Ambassador to Japan.

308

長

8 strokes

ON READING: CHŌ

KUN READING: naga(i)

long, senior; the boss

長所 chōsho good point, advantage

成長 seichō growth, progress

長さ nagasa length

長崎 Nagasaki Nagasaki (Prefecture)

To symbolize the meaning long, the Chinese drew a pictograph of a long, flowing mane of hair on the head of an old man leaning on a cane They first simplified the pictograph to cane and then to The final form of the kanji was 長, meaning long or senior. By extension, it came to also mean the boss. Used as a word by itself, it is pronounced NAGA-I. In compound words it is pronounced CHŌ. 長女 CHŌJO, senior-daughter, is the eldest daughter. 校長 KŌCHŌ, school-boss, means principal or headmaster. 学長 GAKUCHŌ, education-boss, means university president or chancellor. 長期 CHŌKI, long-term, means long term or a long time.

309

帳

11 strokes

ON READING: CHŌ

notebook, register

帳面 chōmen notebook

帳消し chōkeshi to cancel; erasing

台帳 daichō ledger

They added the element for long 長 to the element for cloth 巾 to symbolize the long scroll of cloth used by the ancients, since paper hadn’t been invented yet, to write down important information. They combined both elements into the new kanji 帳, meaning notebook or register. Used either as a word by itself or in compound words it is pronounced CHŌ. 記帳 KICHŌ, write down-register, means to sign a visitor’s register or make an entry in a register. 手帳 TECHŌ, hand-notebook, means small notebook. 通帳 TSŪCHŌ, pass-through-register, means bankbook.

310

鳥

11 strokes

ON READING: CHŌ

KUN READING: tori

bird

野鳥 yachō wild bird

鳥かご torikago bird cage

鳥居 tori’i tori’i, a Shinto gateway

The Chinese drew a pictograph of a bird to mean a bird. They simplified it first to then to and wrote the final kanji 鳥. The four dots at the bottom represent the bird’s tail feathers, whereas the four dots at the bottom of the kanji for horse represent the horse’s legs, although in both kanji the dots are written the same way. Used as a word by itself, 鳥 is pronounced TORI. In compound words it is pronounced CHŌ. A 白鳥 HAKUCHŌ, white-bird, is a swan. A 小鳥 KOTORI, small-bird, is a small bird. 鳥肉 TORINIKU, bird-meat, is chicken meat. 一石二鳥 ISSEKI-NICHŌ, one-stone-two birds, is the proverb meaning kill two birds with one stone.

311

島

10 strokes

ON READING: TŌ

KUN READING: shima

island

半島 hantō peninsula

列島 rettō archipelago

島国 shimaguni island country, island nation

They put the element for bird 鳥 above the element for mountain 山 to form a new kanji meaning island. The Chinese soon decided the character was too tall. They eliminated the bird’s tail feathers and re-drew the final kanji as 島. Used as a word by itself or in family names it is pronounced SHIMA. In compound words it is pronounced TŌ. Some common family names are:

312

西

6 strokes

ON READINGS: SAI, SEI

KUN READING: nishi

west

東西 tōzai east and west

西暦 seireki the Christian Era, A.D., Western calendar

北西 hokusei north and west

西向き nishimuki westward

A pictograph of a bird returning to its nest as it does at dusk when the sun is setting in the west, meant west. The Chinese simplified it first to and then to They wrote the final kanji 西. Used as a word by itself or in family names, it is pronounced NISHI. In compound words it is pronounced SAI or SEI. 関西 KANSAI, barrier-west, refers to the Kansai Area—the Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe region west of the ancient boundary between Tokyo and Osaka. (Recall that 関東 KANTŌ, barrier-east, is the Tokyo-Yokohama area). 西日本 NISHINIHON, Japan-west, means Far-West Japan. 西口 NISHIGUCHI, west-opening, means west entrance or west exit. Some family names that include the kanji 西 are:

313

煙

13 strokes

ON READING: EN

KUN READINGS: kemuri, kemu(i)

smoke

煙突 entosu chimney

喫煙 kitsuen smoking

煙たい kemutai not feeling comfortable

黒煙 kokuen black smoke

To symbolize the smoke blown from a fire in the fields by the prevailing winds from the west, the Chinese combined the elements for fire 火, earth 土, and west 西. They wrote the new kanji 煙, meaning smoke. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced KEMURI or KEMU-I. In compound words it is pronounced EN. 禁煙 KIN-EN means no smoking. 煙草 TABAKO (a very special pronunciation for both kanji, taken from the English word tobacco; the kanji literally means smoke-grass), means tobacco.

