Basic Japanese Kanji Volume 1. Timothy G. Stout
Names
These names can be written with the kanji characters you have learned so far. Try writing them.
1. かなやま (gold, mountain) ____ ____
2. やまだ (mountain, rice paddy) ____ ____
3. たがわ (rice paddy, river) ____ ____
4. きやま (tree, mountain) ____ ____
5. やまかわ (mountain, river) ____ ____
6. かねだ (gold, rice paddy) ____ ____
7. かわだ (river, rice paddy) ____ ____
8. つちだ (earth, rice paddy) ____ ____
9. みた (three, rice field) ____ ____
H. Annual Japanese Festivals and Holidays
Japanese people have many annual festivals and national holidays. On national holidays school and public offices are closed. Try to read the following calendar of annual events and write the dates in English below. Some annual events change from year to year (i.e., 2nd Monday of October). Also, note that ごろ means “around” or “about.”
I. Review Questions
Try writing these sentences in Japanese using kanji whenever appropriate. Each sentence has at least one new kanji from this lesson. Then, compare your translations with the answer key at the end of the book.
1. What month is your birthday? __________
2. When is the next holiday? __________
3. What are you doing on Friday? __________
4. Have you ever seen a volcano before? __________
J. Interview Your Partner
Foreign language study is always enhanced when you study with others. Pick a partner who will help you try hard and do your best. Take turns asking the above questions with your partner. Try to answer as fully and appropriately as you can. For best results, you should elaborate on your answers whenever possible.
26
人
Person
Two (2) strokes A person walking
■ Trace the gray lines, and then practice on your own.
■ Useful vocabulary: Write the character, and trace the gray ones.
|
|
ひと | hito | person |
| ～にん | ~nin | counter for people | |
| にんきがある | ninki ga aru | popular | |
| にほんじん | nihonjin | Japanese person | |
| じんせい | jinsei | life |
27
力
Power
Two (2) strokes One powerful karate expert flipping another
■ Trace the gray lines, and then practice on your own.
■ Useful vocabulary: Write the character, and trace the gray ones.
|
|
ちから | chikara | power |
| ちからもち | chikaramochi | strong person | |
| ちからづよい | chikarazuyoi | powerful | |
| ちからづける | chikarazukeru | to encourage | |
| りきし | rikishi | sumo wrestler |
* An asterisk denotes vocabulary with kanji that have not yet been introduced.
Takeshi kun no okāsan wa amerikajin de, otōsan wa nihonjin desu. Takeshi kun no otōsan wa chikaramochi de, mae wa puroresu no senshu deshita. Demo Takeshi kun wa kōkō no yakyūbu ni haitteimasu. Totemo jōzu de ninki ga aru senshu desu.
Questions 3-A
1. What nationality/ies are Takashi’s mother and father? (A. both Japanese, B. both American, C. American and Japanese, respectively, D. Japanese and American, respectively)
2. What was Takashi’s father’s former job? (A. professional wrestling, B. television personality, C. professional baseball, D. movie actor)
3. What sport does Takeshi play at school? (A. wrestling, B. baseball, C. jūdo, D. archery)
4. What is Takeshi’s level of skill? (A. beginner, B. not bad, C. very good, D. professional)
28
男
Male
Seven (7) strokes A powerful man working in the rice field
■ Trace the gray lines, and then practice on your own.
■ Useful vocabulary: Write the character, and trace the gray ones.
|
|
おとこ | otoko | male |
| おとこのひと | otokonohito | man | |
| だんし | danshi | boy, formal | |
| だんしこう | danshikō |
boys’ school
|