THE FIRST 103 KANJI

About this book

This book helps beginners of the Japanese language memorizing and
writing the first 103 kanji characters required for the Japanese
Language Proficiency Test N5.

Each kanji is represented on one page featuring:

 Its meaning
 The onyomi and kunyomi readings
 Vocabulary that includes this kanji
 The number of strokes and the stroke order with a link to the
NIHONGO ICHIBAN website to video showing the stroke order
 The radicals (components) the kanji consists of
 A hint to help memorizing the kanji
 A grid to exercise writing

You can print each page on your own printer and repeat the writing
exercises as often as you like.
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THERE IS NO COPYRIGHT!

Please feel free to share it with your friends and other students of
Japanese.

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The Japanese writing system

The Japanese written language consists of a combination of three types of characters. To

a lesser extend it nowadays also uses some Latin alphabet for abbreviations and
numbers.

1) Kanji (漢字)
Kanji originally came from China to Japan. The term “kanji” literally means “Han
characters” or “Chinese characters” and it is identical to the characters in China to
describe their writing.

Kanji are mainly used to describe names and nouns. When used in verbs and adjectives
they mostly are written in combination with hiragana. Most sentences include kanji as well
as hiragana.

Japanese dictionaries list around 10,000 kanji. The Japanese government limited the kanji
used in official publications to the 1945 touyou kanji with about 4000 readings. The
Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is based on these 1945 touyou kanji.

A Japanese with average education knows around 3000 kanji and it is estimated that
around 4000 kanji are used in Japanese literature.

2) Hiragana (平仮名)
Hiragana is a phonetic alphabet that was developed in the ninth century to simplify writing.
It nowadays is mainly used for native Japanese words. Hiragana are derived from more
complex kanji and each hiragana represents a syllable. A total of 46 hiragana are used in
contemporary Japanese writing.

List of the 46 hiragana and their 25 diagritics (with ゛or ゜)

A I U E O

あ (a) い (i) う (u) え (e) お (o)

か (ka) き (ki) く(ku) け (ke) こ (ko)

が (ga) ぎ (gi) ぐ (gu) げ (ge) ご (go)

さ (sa) し (shi) す (su) せ (se) そ (so)

ざ (za) じ (ji) ず (zu) ぜ (ze) ぞ (zo)

た (ta) ち (chi) つ (tsu) て (te) と (to)

だ (da) ぢ (ji) づ (zu) で (de) ど (do)

な (na) に (ni) ぬ (nu) ね (ne) の (no)

 A I U E O

は (ha) ひ (hi) ふ (fu) へ (he) ほ (ho)

ば (ba) び (bi) ぶ (bu) ベ (be) ぼ (bo)
ぱ (pa) ぴ (pi) ぷ (pu) ぺ (pe) ぽ (po)

ま (ma) み (mi) む (mu) め (me) も (mo)

や (ya) ゆ (yu) よ (yo)

ら (ra) り (ri) る (ru) れ (re) ろ (ro)

わ (wa) を (o/wo)

ん (n)

The combination of some of these hiragana is used to express a few additional sounds
used in Japanese. The first character is written in normal size whereas the second
character is written a little bit smaller. These combinations are called digraphs.

List of 21 hiragana digraphs and their 15 diagritics

YA YU YO

きゃ (kya) きゅ (kyu) きょ (kyo)

ぎゃ (gya) ぎゅ (gyu) ぎょ (gyo)

しゃ (sha) しゅ (shu) しょ (sho)

じゃ (ja) じゅ (ju) じょ (jo)

ちゃ (cha) ちゅ (chu) ちょ (cho)

ぢゃ (ja) ぢゅ (ju) ぢょ (jo)

にゃ (nya) にゅ (nyu) にょ (nyo)

ひゃ (hya) ひゅ (hyu) ひょ (hyo)

びゃ (bya) びゅ (byu) びょ (byo)
ぴゃ (pya) ぴゅ (pyu) ぴょ (pyo)

みゃ (mya) みゅ (myu) みょ (myo)

りゃ (rya) りゅ (ryu) りょ (ryo)

3) Katakana (片仮名)
Katakana also is a phonetic alphabet covering the same syllable as hiragana and it
therefore also has 46 different characters. It is mainly used for foreign loanwords and
sometimes to replace kanji or hiragana for emphasis. Katakana were developed in the
ninth century and are also derived from more complex kanji.
List of the 46 basic katakana and their 25 diagritics (with ゛or ゜)

A I U E O

ア (a) イ (i) ウ (u) エ (e) オ (o)

カ (ka) キ (ki) ク (ku) ケ (ke) コ (ko)

ガ (ga) ギ (gi) グ (gu) ゲ (ge) ゴ (go)