314

集

12 strokes

ON READING: SHŪ

KUN READINGS: atsu(maru), atsu(meru), tsudo(u)

to gather together, to collect

集合 shūgō aggregation, gathering

集まる atsumaru to aggregate, to collect, to get together

人集め hitoatsume to assemble

集い tsudoi meeting, session

The Chinese drew another pictograph of bird, this one a short-tailed bird to symbolize a bird alighting in a tree. They simplified the bird atō first to and then to and squared it off to 隹. This bird cannot be used as a character by itself, and has to be combined with other elements to make a kanji.

The Chinese set three of these birds in a tree 木 to make the kanji meaning gather together or collect. After a while, they decided to simplify the character and dropped two of the birds, leaving just one in the tree 集. The meaning and the pronunciation stayed the same. Used as a word by itself, generally as a verb, it is pronounced ATSU-MARU (intransitive), ATSU-MERU (transitive) or TSUDO-U. In compound words 集 is pronounced SHŪ. 集中 SHŪCHŪ, collect-center, means concentrate. 集計 SHŪKEI, gather-account, means make a total of all the costs.

315

曜

18 strokes

ON READING: YŌ

day of the week

曜日 yōbi a day of the week

七曜表 shichiyōhyō calendar

日曜大工 nichiyōdaiku do-it-yourself

The Chinese combined the element for the short-tailed bird 隹 with the element for flying wings 羽 and the element for sun 日, symbolizing the sun flying across the sky, which takes one day, like a bird on the wing. They wrote the new kanji 曜, meaning day of the week. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words it is pronounced YŌ. The Japanese names of the days of the week are taken from the names of the seven basic nature symbols: sun, moon, fire, water, wood, gold, and earth. To these symbols are added the kanji 曜, day of the week, and then the kanji 日, day, to emphasize the day. The days of the week are:

316

至

6 strokes

ON READING: SHI

KUN READING: ita(ru)

to reach, to arrive at

夏至 geshi Summer Solstice

冬至 tōji Winter Solstice

必至 hisshi unavoidable, inevitable

至る所 itarutokoro everywhere

A pictograph of a bird diving from the sky and reaching the ground, beak first symbolized the idea of arriving at a goal. The Chinese first simplified the pictograph to and then to They wrote the final form of the kanji 至. It means to reach or arrive at, usually referring to a conclusion or opinion. It also means the way that leads to where you want to go. It is not a common word but is an element in other useful kanji. Used as a word by itself, usually as a verb, it is pronounced ITA-RU. In compound words it is pronounced SHI. 至急 SHIKYŪ, reach-hurry, means right away or as soon as possible. 至 will appear on direction signs to indicate where a road leads; 至東京 ITARU-TŌKYŌ means to Tokyo.

317

室

9 strokes

ON READING: SHITSU

KUN READING: muro

room (in a house)

客室 kyakushitsu guest room

温室 onshitsu glasshouse

教室 kyōshitsu classroom

氷室 himuro ice storage room

The element for arrive 至 was put under the element for roof 宀 to form a new kanji 室, meaning a room in a house. It is not used as a word by itself and needs one or two other kanji preceding it to tell what kind of room it is. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced MURO. In compound words it is pronounced SHITSU. A 和室 WASHITSU, Japanese-room, is a Japanese-style room. A 空室 KŪSHITSU, sky-room, is a vacant room. 地下室 CHIKASHITSU, ground-below-room, means basement. 室内 SHITSUNAI, means inside the room.

318

屋

9 strokes

ON READING: OKU

KUN READING: ya

shop, building, house

屋外 okugai outdoors

家屋 kaoku house

屋根 yane roof

花屋 hana-ya flower shop

The Chinese combined the element for arrive 至 with the element for the worker at the station wearing a headband leaning on his shovel but this time without the shovel and formed a new kanji 屋 symbolizing a place where work is done. 屋 means a shop, a building, or a house. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced YA. In compound words it is pronounced OKU. A tradesman’s shop will end with the kanji 屋, preceded by the kanji which show his or her type of trade. A 肉屋 NIKU-YA, meat-shop, is a butcher shop. A 本屋 HON-YA, book-shop, is a book store. Many department stores use the kanji 屋 at the end of their name. The 高島屋, TAKA-SHIMA-YA, High-island-shop, is a large Department Store in Tokyo. 松阪屋, MATSU-ZAKAYA, Pine-hill-shop, is another. 屋上 OKUJŌ, building-above, means rooftop.

