Mastering kanji 1500

JapanesePod101.com

A RADICAL APPROACH TO

MASTERING

KANJI
THE SECRET TO
LEARNING 1500+ KANJI


A RADICAL APPROACH TO

MASTERING KANJI:
THE SECRET TO LEARNING 1500+ KANJI
Master the radicals that appear in 75% of all jōyō kanji!


AN INTRODUCTION TO RADICALS
Hello there! Are you starting your kanji learning adventure

And jōyō kanji? These are the 2000 most commonly

and noticing that it’s a big, scary world out there? 2,000

used kanji characters, as set by the Japanese Ministry

kanji is a lot! Well, this book puts your fears to rest. You’ll

of Education. Knowing these is necessary to reach a

learn kanji using one very powerful method.

comfortable literacy level as possessed by Japanese adults.

By learning the top 50 radicals. These 48 radicals (plus two

By the time you’re done with this book, you’ll easily

bonus radicals) appear in over 75% of the jōyō kanji!

recognize, read and know the meanings of 75% of the
must-know kanji.

What are radicals?
They each carry their own meanings and sounds. Radicals
are the building blocks of kanji. Simply by knowing the
radicals inside of unknown kanji, you get an instant general
understanding of the kanji you haven’t yet learned.

Simply put, you’ll know more Japanese words and read and
understand a ton of Japanese!
Check out our site for a basic overview of kanji:
/>
THE 48 RADICALS THAT APPEAR IN 75% OF THE JŌYŌ KANJI
6 most frequent

+
12 most frequent

+

30 most frequent

= 25%
= 50%
= 75%
1


How to use this book
There are over 2,000 jōyō kanji. How long would it
take to memorize all of these kanji one by one? Years!
If you try to learn kanji while ignoring radicals, you will
need to learn each stroke separately. Some kanji have
over 20 strokes! For example:
The powerful technique in this book will help you
understand radicals, so you can recognize them inside of
kanji characters. Soon you’ll be seeing kanji as just a group
clearly easier than remembering 20 strokes, and most kanji
are made up of only 2 radicals!

The kanji examples on the main pages, and the first three
kanji in each radical section of the appendix, are the most
frequently used. We recommend learning these first.
Most of the vocabulary is designed for beginner
levels, associated with the JLPT Levels 4 and 5. We’ve also
included some useful examples which are at an advanced
level. These are indicated with the following icon:
Advanced
Feel free to skip over these advanced readings and come
back to them at a later stage.

In this book we introduce the top 50 kanji radicals;
these are the most common radicals you will find in
everyday situations.

Good luck on your great kanji learning adventure!

Each radical component is displayed over two pages. The
first page shows the visual aspects of the radical; the shape,
name, meaning and stroke order. The second page gives
kanji examples and associated vocabulary for both the On
and Kun readings. The appendix displays more example
vocabulary attached to each reading.

2


Types of radicals

on the left side or the right side.

Radicals are generally formed from characters that have
been simplified. Some radicals retain a square shape, while
many others are distorted to fit into the block format of the

There is

, which is derived and simplified from

, meaning ”city.” The radical is placed on the right side of

the kanji. For example,

kanji character.

And

,

.

, which is derived and simplified from

, meaning ”hill.” The radical is placed on the left side of

meaning.

the kanji. For example,

and

(“human”)

and

are derived from

(“heart”)

and

are derived from

(“water”)

and

(“sword”)

and

(“fire”)

and

(“animal”)

and

(“point out”)

and

(“clothing”)

and

(“hand”)

,

,

.

for “moon” or “meat”
as radicals. The form is the same,
just means “moon.” Of course,

as

“moon” was created to symbolize “crescent moon.”
But

meaning ”meat” is derived from

(“meat”). So this radical is often used with kanji related
to the body. For example,

(”arm”),

(“shoulder”),

(”chest”), and so on.”