サ (sa) シ (shi) ス (su) セ (se) ソ (so)

ザ (za) ジ (ji) ズ (zu) ゼ (ze) ゾ (zo)

タ (ta) チ (chi) ツ (tsu) テ (te) ト (to)

ダ (da) ヂ (ji) ヅ (zu) デ (de) ド (do)

ナ (na) ニ (ni) ヌ (nu) ネ (ne) ノ (no)

ハ (ha) ヒ (hi) フ (fu) ヘ (he) ホ (ho)

バ (ba) ビ (bi) ブ (bu) ベ (be) ボ (bo)
パ (pa) ピ (pi) プ (pu) ペ pe) ポ(po)

マ (ma) ミ (mi) ム (mu) メ (me) モ (mo)

ヤ (ya) ユ (yu) ヨ (yo)

ラ (ra) リ (ri) ル (ru) レ (re) ロ (ro)

ワ (wa) ヲ (o/wo)

ン (n)

As with hiragana there also are combinations to express the other sounds required for the
Japanese language.

List of 21 katakana digraphs and their 15 diagritics

YA YU YO

キャ (kya) キュ (kyu) キョ (kyo)

ギャ (gya) ギュ (gyu) ギョ (gyo)

シャ (sha) シュ (shu) ショ (sho)

ジャ (ja) ジュ (ju) ジョ (jo)

チャ (cha) チュ (chu) チョ (cho)

ぢゃ (ja) ヂュ (ju) ヂョ (jo)

ニャ (nya) ニュ (nyu) ニョ (nyo)

 YA YU YO

ヒャ (hya) ヒュ (hyu) ヒョ (hyo)

ビャ (bya) ビュ (byu) ビョ (byo)
ピャ (pya) ピュ (pyu) ピョ (pyo)

ミャ (mya) ミュ (myu) ミョ (myo)

リャ (rya) リュ (ryu) リョ (ryo)

These 46 katakana and their variations are sufficient to express all sounds used for
Japanese words. In order to get closer to the pronunciation of foreign words, a list of not
so common extended katakana is used.

List of extended katakana

A I U E O

イィ (yi) イェ (ye)

ウァ (wa) ウィ (wi) ウゥ (wu) ウェ (we) ウォ (wo)

ヴァ (va) ヴィ (vi) ヴ (vu) ヴェ (ve) ヴォ (vo)

ヴィェ (vye)

キェ (kye)

ギェ (gye)

クァ (kwa) クィ(kwi) クェ (kwe) クォ (kwo)

グァ (gwa) グィ (gwi) グェ (gwe) グォ (gwo)

シェ (she)

ジェ (je)

スィ (si)

ズィ (zi)

チェ (che)

ツァ (tsa) ツィ (tsi) ツェ (tse) ツォ (tso)

ティ (ti) テゥ (tu)

ディ (di) デゥ (du)

ニェ (nye)

ヒェ (hye)

ビェ (bye)
 A I U E O

ピェ (pye)

ファ (fa) フィ (fi) フェ (fe) フォ (fo)

フィェ (fye)

ホゥ (hu)

ミェ (mye)

リェ (rye)

ラ゜(la) リ゜(li) ル゜(lu) レ゜(le) ロ゜(lo)

4) Writing a Japanese text

It is possible to write everything in hiragana or katakana since both scripts cover the entity
of sounds of the Japanese language, although this is not very practical due to the high
number of words having the same pronunciation but different meanings.

All characters are written one by one and in the same size. There are no spaces between
different words, which feels a little bit unusual for most foreigners. It takes time to get used
to this and easily distinguish different words.
It is important to write the strokes in the correct order and directions to give the characters
the right shape. The reason why becomes obvious when practicing with a brush pen1 ,
which is very much recommended for beginners.

Japanese writing is made in two directions. Horizontal writing (yokogaki) is from the left to
the right as in western style. Traditional writing (tategaki) is vertical starting from the right
top and ending at the left bottom. A book printed in tategaki opens from what Westerners
would call the back, while a book printed in yokogaki opens from what traditionally in
Japan would have been considered the back.2

1A brush pen is a pen with a brush instead of a brush instead of the nib. You can get them in some
Japanese shops or via mail order.
2 Wikipedia, Japanese writing system
 Meaning: One
Onyomi: Ichi / Itsu [いち/いつ]
Kunyomi: Hito [ひと]
Vocabulary: 一口 - ひとくち - hitokuchi -
One bite

1 stroke ★ 一 is just one stroke

 Meaning: Two
Onyomi: Ni [に]
Kunyomi: Futa [ふた]
Vocabulary: 二人 - ふたり - futari - Two
persons

