Jan 21, 2009

Grade 1 Kanji

Posted by PlasmaRob

These are the Grade 1 Jouyou kanji. They're the first ones those learning Japanese need to know. It's important you learn them in order of frequency; Something like 20% of the kanji out there are used for 80% of the words. Moral of the story:
Learn the most common ones first.

KanjiMeaning
ひと(つ)イチone
ふた(つ)two
み(つ)サンthree
よ(つ)four
い(つ)five
む(つ)ロクsix
なな(つ)シチseven
や(つ)ハチeight
ここの(つ)nine
と(う)ジュウten
ももヒャクhundred
センthousand
ニチsun,day
つきゲツ、ガツmoon,month
fire
みずすいwater
モク、ボクtree,wood
かねキン、コンgold
つちト、ドearth,ground
うえショウup,above,rise
したカ、ゲdown,below,fall
みぎユウright
ひだりleft
おおタイ、ダイbig
なかチュウmiddle,within
ちい(さい)ショウsmall
入(る)はい(る)ニュウ(to) enter
出(る)で(る)シュツ(to) exit
おとこダンman,male
おんあジョwoman,female
child
ひとジンperson
くちコウmouth
ボクeye,look,viewpoint
シュhand
みみear
あしソクfoot,leg
しろハクwhite
あかシャクred
あおショウ、セイblue, green
まな(ぶ)ガクlearning,study

キョウ、コウcorrection,exam
さきせんahead,before,future
う(まれ)(る)、なま(る)セイlife,birth
としネンyear
やまサン、センmountain
かわセンriver
はなカ、ケflower
あめrain
デンrice (field,paddy)
いしコク、セキstone
かいバイshellfish
はやしリンforest(grove)
もりシンforest(woods)
見(る)み(る)ケン(to) see
立(つ)た(つ)リ(ツ)(to) stand
休(み/む)やす(み/む)キョウ(/to) rest
あめテンheaven,sky
いきspirit,air
もとホンbook,source
いぬケンdog
むしキ(ュウ)insect
くさソウgrass
くるまシャvehicle
ミョウ,メイname,reputation
正(す)ただ(す)セイ(to) correct
イン、オンsound,noise,note
はやソウearly,quick,fast

オウking,ruler
むらソンtown,village
まちチョウtown,neighborhood
たけチクbamboo
から、そらクウemptiness,sky
いとstring,thread
あざ(な)character,letter
ゆうセキevening
たまギョクball,jewel
ふみブンtext,sentence,literature
ちからリキ、リョクstrength,effort
まるエンyen,circle

Jan 19, 2009

Pronouncing Japanese : The Kana

Posted by PlasmaRob

I've been teaching myself Japanese, and have found many useful materials along the way.
In Japanese, there are two sets of pronunciation characters, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Hiragana are for words of their native language, and grammar particles.

Katakana are for food names, and foreign words and names.

Collectively, they are known as kana.
The following charts are credited to http://www.freejapaneselessons.com

Hiragana - ひらがな




a

i

u

e

o

ka

ki

ku

ke

ko

ga

gi

gu

ge

go

sa

shi

su

se

so

za

ji

zu

ze

zo

ta

chi

tsu

te

to

da

ji

zu

de

do

na

ni

nu

ne

no

ha

hi

fu

he

ho

ba

bi

bu

be

bo

pa

pi

pu

pe

po

ma

mi

mu

me

mo

ya


yu


yo

ra

ri

ru

re

ro

wa

wo

n/m


Combinations

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
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



Katakana - カタカナ


a

i

u

e

o

ka

ki

ku

ke

ko

ga

gi

gu

ge

go

sa

shi

su

se

so

za

ji

zu

ze

zo

ta

chi

tsu

te

to

da

ji

zu

de

do

na

ni

nu

ne

no

ha

hi

fu

he

ho

ba

bi

bu

be

bo

pa

pi

pu

pe

po

ma

mi

mu

me

mo

ya


yu


yo

ra

ri

ru

re

ro

wa

wo

n/m


Combinations

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
ニャ
nya
ニュ
nyu
ニョ
nyo
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

In the future, I'll discuss kanji, and spell them out with these kana.

Jan 17, 2009

Resources

Posted by PlasmaRob