Your First Twenty Kanji: Readings and Example Words
Twenty of the simplest and most useful kanji, with meanings, readings and everyday words that use them.
You can begin reading kanji with a small set of simple, common characters. These twenty appear everywhere.
The twenty
| Kanji | Meaning | Readings | Example word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 日 | sun, day | にち, ひ, び | 日本 (にほん, Japan), 日曜日 (Sunday) |
| 月 | moon, month | げつ, つき | 月曜日 (Monday), 三月 (March) |
| 火 | fire | か, ひ | 火曜日 (Tuesday) |
| 水 | water | すい, みず | 水 (みず, water) |
| 木 | tree, wood | もく, き | 木 (き, tree) |
| 金 | gold, money | きん, かね | お金 (おかね, money) |
| 土 | earth | ど, つち | 土曜日 (Saturday) |
| 人 | person | じん, ひと | 日本人 (にほんじん), 人 (ひと) |
| 大 | big | だい, おお(きい) | 大学 (だいがく, university) |
| 小 | small | しょう, ちい(さい) | 小学校 (elementary school) |
| 山 | mountain | さん, やま | 富士山 (ふじさん) |
| 川 | river | かわ | 川 (かわ, river) |
| 口 | mouth | こう, くち | 口 (くち, mouth), 出口 (でぐち, exit) |
| 目 | eye | め | 目 (め, eye) |
| 手 | hand | しゅ, て | 手 (て, hand) |
| 学 | study | がく | 学生 (がくせい, student) |
| 生 | life, birth | せい, なま | 先生 (せんせい, teacher) |
| 先 | ahead, previous | せん, さき | 先生, 先週 (せんしゅう, last week) |
| 本 | book, origin | ほん | 本 (ほん, book), 日本 |
| 年 | year | ねん, とし | 来年 (らいねん, next year) |
Kanji that look like what they mean
Several of these began as pictures:
- 日 — a sun
- 月 — a crescent moon
- 山 — three peaks
- 川 — flowing water
- 木 — a tree with branches
- 口 — an open mouth
Remembering the picture makes the kanji easier to learn.
Combining kanji
Kanji combine to make new words:
- 日 + 本 = 日本 (Japan, literally "origin of the sun")
- 学 + 生 = 学生 (student)
- 大 + 学 = 大学 (university)
Practice
Try reading these:
- 山川 (やまかわ), mountains and rivers
- 大人 (おとな), adult
- 火山 (かざん), volcano
- 日本人 (にほんじん), a Japanese person
Study tips
- Learn a few kanji a day, with example words.
- Write them by hand, following stroke order.
- Review regularly.
- Use the dictionary to look up new characters.
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