★ 二 is made of two strokes 一 + 一 = 二

2 strokes 1+1=2
 Meaning: Three
Onyomi: San [さん]
Kunyomi: Mitsu / Mi- [みつ/みっ]
Vocabulary: 3日 - みっか - mikka - The 3rd

★ 三 is the result of 一 + 二
3 strokes 1+2=3
 Meaning: Four
Onyomi: Shi [し]
Kunyomi: Yo / Yu / Yon [よ/ゆ/よん]
Vocabulary: 四季 - しき - shiki - The 4
seasons

5 strokes ★ There are four sides to a square

 Meaning: Five
Onyomi: Go [ご]
Kunyomi: Itsu [いつ]
Vocabulary: 五つ - いつつ - itsutsu - Five
(ordinal number)

4 strokes ★ It looks like the number 5

 Meaning: Six
Onyomi: Roku [ろく]
Kunyomi: Mu/Mut/Mui [む/むっ/むい]
Vocabulary: 六つ - むっつ - muttsu - Six
(ordinal number)

★ 6 can be written VI if you turn them

4 strokes around you get 六
 Meaning: Seven
Onyomi: Shichi [しち]
Kunyomi: Nana/Nano [なな/なの]
Vocabulary: 七月 – しちがつ – shichigatsu
- July

2 strokes ★ It is a 7 inverted
 Meaning: Eight
Onyomi: Hachi [はち]
Kunyomi: Yat/Ya/You [やっ/や/よう]
Vocabulary: 八つ - やっつ - Yattsu – Eight
(ordinal number)

2 strokes ★ When following the simple shape

of the 8 you get 八
 Meaning: Nine
Onyomi: Kyuu/Ku [きゅう/く]
Kunyomi: Kokono [ここの]
Vocabulary: 九日 - ここのか - Kokonoka -
The 9th

2 strokes ★ You can see the shape of a 9

with a little imagination
 Meaning: Ten
Onyomi: Juu/Ji [じゅう/じ]
Kunyomi: Too [とお]
Vocabulary: 十日 - とおか - Tooka – The
10th

2 strokes ★ 10 can be written X

 Meaning: Hundred
Onyomi: Hyaku [ひゃく]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 百貨店 - ひゃっかてん -
Hyakkaten - A mall

6 strokes

I00
★ 100 ->
 Meaning: Thousand
Onyomi: Sen [せん]
Kunyomi: Chi [ち]
Vocabulary: 二千円 - にせんえん -
nisenen - Two thousand Yen

3 strokes ★ Thousand starts with the letter T

 Meaning: Ten thousand
Onyomi: Man/Ban [まん/ばん]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 万引き - まんびき - manbiki –
Shoplifting

★ It looks like a capital T and a h combined like

3 strokes in Thousand and the capital T also stands for Ten
 Meaning: Water
Onyomi: Sui [すい]
Kunyomi: Mizu [みず]
Vocabulary: 水道 - すいどう - suidou -
Water pipe

4 strokes ★ It can represent the current of water

 Meaning: Fire
Onyomi: Ka [か]
Kunyomi: Hi [ひ]
Vocabulary: 火山 - かざん - kazan –
Volcano

4 strokes ★ It looks like a camp fire with flames flying

around.
 Meaning: Tree, wood
Onyomi: Boku/Moku [ぼく/もく]
Kunyomi: Ki/Ko [き/こ]
Vocabulary: 木曜日 - もくようび -
mokuyoubi – Thursday

4 strokes ★ It is easy to remember since it looks like a tree

!
 Meaning: Sky
Onyomi: Ten [てん]
Kunyomi: Ame, Ama [あめ/あま]
Vocabulary: 天気 - てんき - tenki –
Weather

4 strokes ★ Heaven is one (一) big (大) place !

 Meaning: Earth, Ground
Onyomi: : Do / To [ど/と]
Kunyomi: Tsuchi [つち]
Vocabulary: 土 - つち - tsuchi – Earth

3 strokes ★ It looks like a cross on a grave buried

in the ground
 Meaning: North
Onyomi: Hoku [ほく]
Kunyomi: Kita [きた]
Vocabulary: 北米 - ほくべい - hokubei -
North America

5 strokes ★ When putting it together it looks like

a ladder to go up NORTH
 Meaning: East
Onyomi: Tou [とう]
Kunyomi: Higashi [ひがし]
Vocabulary: 東京 - とうきょう - toukyou -
Tokyo

8 strokes ★ The sun (日) rise behind a tree (木) on the

East.
 Meaning: West
Onyomi: Sei /Sai [せい/さい]
Kunyomi: Nishi [にし]
Vocabulary: 西暦 - せいれき - seireki -
Christian era