319

店

8 strokes

ON READING: TEN

KUN READING: mise

shop, store

店員 ten-in sales clerk, shop assistant

代理店 dairiten agency

売店 baiten kiosk, newsstand

書店 shoten bookstore

Another pictograph the Chinese drew for shop or store showed a long-nosed clerk standing behind a shop-counter 占 set up under a lean-to They wrote the final kanji 店. When used as a word by itself it is pronounced MISE. In compound words it is pronounced TEN. A 書店 SHOTEN, writing-shop, is a book store. A 本店 HONTEN, root-store, is the main store, though it looks at first glance as if it should be a book store (by custom a 本屋, HON-YA, is a book store, and so is a 書店 SHOTEN.) A 支店 SHITEN, branch-shop, is a branch store. 開店時間 KAITENJIKAN, open-store-hour, is the shop opening time.

320

局

7 strokes

ON READING: KYOKU

office, department

郵便局 yūbinkyoku post office

放送局 hōsōkyoku broadcasting station

結局 kekkyoku definitely, in the end

The Chinese drew a pictograph of a worker wearing a headband, but without his shovel, standing by the desk in his corner cubicle in a government building to symbolize a place where official work is done. They wrote the final kanji 局, meaning an office or a department, usually in a government. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words 局 is pronounced KYOKU.

321

部

11 strokes

ON READING: BU

part, department, division

全部 zenbu whole, everything

部長 buchō (division) manager

部門 bumon branch, division

一部 ichibu part

They put the element meaning stand 立 above the element for a box or a circumscribed space 口 and beside the element for a terraced hillside village and drew a new composite kanji 部, symbolizing a man standing on his part in the hillside village. 部 means a part, or department, or devision. It is not used as a word by itself. In compound words it is pronounced BU, with one exception,where it has the special pronunciation HE. The exception is the word 部屋 HEYA, part-building, which means a room in a building or a house. A 本部 HONBU, root-part, is a headquarters. 部下 BUKA, part-below, means one’s subordinates, who follow orders. 部品 BUHIN, part-goods, means parts, usually of a machine. 部分 BUBUN, part-divide, means portion.

322

産

11 strokes

ON READING: SAN

KUN READINGS: u(mu), u(mareru), ubu

to give birth, to produce; naive

出産 shussan childbirth, delivery

産休 sankyū maternity leave

産む umu to bear, to deliver

産な ubu na naive, innocent

The Chinese put the element for giving birth 生 below the element of a cliff on which a person stands 立 to symbolize a person observing the birth below that produces a new cycle of life. They wrote the new kanji 産, meaning give birth or produce, of either human beings or products. Used as a word by itself, generally as a verb, it is pronounced U-MU (transitive) U-MARERU (intransitive) or UBU. In compound words it is pronounced SAN. 生産 SEISAN, birth-produce, means to produce or to manufacture. A 生産者 SEISANSHA, produce-person, is a manufacturer. 月産 GESSAN, month-produce, is monthly production. 名産 MEISAN, name-product, is a famous product. 不動産 FUDŌSAN, un-movable-product, is real estate.

323

業

13 strokes

ON READINGS: GYŌ, GŌ

KUN READING: waza

profession, occupation

職業 shokugyō occupation, career

卒業 sotsugyō graduation

自営業 jieigyō a self-employed business

軽業 karuwaza acrobatics

The Chinese drew a pictograph of a complicated ancient musical instrument made from bells, string, and wooden pegs, difficult to build and play, to symbolize the work it takes to do something right. They simplified the pictograph to then added wood 木 and wrote the final kanji 業, meaning a profession or an occupation. Used as a word by itself it is pronounced WAZA. In compound words it is pronounced GYŌ or GŌ. 産業 SANGYŌ, produce-occupation, means an industry. 開業 KAIGYŌ, open-occupation, means open a business. A 業者 GYŌSHA, profession-person, is a businessman or an industrialist.