250 Essential Japanese Kanji Characters Volume 1 Read online

  64 書

  ka-ku, sho

  か・く、ショ

  write; book

  書 depicts a hand holding a brush and writing on a piece of paper.

  書く かく kaku to write

  申込書 もうしこみしよ mōshikomi sho application form

  ______

  しょじょう shojō letter

  どくしょ dokusho reading books

  さんこうしよ sankōsho reference book

  じし丄 jisho dictionary

  しよるしヽ shorui documents, written materials

  65 氏

  shi

  シ

  family; surname

  氏 derives from the shape of a sewing needle, suggesting a seam. Stitches in a seam follow one after another, like generations of a family. Thus 氏 means family and, by extension, family name.

  スミス氏 スミスし sumisu shi Mr./Ms./Miss/Mrs. Smith

  ________

  66 名

  na, mei

  な、メイ

  name; reputation

  名 combines 夕, which depicts the moon above a mountain and means evening, and 口 mouth (cf. 107), which implies speak. When it’s difficult to recognize people on dark evenings, their names must be spoken aloud.

  名前 なまえ namae name

  氏名 しめい shimei full name

  名人 めいじん meijin expert, master

  20 名 にじゆうめい nijū mei tw enty people

  ________

  なごや Nagoya Nagoya

  有名な ゆうめいな yūmei na famous, well-known

  めいし meishi business card, name card

  67 男

  otoko, dan

  おとこ、ダン

  man, male

  女 combines 女 rice paddy (cf. 88) and 女, depicting a strong man’s arm and meaning power or force. Power in a rice paddy is associated with man.

  男 おどこ otoko man, male

  ______

  だんせい dansei man

  68 女

  onna, jo

  おんな、ジョ

  woman

  男 derives from a pictograph of a woman holding a baby in her arms.

  女 おんな onna woman, female

  男女 だんじよ danjo men and women

  ______

  じよせい josei woman

  69 歳

  toshi, sai, (zai)

  とし、サイ、(ザイ）

  age, year, years old

  The right and left foot 止 suggest the passage of time. A pike 戈 and a tree 木 suggest the harvest. Thus 歳 means the passage of time until the harvest, one year.

  歳 どし toshi age

  25 歳 にじゅうごさい nijūgo sai 25 years old

  何歳 なんさい nan sai how old

  ______

  万歳 ばんざい banzai hurrah

  歳月 さいげつ saigetsu time

  歳入 さいにゆう sainyū annual revenue

  70 駅

  eki

  エキ

  station

  駅 combines 馬 horse and 尺, a unit of length deriving from the shape of stretched fingers. In the past, stations were placed at regular intervals for travelers and horses to stop and rest.

  駅 え き eki station

  駅月 え きまえ ekimae in front of a station

  駅名 え きめい ekimei station name

  ________

  え きちょう ekichō stationmaster

  え きいん ekiin station employee/staff

  え きべん ekiben box lunch sold at a station

  駅ビル え きビル ekibiru station building

  71 使

  tsuka-u, shi

  つか・う、シ

  use, messenger

  使 combines イ man and 吏, a hand holding a brush and papers, representing a government officer. Thus 使 suggests a superior employing or using his officers, and has come to mean use in general.

  使う つかう tsukau to use

  大使 たいし taishi ambassador

  ________

  使い方 つかいかた tsukaikata how to use, directions for use

  大使館 たいしかん taishikan embassy

  72 用

  mochi-iru, yō

  もち・いる、ヨウ

  use, usage; business

  用 depicts a fence used to keep sheep in one place, and has come to mean use in general.

  用 ょぅ yō something to do, business

  使用する しようする shiyō suru to use

  学生用 がくせいよう gakusei yō for students

  専用 せんよう sen'yō for private/exclusive use

  ________

  用いる もちいる mochiiru to use

  ようし yōshi blank form/paper

  りようしゃ riyōsha user

  さいようする saiyō suru to adopt; to employ

  73 開

  hira-ku, a-ku, a-keru, kai

  ひら・く、あ・く、あ・ける、カイ

  open

  開 depicts two hands 廾 (cf. 85 手) removing the bolt 一 from a gate 門 (cf. 181) in order to open it.

  開く ひらく hiraku to open

  開く あく aku to open (vi.)

  開ける あける akeru to open (vt.)

  ______

  開店する かいてんする kaiten suru to open a shop; for a shop to open

  開発する かいはつする kaihatsu suru to develop (vt.)

  74 始

  haji-maru, haji-meru, shi

  はじ・まる、はじ・める、シ

  begin, start

  始 combines 女 woman (cf. 68) and 台 foundation. A woman is the foundation of all our beginnings.

  始まる はじまる hajimaru to start/begin (vi.)

  始める はじめる hajimeru to start/begin (vt.)