6 strokes ★ The  upper  part  looks  like  the  Greek  symbol  π  

(Pi). Greek is a western country
 Meaning: South
Onyomi: Nan [なん]
Kunyomi: Minami [みなみ]
Vocabulary: 南米 - なんべい - nanbei -
South America

★ In the South there are many believers

9 strokes who give lots of money(¥) to the churches
 Meaning: Left
Onyomi: Sa [さ]
Kunyomi: Hidari [ひだり]
Vocabulary: 左折 - させつ - sasetsu - To
turn left

5 strokes ★ The hand (

working (工)
) is on the left of something
 Meaning: Right
Onyomi: U / Yuu [う / ゆう]
Kunyomi: Migi [みぎ]
Vocabulary: 右岸 - うがん - ugan - Right
Shore

5 strokes ★ On a map the restaurant

(mouth 口) is on the right of the intersection
 Meaning: Day, Sun
Onyomi: Nichi/Jitsu [にち/じつ]
Kunyomi: Hi/Ka [ひ/か]
Vocabulary: 日本 - にほん - nihon - Japan

4 strokes ★
 Meaning: Month, moon
Onyomi: Getsu/Gatsu [げつ/がつ]
Kunyomi: Tsuki [つき]
Vocabulary: 満月 - まんげつ - mangetsu -
Full moon

4 stroke ★ It looks like a quarter of the moon

 Meaning: Flower, blossom
Onyomi: Ka [か]
Kunyomi: Hana [はな]
Vocabulary: 花瓶 - かびん - kabin - Vase

★ Weed ( ) sometime changes (化) into

7 strokes flowers (花)
 Meaning: Fish
Onyomi: Gyo [ぎょ]
Kunyomi: Sakana / Uo [さかな/うお]
Vocabulary: 金魚 - きんぎょ - kingyo –
Goldfish

10 strokes ★ It looks like a fish swimming upward.

 Meaning: Sky, to become free, empty
Onyomi: Kuu [くう]
Kunyomi: Sora/A(keru)/Kara [そら/あ(
け る)/から]
Vocabulary: 空港 - くうこう - kuukou -
Airport

8 strokes ★ Working (工) in a hole (穴) makes you feel

empty.
 Meaning: Mountain
Onyomi: San [さん]
Kunyomi: Yama [やま]
Vocabulary: 山羊 - やぎ - yagi - A goat

★ This Kanji has the shape of the mountain it

3 strokes stands for.
 Meaning: River
Onyomi: Sen [せん]
Kunyomi: Kawa [かわ]
Vocabulary: 徳川 - とくがわ - Tokugawa -
Togugawa (Ieyasu) first
Shogun of the Tokugawa
shogunate.

3 strokes
★ The three strokes represents the current of a
river.
 Meaning: Rain
Onyomi: U [う]
Kunyomi: Ame [あめ]
Vocabulary: 梅雨 - つゆ - tsuyu - Rainy
season

8 strokes ★ It looks like rain drops hitting a window

 Meaning: Book, Source
Onyomi: Hon [ほん]
Kunyomi: Moto [もと]
Vocabulary: 本物 - ほんもの - honmono –
Original

5 stroke ★ Books are made from trees cut at their

bottom (hence the bottom line)
 Meaning: Eye
Onyomi: Moku [もく]
Kunyomi: Me [め]
Vocabulary: 目的 - もくてき - mokuteki -
purpose, goal

5 strokes ★
 Meaning: Mouth
Onyomi: Kou/Ku [こう/く]
Kunyomi: Kuchi [くち]
Vocabulary: 火口 - かこう - kakou - Crater
of a volcano

3 strokes ★ It looks like a mouth wide open

 Meaning: Ear
Onyomi: Ji [じ]
Kunyomi: Mimi [みみ]
Vocabulary: 耳孔 - じこう - jikou - Earhole

★ It looks a little like an ear with a hole in the

6 strokes middle and one part sticking out down
 Meaning: Hand
Onyomi: Shu [しゅ]
Kunyomi: Te [て]
Vocabulary: 空手 - からて - karate - Karate

★ It is a simplified Hand drawing giving a thumb

4 strokes down
 Meaning: Foot, to be sufficient, to add
Onyomi: Soku [そく]
Kunyomi: Ashi/Ta(riru)/Ta(su) [あし/た
(りる)/た(す)]
Vocabulary: 満足 - まんぞく - manzoku -
Satisfaction

7 strokes ★ It looks like a cartoon character running with

his huge Feet
 Meaning: Person
Onyomi: Jin / Nin [じん/にん]
Kunyomi: Hito [ひと]
Vocabulary: 人口 - じんこう - jinkou -
Population

2 strokes ★ It looks like a Man standing with his legs

spread.
 Meaning: Mother
Onyomi: Bo [ぼ]
Kunyomi: Haha [はは]
Vocabulary: 祖母 - そぼ - sobo –
Grandmother

5 strokes ★ It  is  suppose  to  represent  a  Mother’s  breast.  

