boy’s name
TAI
太陽
TAIYOU sun
太鼓
TAIKO
traditional Japanese
drum
皇太子
KOUTAISHI
Crown Prince
46
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
K16 多 TA
many
Basis for: TA katakana タ
多分
TABUN
maybe, probably,
perhaps
多数
TASUU
countless, majority
K17 知 CHI
wisdom,
Basis for: CHI hiragana ち
knowledge
知識
CHISHIKI
knowledge
知人
CHIJIN acquaintance
K18 天 TEN
heavens, natural
Basis for: TE
hiragana て
katakana テ
天然
TENNEN natural
雨天
UTEN
rainy weather
天国
TENGOKU heaven
露天風呂
ROTENBURO
outdoor hot spring
bath, onsen
K19 止 to*
stop
Basis for: TO
hiragana と
katakana ト
止まる
tomaru
be stopped
痛み止め
itame dome
pain-killer
(lit. stop pain)
* kun reading
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
47
K20 奈 NA
phonetic NA
Basis for: NA hiragana な
katakana ナ
奈良
NARA Nara
(Japan’s ancient
capital)
奈落
NARAKU
hell (Buddhism),
worst possible
circumstances
K21 波 HA
wave
Basis for: HA
hiragana は
波浪注意報
HAROU
wave warning
CHUUIHOU
(for example,
after an earthquake)
波及
HAKYUU
spread, ripple,
after effect
電波
DENPA
radio wave
K22 比 HI
compare
Basis for: HI
hiragana ひ
katakana ヒ
比較的 に
HIKAKUTEKI ni
comparatively
比例
HIREI proportion
無比
MUHI unparalleled,
peerless
48
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
K23 不 FU
not, un-
Basis for: FU
hiragana ふ
katakana フ
不明
FUMEI
unclear, unknown
行方不明
YUKUE FUMEI whereabouts
unknown,
missing person
不満
FUMAN unsatisfied
不完全
FUKANZEN incomplete
K24 保 HO
preserve, protect
Basis for: HO
hiragana ほ
katakana ホ
保存
HOZON save
保管
HOKAN
store, storage
K25 末 MATSU
end, last part
Basis for: MA
hiragana ま
katakana マ
月末
GETSUMATSU month-end
K26 武 MU
military
Basis for: MU
hiragana む
武者人形
MUSHA
samurai doll
NINGYOU
荒武者
araMUSHA
rowdy, daredevil
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
49
K27 毛 MOU
hair, fur
Basis for: MO
hiragana も
katakana モ
毛布
MOUFU blanket
羊毛
YOUMOU wool
K28 由 YU, YUU
reason
Basis for: YU
hiragana ゆ
katakana ユ
YU
由来
YURAI
origin, reason
経由
KEIYU
through, via
YUU
自由
JIYUU freedom
理由
RIYUU reason
K29 与 YO
give
Basis for: YO
hiragana よ
与党
YOTOU
ruling party
関与
KAN YO
participation
K30 利 RI
profit, advantage Basis for: RI
hiragana り
katakana リ
利益
RIEKI profit
ご利用ください goRIYOU
please use …
kudasai
利子
RISHI
interest (banking)
権利
KENRI
right, privilege
50
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
K31 流 RU, RYUU
flow, current Basis for: RU katakana ル
RU
流布
RUFU circulation,
dissemination
RYUU
流動的
RYUUDOUTEKI changeable
K32 礼 REI
etiquette, bow
Basis for: RE
hiragana れ
katakana レ
礼儀
REIGI
manners, etiquette
礼
REI
bow
無礼
BUREI
rude
K33 呂 RO
spine,
Basis for: RO
hiragana ろ
katakana ロ
phonetic RO
お風呂
oFURO bath
露天風呂
ROTEN BURO
outdoor hot
spring bath, onsen
K34 和 WA
harmony, peace, Basis for: WA
hiragana わ
katakana ワ
Japanese-style
和風
WAFUU
Japanese style
(food, etc.)
和室
WASHITSU
Japanese room
(tatami mat flooring)
平和
HEIWA peace
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
51
KANA LOOKALIKES
This section builds on the previous section in using the connection between the look of kanji and kana to help remember the kanji’s reading. These kanji are not the official basis for kana, I just think they look similar. It’s a useful mnemonic to remember another 23 kanji readings.