  開始する かいしする kaishi suru to start/begin

  ______

  開始日 かいしび kaishioi starting date

  始業式 しぎょうしき shigyō shiki opening ceremony for a new semester at school

  75 住

  su-mu, jū

  す・む、ジュウ

  live

  住, which combines イ man and 主 candle with a still flame, means stay still or live in one place. As part of other kanji, 住 often means stay still.

  住む すむ sumu to live

  ________

  住まい すまい sumai residence, house

  じゆうみんひよう jūminnyō resident registration certificate

  じゅうたく jūtaku house, residence

  76 所

  tokoro, sho, (jo)

  ところ、ショ、(ジョ）

  place

  戸 derives from a pictograph of a door, and 斤 from that of an ax. The place to keep an ax is near the door.

  所 どころ tokoro place

  住所 じゆうしよ jūsho address

  名所 めいしよ meisho famous place

  ______

  げんじゆうしよ genjūsho present address

  しょざいち shozaichi location, address

  きんじよ kinjo neighborhood

  77 電

  den

  デン

  electricity

  電 is a variation of 雷 thunder, which combines 雨 rain and 田 rice paddy (cf. 88). 電 indicates lightning, and has come to mean electricity.

  電気 でんき denki electricity

  電子 でんし denshi electron

  でんりよく denryoku electric power

  でんち denchi battery

  でんぽう dempō telegram

  78 話

  hana-su, hanashi, wa

  はな・す、はなし、ワ

  speak, talk; story

  話, which combines 言 word or say and 舌 tongue, means speak or story.

  話す はなす hanasu to talk, to speak

  話 はな
し hanashi story, talk, speech

  電話 でんわ denwa telephone

  ______

  会話 かいわ kaiwa conversation

  わだい wadai topic, subject of conversation/speech

  市外通話 しがいつうわ shigai tsūwa out-of-town/long-distance call

  79 通

  tō-ru, (dō-ri), tsū

  とお・る、(どお・り)、ツウ

  go through, pass; commute

  通 combines go (cf. 16 週) and, a man putting a stick through a fence. Thus 通 means go through or pass.

  通る どおる tōru to pass, to go through

  バス通り バスどおり basu dōri street with bus service

  通学する つうがくする tsūgaku suru to go to school

  通学先 つうがくさき tsūgaku saki one's school

  ______

  通常 つうじょう tsūjō usually, normally

  つうきんする tsūkin suru to commute

  こうつう kōtsū traffic, transportation

  4 Practice

  I. Write the readings of the following kanji in hiragana.

  1. 定 期 券

  2. 申 込 書

  3. 通 学

  4. 駅

  5. 氏 名

  6. 男

  7. 女

  8. 〜 歳

  9. 区 間

  10. 使 用

  11. 開 始 日

  12. 期 間

  13. 住 所

  14. 電 話

  15. 定 休 日

  16. 学 期

  17. 通 る

  18. 駅 名

  19. 大 使

  20. 所

  21. 申 し 込 む

  22. あ な た の 名 前 を 書 い て く だ さ い 。

  23. 駅 前 か ら タ ク シ ー に の り ま し た 。

  24. い い て ん き で す 。 ま ど を 開 け ま し ょ う 。

  25. ク ラ ス は 十 時 に 始 ま り ま す 。

  26. わ た し は 東 京 に 住 ん で い ま す 。

  27. き の う の よ る と も だ ち と 電 話 で 話 し ま し た 。

  II. Fill in the blanks with appropriate kanji.

  5 Advanced Placement Exam Practice Question

  Now you are going to buy a commuter’s pass. Fill in the application form.

  You are a student of the University of Tokyo and your address and the stations which you want to use are as follows:

  • Address: みなと区六本木1丁目 2-1

  • Telephone: 03-4321-5678

  • Stations: 六本木一丁目駅 から 東大前駅 まで

  There are three choices for the time period. This is from September 3 to March 2, in the 19th year of Heisei (平成) (2007).

  REVIEW EXERCISE: LESSONS 1–5

  I. Connect each kanji to its corresponding pictograph.

  II. Choose the correct kanji for the given readings.

  LESSON 6

  Which Line

  Do You Take?

  何線に のりますか

  In major cities in Japan, subways are the primary means of transportation. The map above shows the subway lines and stations in Tokyo. The lines and their connections seem quite complicated, but most people still find the subway the most convenient way to get around. All lines are marked with a different color, and these colors are displayed on route maps and signs in the stations themselves. The Tokyo subway system consists of the Tokyo Metro Lines and the Toei Lines, and most of these also link up with the JR (Japan Railway) and private railway lines. Subway stations are easy to spot, because they are marked with big signs above station entrances, as shown in the photo above.

  In this lesson you’ll learn kanji to help you in using the subway system.

  1 Introductory Quiz

  Look at the illustrations below and refer to the words in Vocabulary. Then try the following quiz.