 Meaning: Father
Onyomi: Fu [ふ]
Kunyomi: Chichi [ちち]
Vocabulary: 祖父 - そふ - sofu -
Grandfather

4 strokes ★ It looks like the shape of a man with his hands

up because he became a Father.
 Meaning: Woman, female
Onyomi: Jo [じょ]
Kunyomi: Onna / Me [おんな/め]
Vocabulary: 女性 - じょせい - josei -
Female

3 strokes ★ It looks like a ballerina

 Meaning: Man, Male
Onyomi: Dan/Nan [だん/なん]
Kunyomi: Otoko [おとこ]
Vocabulary: 男性 - だんせい - dansei -
Male

★ The upper part means rice field while the

7 strokes lower part means strength thus you need to be a
strong Man to work in the field.
 Meaning: Child
Onyomi: Shi/Su [し/す]
Kunyomi: Ko [こ]
Vocabulary: 子供 - こども - kodomo - A
child

3 strokes ★
 Meaning: Small
Onyomi: Shou [しょう]
Kunyomi: Chii(sai) / Ko / O [ちい(さい)/
こ/お]
Vocabulary: 小麦 - こむぎ - komugi – Flour

3 strokes ★ You may think of two Small fishes swimming

around a hook
 Meaning: Inner, Center, Between
Onyomi: Chuu [ちゅう]
Kunyomi: Naka [なか]
Vocabulary: 中国 - ちゅうごく - chuugoku
- China

4 strokes ★ The vertical stroke cross right in the Middle of

the square
 Meaning: Big, a lot
Onyomi: Dai/Tai [だい/たい]
Kunyomi: Oo(kii)/Oo(i) [おお(きい)/おお
(い)]
Vocabulary: 大学 - だいがく - daigaku -
University

3 strokes ★ It looks like a Big man with his arms and legs
spread wide open
 Meaning: Above, upper
Onyomi: Jou/Shou [じょう/しょう]
Kunyomi: Ue/ Kami/ A(geru/garu) [うえ/
かみ/あ(げる/がる)]
Vocabulary: 上手 - じょうず - jouzu - Be
good

3 strokes ★ It  is  Above  the  line  symbolized  by  the  “一”  

stroke
 Meaning: Below, down
Onyomi: Ka/Ge [か/げ]
Kunyomi: Shita /Sa(geru)/O(rosu)/
Ku(daru) [した/さ(げる)/お(
ろ す)/く(だる)]
Vocabulary: 地下鉄 - ちかてつ -
chikatetsu - METRO

3 strokes ★ It  is  Below  the  line  symbolized  by  the  “一”  

stroke
 Meaning: What/How many/Which
Onyomi: Ka [か]
Kunyomi: Nani [なに]
Vocabulary: 何時 - なんじ - nanji - What
time

7 strokes ★ What exactly can (可) a person (人) do ?

 Meaning: To walk, to go, to carry out
Onyomi: Kou [こう]
Kunyomi: I(ku)/Yu(ku)/Okona(u) [い(く) /
ゆ（く）/おこな(う)]
Vocabulary: 銀行 - ぎんこう - ginkou –
Bank

6 strokes ★ It looks like a bridge upon a river

which is opening up for boats to Go through.
 Meaning: To see, to be visible, to show
Onyomi: Ken [けん]
Kunyomi: Mi(ru)/Mi(eru)/Mi(seru) [み
(る)/み(える)/み(せる)]
Vocabulary: 見物 - けんぶつ - kenbutsu -
Sight seeing

7 strokes ★ It is the character for eye on the character for

human legs, a walking eye See and is visible.
 Meaning: Word, to talk
Onyomi: Gen/Gon [げん/ごん]
Kunyomi: I(u) [い(う)]
Vocabulary: 無言 - むごん - mugon –
Silence

★ The lower character means mouth so it is like

7 strokes lines  of  Words  going  off  one’s  mouth
 Meaning: Word, to talk
Onyomi: Go [ご]
Kunyomi: Kata(ru)/Kata(rau) [かた(る)/
かた(らう)]
Vocabulary: 日本語 - にほんご - nihongo -
Japanese

14 strokes ★ Word ( ) + 5 ( ) + Mouth ( ) = Five

word spoken is already a language.
 Meaning: Food, To eat
Onyomi: Shoku [しょく]
Kunyomi: Ta(beru)/ Ku(u)/ Ku(rau) [たべ
(る)/く(う)/く(らう)]
Vocabulary: 食事 -しょくじ - shokuji - A
meal

