Japanese Kanji Power. John Millen
talking
11
三
three
サン SAN み mi み • つ mi(tsu) みっ • つ mit(tsu)
The character 三，three horizontal lines, represents the number three.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. 三月三日はひな祭りです。
Sangatsu mikka wa hinamatsuri desu.
March 3 is the Dolls' Festival.
2. 彼女はノートに三角を描いた。
Kanojo wa nōto ni sankaku o kaita.
She drew a triangle in her notebook.
3. 昨夜の三日月はきれいでした。
Yūbe no mikazuki wa kirei deshita.
The new moon was beautiful last night.
4. いとこに三つ子が生まれた。
Itoko ni mitsugo ga umareta.
My cousin gave birth to triplets.
5. 三つ質問があります。
Mittsu shitsumon ga arimasu.
I have three questions.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 三月 | sangatsu | March |
| 三ヶ月 | sankagetsu | three months |
| 三角 | sankaku | a triangle; triangularity |
| 三日 | mikka | three days; the third day of the month |
| 三日月 | mikazuki | the new (crescent) moon |
| 三つ子 | mitsugo | triplets; a three-year-old child |
| *三味線 | shamisen | shamisen |
12
山
mountain
サン SAN やま yama
The character 山 represents the shape of a mountain with three peaks.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. お正月は富士山に登る。
Oshōgatsu wa Fujisan ni noboru.
I'm going to climb Mount Fuji at New Year.
2. 父は鉱山の技師でした。
Chichi wa kōzan no gishi deshita.
My father was a mining engineer.
3. 今年の夏休みは山で過ごした。
Kotoshi no natsuyasumi wa yama de sugoshita.
I spent this summer vacation in the mountains.
4. じやがいもを一山百円で買った。
Jagaimo o hitoyama hyaku-en de katta.
I paid a hundred yen for a pile of potatoes.
5. 百年ぶりに火山が爆発した。
Hyaku-nen buri ni kazan ga bakuhatsu shita.
The volcano erupted after an interval of 100 years.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 富士山 | Fujisan | Mount Fuji |
| 山脈 | sanmyaku | a mountain range |
| 鉱山 | kōzan | a mine |
| 火山 | kazan | a volcano |
| 下山 | gezan | climbing down a mountain |
| 一山 | hitoyama | a pile; a heap; a mountain |
| 山本 | Yamamoto | Yamamoto (a name) |
EXERCISE 1 (1 – 12)
A. Give the readings for the following kanji using hiragana or rōmaji.
1. 山
2. 口
3. 八
4. 人
5. 三
6. 九
7. 下
8. 七
9. 二
10. 十
B. Give the English meanings of the following words.
1. 二十一
2. 八人
3. 山
4. 七十九
5. 口
6. 九九
7. 三十八
8. 九十二
9. 下
10. 一人
C. Write the readings for the following kanji in hiragana.
1. 一つ (one thing)
2. 下さい (please)
3. 九つ (nine things)
4. 入れる (to put in)
5. 下がる (to come down; to drop)
6. 九人 (nine people)
7. 三つ (three things)
8. 入り口 (an entrance)
9. 七つ (seven things)
10. 人口 (population)
13
子
child; baby
シ SHI *ス SU こ ko
The character 子 represents a baby with a large head and both arms extended.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. 女子用トイレは二階です。
Joshi-yō toire wa nikai desu.
The women's toilet is on the second floor.
2. 様子を見ましょう。
Yōsu o mimashō.
Let's wait and see!
3. 子供が二人います。
Kodomo ga futari imasu.
I have two children.
4. もうすぐ子会社を作る。
Mō sugu kogaisha o tsukuru.
They are going to establish a subsidiary company soon.
5. 私たち親子は良く似ていると言われます。
Watashitachi oyako wa yoku nite iru to iwaremasu.
People say that my father and I look alike.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 女子 | joshi | a girl; a woman; a lady |
| 男子 | danshi | a boy; a man; a son |
| 様子 | yōsu | a situation; a state; an |