  I. Shown below is a simplified Tokyo subway map. If you live in Tokyo, you may recognize some of the kanji from signs. As you match the kanji and the readings for the following stations, enter the correct letters in the spaces provided.

  1. ろっぽんぎ ( )

  2. おおてまち ( )

  3. うえの ( )

  4. とうきょう ( )

  5. しんじゅく ( )

  6. ほんごうさんちょうめ ( )

  II. Using the map above, identify the lines that pass through the following stations. Then enter the correct letters in the spaces provided.

  1. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

  2. 六本木 ( )

  3. ( ) ( )

  4. 東京 ( )

  a. ひびや線 b. しんじゅく線 c. みた線 d. ちよだ線 e. まるのうち線 f. とうざい線

  III. As mentioned earlier, the subway lines in Tokyo stretch in a finely meshed pattern; you can go in from one entrance to four stations in a few cases. at the signboard on the entrance and try the quiz.

  とえいせんは (a. N11 b. M22 c. E07 d. I12) です。

  2 Vocabulary

  Study the readings and meanings of these words to help you understand the Introductory Quiz.

  1. 何線 なにせん nani sen what line, which line

  2. 地下鉄 ちかてつ chikatetsu subway

  3. ろっぽんぎ Roppongi Roppongi (station)

  4. おおてまち Ōtemachi Otemachi (station)

  5. うえの Ueno Ueno (station)

  6. しんじゅく Shinjuku Shinjuku (station)

  7. ほんごうさんちようめ Hongō san chōme Hongo-Sanchome (station)

  8. ひびやせん Hibiya sen Hibiya Line

  9. しん じゅく せん Shinjuku sen Shinjuku Line

  10. みたせん Mita sen Mita Line

  11. ちよだせん Chiyoda sen Chiyoda Line

  12. 丸ノ内線 まるのうちせん Marunouchi sen Marunouchi Line

  13. どうざいせん Tōzai sen Tozai Line

  14. どうきようメトロせん Tōkyō metoro sen Tokyo Metro Line

  15. ど えい せん Toei sen Toei Line (municipal)

  3 New Characters

  Fourteen characters are introduced in this lesson. Use the explanations to help you understand and remember the characters. Study the compound words to increase your vocabulary.

  何 線 地 下 鉄 手 上 新 田 代 丸 内 西 営

  80 何

  nani, (nan)

  なに、(なん）

  what

  何 is a pictograph of a man イ carrying a 可 pack on his back. Thus 何 meant a pack, and now it means “what”.

  何時 なんじ nan ji what time

  何時間 なんじかん nan jikan how many hours

  何分 なんふん nan pun how many minutes

  何曜日 なんようび nan yōbi what day of the week

  何曰 なんにち nan nichi how many days/what day of the month

  何月 なんがつ nan gatsu what month

  何人 なんにん nan nin how many people

  何年 なんねん nan nen how many years/what year

  ________

  81 線

  sen

  セン

  line

  線 combines 糸, twisted bundle of thread, 白 white (cf. 11 百), and 水 water. 泉 means spring, whose water is clean and white. Water from a spring flows in a line like thread.

  線 せん sen line

  丸ノ内線 まるのうちせん Marunouchi sen Marunouchi Line

  JR線 JR せん JR sen Japanese Railway Line

  内線 ないせん naisen extension (telephone)

  ______

  国内線 こくないせん kokunai sen domestic route/flight

  国際線 こくさいせん kokusai sen international route/flight

  しんかんせん Shinkan sen Shinkansen (bullet train)

  無線夕 タク シー むせん musen takush! radio taxi

  82 地

  chi, ji

  チ、ジ

  l
and, earth

  地 combines modified from 土 ground (cf. 31) and 也 snake. Since snakes slither on the ground, 地 has come to mean land or earth.

  土地 どち tochi (piece of) land

  地名 ちめい chimei place name

  ______

  地図 ちず chizu map

  ちきゅう chikyū the earth, the globe

  じしん jishin earthquake

  83 下

  shita, kuda-ru, ka, ge

  した、くだ・る、カ、ゲ

  below, under, down, lower; fall, descent

  To indicate below, under, or down, the ancient Chinese drew a dot below a line. This was later modified to 下.

  下 した shita below, under, down, lower

  下り くだり kudari down, descent; abbreviation for 下り電車(outbound train)

  地下 ちか chika underground

  ________

  下着 したぎ shitagi underwear

  下町 したまち shitamachi the traditional shopping, entertainment and residential districts (of Tokyo); downtown

  下水 げすい gesui sewerage

  せんえん いか sen en ika one thousand yen or less

  84

  tetsu

  テツ

  iron

  鉄, which combines 金 metal (cf. 30) and 失 lose, means iron, a metal that loses its value when it rusts.

  鉄 てつ tetsu iron, steel

  地下鉄 ちかてつ chikatetsu subway

  ________

  鉄道 てつどう tetsudō railway