9 strokes ★ It is the character for good under what looks

like a roof: there is nothing better than
homemade Food.
 Meaning: Drink
Onyomi: In [いん]
Kunyomi: No(mu) [の(む)]
Vocabulary: 飲食 - いんしょく - inshoku -
Food and drinks

★ Drinking is like eating (食) but lacking (欠) the

12 strokes solids.
 Meaning: To meet / society
Onyomi: Kai/E [かい/え]
Kunyomi: A(u) [あ(う)]
Vocabulary: 会社 - かいしゃ - kaisha –
Company

★ You handshake when

6 strokes Meeting people
(by KansaiBanzai)
 Meaning: School, Science, to learn
Onyomi: Gaku [がく]
Kunyomi: Mana(bu) [まな(ぶ)]
Vocabulary: 大学 - だいがく - daigaku -
University

★ It is the character for child under what looks

8 strokes like a roof. School is the place where children
Learn
 Meaning: To rest
Onyomi: Kyuu [きゅう]
Kunyomi: Yasu(mu) [やす(む)]
Vocabulary: 休日 - きゅうじつ - kyuujitsu
- Day off

6 strokes ★ It is the radical of a person next to the radical

of the tree = when laying on a tree you can rest.
 Meaning: To buy
Onyomi: Bai [ばい]
Kunyomi: Ka(u) [か(う)]
Vocabulary: 買物 - かいもの - kaimono -
Shopping

12 strokes ★ When catching a shell ( ) with a net (

then  you  don’t  have  to  Buy  (ばい) it
)
 Meaning: To hear, To listen, to ask
Onyomi: Bun/Mon [ぶん/もん]
Kunyomi: Ki(ku)/Ki(koeru) [き(く)/き(こ
え る)]
Vocabulary: 新聞 - しんぶん - shinbun -
Newspaper

14 strokes ★ With the radical for gate and ear = someone is

putting his ear on the gate to hear
 Meaning: To come
Onyomi: Rai [らい]
Kunyomi: Ku(ru)/Kita(ru)/Kita(su) [く(る
)/ きた(る)/きた(す)]
Vocabulary: 来年 - らいねん - rainen -
Next year

6 strokes ★ From rice (米) Comes at least ten (十)

benefits
 Meaning: To stand, to establish
Onyomi: Ritsu [りつ]
Kunyomi: Ta(tsu)/Ta(teru) [た(つ)/た(て
る)]
Vocabulary: 国立 - こくりつ - kokuritsu -
Public establishment

5 strokes ★ If you move the strokes a bit it looks

like a man Standing
 Meaning: To live, to grow, be born, raw
Onyomi: Sei / Shou [せい/しょう]
Kunyomi: : I(kiru)/U(mu)Nama/Ki [い(き
る)/う(む)/なま/き]
Vocabulary: 学生 - がくせい - gakusei - a
Student

5 strokes ★ It is like a small tree on which water is

poured so that is Grows and Lives.
 Meaning: Speech, to talk, conversation
Onyomi: Wa [わ]
Kunyomi: hanashi/Hana(su) [はなし/は
な(す)]
Vocabulary: 会話 - かいわ - kaiwa -
Conversation

13 strokes ★ Radical for say, word (言) and the one for
tongue (舌)
 Meaning: To leave, to get out
Onyomi: Shutsu [しゅつ]
Kunyomi: De(ru)/Da(su) [で(る)/だ(す)]
Vocabulary: 日の出 - ひので - hinode -
Sunrise

★ It is two mountains on top of each other,

6 strokes when mountains are two times higher to hike,
you better leave.
 Meaning: To read
Onyomi: Doku/Toku [どく/とく]
Kunyomi: Yo(mu) [よ(む)]
Vocabulary: 読書 - どくしょ - dokusho -
Reading

14 strokes ★ Composed of say (言) and sell (売) = books

are sold for people to Read what others say
 Meaning: To enter, to insert
Onyomi: Nyuu [にゅう]
Kunyomi: Hai(ru)/I(ru)/I(reru) [はい(る)/
い(る)/い(れる)]
Vocabulary: 入口 - いりぐち - iriguchi -
Entrance

2 strokes ★ It looks like the Entrance of

a tent
 Meaning: To write
Onyomi: Sho [しょ]
Kunyomi: Ka(ku) [か(く)]
Vocabulary: 文書 - ぶんしょ - bunsho -
Sentence

