Japanese Lesson – Learning Kanji 014

Hi Everyone

Welcome to our fourteenth kanji lesson!

You are going to learn the following kanji: 半午国名時. Let’s go!

If you missed the previous lessons, here they are:

  • Strokes: 5
  • Reading(s):
    • onyomi:
      • ハン
    • kunyomi:
      • なかば
  • Meaning(s):
    • half, semi-
    • middle
    • odd number

Examples:

  • 半 (はん)
    • その 半分 でも 高い。(はん・ぶん・たか)
    • / that / half / even / high /
    • / Even at half (the price) it is still expensive. /
    • ()半 に あいましょう。(ろく・はん)
    • / six / hour / half / {moment} / let’s meet /
    • / Let’s meet at six and a half. /
  • 半ば (なか)ば
    • (はる) の 半ば でも (さむ)い。(なか)
    • / Spring / {relation} / half / even / cold /
    • / Even though we are half through Spring, it is still cold. /

  • Strokes: 4
  • Reading(s):
    • onyomi:
    • kunyomi:
      • うま (specific to the zodiac sign)
  • Meaning(s):
    • mid-day, noon, 11AM-1PM
    • sign of the horse, seventh sign of Chinese zodiac

Examples:

  • 午 (ご)
    • 午前 七()()きました。(ご・ぜん・なな)
    • / morning / seven / hour / {moment} / woke up. /
    • / (I) woke up at seven in the morning. /
    • ()()半 に 行きましょう。(ご・よん・い)
    • / afternoon / four / hour / half / {moment} / let’s go /
    • / Let’s go (there) at hour and a half this afternoon. /

  • Strokes: 8
  • Reading(s):
    • onyomi:
      • コク (コッ)
    • kunyomi:
      • くに
  • Meaning(s):
    • country

Examples:

  • 国 (こく)
    • リーさん は 中国人です。(ちゅう・ごく・じん)
    • / Mr/Mrs Lee / {topic} / Chinese / to be /
    • / Mr/Mrs Lee is Chinese. /
  • 国 (くに)
    • どの 国 にも 国() が ある。(くに・こっ)
    • / which / country / {destination} / also / national flag / {focus} / to exist /
    • / Every country has its national flag. /

Note:

  • China (中国) is literally the “country in the middle” in Japanese.

  • Strokes: 6
  • Reading(s):
    • onyomi:
      • メイ
      • ミョウ
    • kunyomi:
    • jukujikun:
      • 仮名(かな)
      • 名残(なごり)
  •  Meaning(s):
    • name
    • reputation
    • counter for honoured people


メイ 名誉,氏名,有名
ミョウ 名字,本名,大名
な 名,名前

Examples:

  • 名 (めい)
    • この 本 は とても (ゆう)名 です。(ほん・めい)
    • / this / book / {topic} / very / famous / to be /
    • / This book is really famous. /
  • 名 (みょう)
    • あなた の 名字 は どう つづる の です か。
    • / you / {realtion / family name / {topic} / how / to spell / {explanation} / to be / question /
    • / How do yo uspell your family name? /
  • 名 (な)
    • あの人の名前は何ですか。(ひと・な・まえ)
    • / that (over there) / person / {relation} / given name / {topic} / what / to be / {question} /
    • / What is the (given) name of that person over there? /


      • Strokes: 10
      • Reading(s):
        • onyomi:
        • kunyomi:
          • とき
        • jukujikun:
          • 時雨(しぐれ)- heavy automanl rains.
          • 時計(とけい)- watch, clock.
      • Meaning(s):
        • time
        • hour

Examples:

  • 時 (じ)
    • すみません が、今 何時 です か。(いま・なん・じ)
    • / excuse me / but / now / what time / to be / question /
    • / Excuse-me, what time is it? /
  • 時 (とき)
    • あの 時 に ()て いた。(とき)
    • / that (over there) / time / {moment} / was sleeping. /
    • / At that time, (I was) sleeping. /
    • 私 は 時々* 音楽(おんがく)()きます。(わたし・とき・どき・)
    • / I / {topic} / from time to time / song / {object} / to listen /
    • / I sometimes listen to music. /

(*) 時々 is equivalent to writing 時時

Great! You have now seen 67 kanji!

Do not hesitate if you have comments, questions or requests!

またね!

Stéphane

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