My Japanese
I have been living in Japan since 2001. I learnt most of my Japanese skills by self learning. Internet played a major role in the learning process.
I have not mastered Japanese Language yet, but I am putting few things that are useful to anyone who learns the language.
This page is not organized in a particular sequence or order. And I don't have any intention to organize it atleast in the very next future.
The contents are not focused for a particular level of user. Rather, it is a set of useful tips for beginner as well as advanced users.
Japanese Kanji Reading methods
Most Japanese Kanji's have multiple meanings and multiple pronunciations depending on the usage scenario.Sometimes, even Japanese find it difficult to read certain Kanji combinations. Though that is very rare, most of the kanji reading can be categorized into two major divisions.
The ON (音-おん) reading and the KUN (訓-くん) reading.
ON Reading (音読み1) :
Though there are many explanations for this ON reading, from the lay man's point of view, it is the way by which Chinese read the Kanji.
When used :
KUN Reading (訓読み) :
Similarly, this can be said "Japanese way of reading kanji" or in simple terms Japanese Reading
When used :
A simple example
例:)2
中 - (naka, chuu)
例:) 中国 ちゅうごく chuugoku : China
訓読み : なか
例:) その「中」何が入ってますか？ その「なか」なにがはいってますか？ sono naka nani ga haittemasuka ? : What's there inside ?
Note : There is an exception to this ON and KUN reading. Whenever Japanese names are pronounced, always use KUN reading.
例:) 中島 なかじま nakajima : Nakajima
Internal links :
External links :
1. : 読み - よみ - yomi (reading).
み方 : よみかた : way of reading
2. : 例 - れい - rei (example) ON
: 例え - たとえ - tatoe (example) KUN
3. : 消す - けす - to switch off, to put off, to delete, to erase