10 strokes ★ To Write you need a brush (

from the sun (日)
) and light
 Meaning: After, later, back
Onyomi: Go/Kou [ご/こう]
Kunyomi: Ato/Okure(ru)/Nochi [あと/お
くれ(る)/のち]
Vocabulary: 午後 - ごご - gogo –
Afternoon

9 strokes ★ If you walk slowly ( ) with small ( )

Steps ( ) you will be left Behind
 Meaning: Old, used
Onyomi: Ko [こ]
Kunyomi: Furu(i) [ふる(い)]
Vocabulary: 中古車 - ちゅうこしゃ -
chuukosha - Used car

5 strokes ★ When you say (口) something ten (十) times

it becomes Old
 Meaning: High, expensive, increase
Onyomi: Kou [こう]
Kunyomi: Taka(i)/Taka(maru)/Taka(meru)
[たか(い)/たか(まる)/たか(め
る)]
Vocabulary: 高速 - こうそく - kousoku -
High speed

10 strokes
★ It looks like a High Japanese temple
 Meaning: Cheap, Peace, Safety
Onyomi: An [あん]
Kunyomi: Yasu(i) [やす(i)]
Vocabulary: 安全 - あんぜん - anzen -
Safety

6 strokes ★ Buying a woman (女)  a  crown  (                )  isn’t  

Cheap but brings Peace
 Meaning: Many
Onyomi: Ta [た]
Kunyomi: Oo(i) [おお(い)]
Vocabulary: 多分 - たぶん - tabun -
Probably

6 strokes ★ One evening (夕) out is good but two (多) is

too Many
 Meaning: New
Onyomi: Shin [しん]
Kunyomi: Atara(shii)/ Ara(ta)[あたら(し
い)/ あら(た)]
Vocabulary: 新聞 - しんぶん – shinbun
Newspaper

13 strokes ★ When you cut ( ) the links with your

relatives ( ) you can start a New life.
 Meaning: A little, Few
Onyomi: Shou [しょう]
Kunyomi: Suko(shi)/Suku(nai) [すこ(し
い)/ すく(ない]
Vocabulary: 少女 - しょうじょ - shoujo –
Young girl

4 strokes ★ Something small (小) slashed ( ) to make it

even smaller.
 Meaning: Long, leader
Onyomi: Chou [ちょう]
Kunyomi: Naga(i) [なが(い)]
Vocabulary: 社長 - しゃちょう - shachou
– CEO

8 strokes ★ It looks like a comb going through long hair

 Meaning: White
Onyomi: Haku/Byaku [はく/びゃく]
Kunyomi: Shiro(i)/Shiro [しろ(い)/しろ]
Vocabulary: 白人 - はくじん - hakujin -
White person, Caucasian

★ It is a drop on the sun, if a big drop was to fall

5 strokes on the sun it would turn white
 Meaning: Part, Minute, To divide, To
understand
Onyomi: Fun/Bu [ふん/ぶ]
Kunyomi: Wa(keru)/Wa(karu)/
Wa(kareru) [わ(ける)/わ(かる)/
わ(かれる)]
Vocabulary: 自分 - じぶん - jibun - Oneself

4 strokes
★ Something divided in equal part
 Meaning: Time, Hour
Onyomi: Ji [じ]
Kunyomi: Toki [とき]
Vocabulary: 時計 - とけい - tokei - A watch

★ Composed of sun (日) and temple (寺), in

10 strokes Temples, monks know the Time by watching the
position of the sun.
 Meaning: Time, Time span
Onyomi: Kan/Ken [かん/けん]
Kunyomi: Aida [あいだ]
Vocabulary: 週間 - しゅうかん - shuukan -
a week time

12 strokes ★ The sun (日) going through the gate (門) is a

good indicator of the Time span
 Meaning: Week
Onyomi: Shuu [しゅう]
Kunyomi: Hito [ひと]
Vocabulary: 今週 - こんしゅう - konshuu -
This week

★ When the days have gone ( ) through one

11 strokes full circle ( ) it is a Week
 Meaning: Year
Onyomi: Nen [ねん]
Kunyomi: Toshi [とし]
Vocabulary: 今年 - ことし - kotoshi - This
year

★ Originally a rice plant ( ) and a bending

6 strokes person above for the Annual harvest symbolizing
the cycle of the years.
 Meaning: Now
Onyomi: Kon/Kin [こん/きん]
Kunyomi: Ima [いま]
Vocabulary: 今朝 - けさ - kesa - This
morning

4 strokes ★ The bottom stokes looks like the hands of a

clock that indicates what time it is Now.
 Meaning: Before, in future
Onyomi: Sen [せん]
Kunyomi: Saki [さき]
Vocabulary: 先ず - まず - mazu - First of all