KL1
気 KI
spirit, air
Looks like: KI
hiragana き
katakana キ
気候
KIKOU climate
元気
GENKI
in good spirits,
energetic
KL2 句 KU
phrase
Looks like: KU katakana ク
字句
JIKU wording,
way of expression
俳句
HAIKU
Japanese 17-mora p
oem
文句
MONKU complaint
KL3 区 KU
ward, district
Looks like: KU hiragana く
区別
KUBETSU
distinguish, differentiate
地区
CHIKU
district, section
KL4 古 KO
old
Looks like: KO katakana コ
古代
KODAI
ancient times
古文
KOBUN
classical (Japanese)
literature (e.g. the
school subject)
52
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
KL5
沙 SA
sand
Looks like: SA
katakana サ
沙汰
SATA
matter, deed
沙織
SAori
girl’s name
K KL6
SHI
officiate,
Looks like: SHI katakana シ
administrate,
寿司
SUSHI
sushi
manage
司会
SHIKAI chairman,
host, presenter
KL7
寿 SU, JU
longevity,
Looks like: SU
katakana ス
congratulations
SU
寿司
SUSHI
sushi
JU
寿命
JU MYOU
lifespan
長寿
CHOUJU longevity
KL8
祖 SO
ancestor
Looks like: SO
hiragana そ
katakana ソ
祖先
SOSEN
ancestor
祖父
SOFU
grandfather, old man
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
53
KL9 地 CHI
ground, earth
Looks like: CHI hiragana ち
地区
CHIKU
district, section
地域
CHIIKI
community, district
地下鉄
CHIKATETSU
underground railway
現地
GENCHI
on-site, local
天地
TENCHI
heaven and earth
KL10 訂 TEI
revise, correct
Looks like: TE hiragana て
訂正
TEISEI
revision, correction
丁寧
TEINEI
polite, conscientious
KL11 定 TEI
decide, fix
Looks like: TE hiragana て
定食
TEISHOKU
set menu
設定
SETTEI settings
KL12 低 TEI
low
Looks like: TE hiragana て
高低
KOUTEI
high and low,
rise and fall
低ナトリウム
TEI natoriumu
low sodium
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CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
KL13 伝 DEN
transmit
Looks like: TE katakana テ
伝言
DENGON
verbal message,
rumour
伝統
DENTOU
tradition
宣伝
SENDEN
publicity, advertising,
propaganda
KL14 秘 HI
secret
Looks like: HI
katakana ヒ
秘密
HIMITSU
secret
秘書
HISHO
secretary
KL15 非 HI
fault, non-
Looks like: HI
hiragana ひ
非難
HINAN
criticism
非常 に
HIJOU ni
extraordinarily,
extremely
KL16 火 hi*
KL16 fire
Looks like: HI
katakana ヒ
火
hi
fire
火花
hibana
spark
花火
hanabi
fireworks
* kun reading
CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
55
KL17 付 FU
attach
Looks like: FU
katakana フ
添付
TENPU
attachment
(e.g. email)
付与
FUYO
grant, allowance
KL18 布 FU
cloth
Looks like: FU
katakana フ
昆布
KONBU
kelp (often used
as a soup base)
布団
FUTON
quilt, doona,
futon mattress
綿布
MENPU
cotton cloth
分布
BUNPU
distribution
KL19
丙 HEI
third in ranking
Looks like: HE
hiragana へ
甲乙丙
KOU OTSU HEI A, B and C
KL20
MA
hemp, numb
Looks like: MA katakana マ
胡麻
GOMA
sesame
麻酔
MASUI
anaesthetic
麻薬
MAYAKU
narcotic drugs
* The Japanese name for the ⼴ radical is madare, which means a MA enclosure in the top left position. The name is a direct reference to the ON reading of this kanji. The transformation to マ is my own interpretation.
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CHAPTER 2 – THE KANA CODE
KL21 理 RI
logic, science
Looks like: RI
hiragana り
理科
RIKA
science
理解
RIKAI
understand,
comprehend
理由
RIYUU
reason
論理
The Kanji Code Page 5