★ It looks like a man with long legs standing

6 strokes Before everyone else leading the way with his
flag (ノ)
 Meaning: Before
Onyomi: Zen [ぜん]
Kunyomi: Mae [まえ]
Vocabulary: 名前 - なまえ - namae - Name

★ Eat your vegetables ( ) and meat ( )

9 strokes Before it gets cold.
 Meaning: Noon
Onyomi: Go [ご]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 午前 - ごぜん- gozen -
Morning

4 strokes ★ You may think of the kanji for ten (十) plus two
strokes which gives 12 like in 12:00 or noon
 Meaning: Half, middle, semi-
Onyomi: Han [はん]
Kunyomi: Naka(ba)[なか(ば)]
Vocabulary: 半分 - はんぶん - hanbun –
Half

5 strokes ★ The vertical stroke cut the = sign in Half and

pass in the middle of the Two dots.
 Meaning: Shop
Onyomi: Ten [てん]
Kunyomi: Mise [みせ]
Vocabulary: 店長 - てんちょう - tenchou -
Store Manager

★ The  fortune  teller’s  Shop  (占) is in a

8 strokes mysterious cave ( )
 Meaning: Outside/Other/Foreign
Onyomi: Gai/Ge[がい/げ]
Kunyomi: Soto/Hoka [そと/ほか]
Vocabulary: 外国人 - がいこくじん -
gaikokujin - A foreigner

★ It looks like the katakana タ and ト that with

5 strokes the Other Katakana are usually use for Foreign
words
 Meaning: Electricity
Onyomi: Den [でん]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 電気- でんき - denki -
electricity

13 strokes ★ During rain (雨) storms the air is filled with

Electricity and lightning
 Meaning: Street, path, way
Onyomi: Dou [どう]
Kunyomi: Michi [みち]
Vocabulary: 国道 - こくどう - kokudou -
National Highway

★ I twisted my neck (首) while searching for

12 strokes signs indicating the right Way
 Meaning: Each, every
Onyomi: Mai [まい]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 毎回 - まいかい - maikai -
Every time

★ Each and Every one of us (人) has a mother (

6 strokes 母)
 Meaning: Friend
Onyomi: Yuu [ゆう]
Kunyomi: Tomo [とも]
Vocabulary: 友達 - ともだち - tomodachi -
Friend

★ It looks like two human (人) one is falling (ナ)

4 strokes and the other one is helping him stands, friends
always help you and get your back
 Meaning: Name
Onyomi: Mei/Myou [めい/みょう]
Kunyomi: Na [な]
Vocabulary: 名前 - なまえ - namae - Name,
firstname

★ At dusk (夕) it gets hard to see thus you have to

6 strokes call people by their Name
 Meaning: Gold, metal, money
Onyomi: Kin/Kon [きん/こん]
Kunyomi: Kane [かね]
Vocabulary: 金曜日 - きんようび - kinyoubi
- Friday

8 strokes ★ A good king (王) does in his kingdom like in his

house ( ) divides the Money evenly ( )
 Meaning: Circle, yen, round
Onyomi: En [えん]
Kunyomi: Maru(i) [まる(い)]
Vocabulary: 円い - まるい - marui - Round

★ Yen coins are Round and the kanji looks like a

4 strokes bank-teller’s  window  
 Meaning: Car, Wheel
Onyomi: Sha [しゃ]
Kunyomi: Kuruma [くるま]
Vocabulary: 電車 - でんしゃ - densha –
Train

7 strokes ★ It looks like a car axle seen from above

 Meaning: Station
Onyomi: Eki [えき]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 発駅 - はつえき - hatsueki -
Departure station

14 strokes ★ Before taking the train you have to go to

the Station by horse (馬)
 Meaning: Soul, spirit, stream
Onyomi: Ki/Kei [き/け]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 天気 - てんき - tenki –
weather

6 strokes ★ Spirit or Vapor symbolized by the floating

lines ( ) comes from the point X
 Meaning: Country
Onyomi: Koku [こく]
Kunyomi: Kuni [くに]
Vocabulary: 国籍 - こくせき - kokuseki -
Nationality

★ Balls (玉) can represent the heads of people

8 strokes living in a country with its frontiers (口)
 Meaning: Shinto/Shrine/society
Onyomi: Sha [しゃ]
Kunyomi: Yashiro [やしろ]
Vocabulary: 会社 - かいしゃ - shakai -
Society

7 strokes ★ Modern Societies always put a sign (

the ground (土) they own
) on
 Meaning: School
Onyomi: Kou [こう]
Kunyomi: /
Vocabulary: 学校 - がっこう - gakkou -
School

10 strokes ★ You may think of the tree (木) of knowledge,

school is a place to exchange (交) knowledge