3


Radical Positions
Radicals can be categorised by their position in the kanji character:

/ hen

left-sided element

/ ashi

Foot element

/ tsukuri

right accompanying
element

/ tare

Dangle / left
shoulder element

/ kanmuri

Crown element

/ kamae

Posture (box, enclosure)
element

/ nyō

Surround / left and

bottom element

4


MASTER JAPANESE AT

20% OFF
– Reader Exclusive –
All our plans are 20% off!
CLICK HERE


INNOVATIVE LANGUAGE

DOWNLOAD THE
APP FOR FREE

JAPANESEPOD101

AVAILABLE FOR ANDROID, IPHONE,
IPAD & KINDLE FIRE


CHAPTER 1

An Introduction
to Radicals
WHAT ARE
RADICALS?

HOW TO
USE THIS
BOOK

RADICAL
POSITIONS

TYPES OF
RADICALS


CHAPTER 2

The Top 50+ Radicals


亻
Variation of

Radical Name: にんべん
Radical meaning: human

亻
1

Common positions:

2

10


Kanji Examples

human
being,
person

age, era,
substitute

Vocabulary Words

ON: ジン、ニン

アメリカ人;

KUN: ひと

男の人;

ON: ダイ、タイ

時代;

KUN: か(わる)、

代わる手段;

アメリカじん;

おとこのひと;

じだい;

American

man

era

かわるしゅだん;

alternative plan

か(える)、よ、しろ

body,
object,
reality

ON: タイ、テイ

体育館;

KUN: からだ

体を壊す;

たいいくかん;

gymnasium

からだをこわす;

harm one's health

11


䴀
Variation of 亻

Radical Name: ひとがしら・ひとやね
Radical meaning: human

1

2

Common positions:

12


Kanji Examples

meet,
association,

join

now

all,
complete,
fulfill

Vocabulary Words

ON: カイ、エ

学会;

KUN: あ(う)

めぐり会う;

ON: コン、キン

今度;

KUN: いま

今から;

ON: ゼン

全部;

KUN: まった(く)、

がっかい;

academic conference

めぐりあう;

こんど;

this time

いまから;

ぜんぶ;

全く知らない;

encounter

starting now

all of them

まったくしらない;

don't know at all

すべて

13


口
Radical Name: くち・くちへん
Radical meaning: mouth

口
2

1

Common positions:

3

14


Kanji Examples

same,
agree

Vocabulary Words

ON:ドウ

同時に;

どうじに;

KUN:おな(じ)

これはあれと同じ;

at the same time

これわあれとおなじ;

This is the same as that over there.

fit, join

ON:ゴウ、ガッ、カッ

合格をする;

KUN: あ(う)、あ(わ

助け合う;

ごうかくをする;

たすけあう;

pass a test

help each other

す)、あ(わせる)

ON:イン

駅員;

えきいん;

train station attendant

employee,
member,
number

15


心
Variation of 忄 and ⺗

Radical Name: こころ
Radical meaning: heart

心
3

1

2

Common positions:

4

16


Kanji Examples

Vocabulary Words

ON: イ

誠意;

せいい;

ON: シ

意思;

いし;

KUN: おも(う)

思い出す;

ON: シン

関心;

KUN: こころ

心掛ける;

sincerity

idea,
intention,
heart

think

heart, mind,
spirit

intention

おもいだす;

かんしん;

remember

interest

こころがける;

to bear in mind

17


忄
Variation of 心 and ⺗

Radical Name: りっしんべん
Radical meaning: heart

忄
2

1

Common positions:

3

18


Kanji Examples

Vocabulary Words

ON: セイ、ショウ

女性;

じょせい;

感情;

かんじょう;

woman

sex,
gender,
nature

ON: ジョウ、セイ

feelings,
facts,
circumstances

humility,
be careful,
discreet

Adv.

KUN: なさ(け)

情けない;

ON: シン

慎重;

KUN: つつし(む)

言葉を慎む;

emotion

なさけない;

しんちょう;

That's too bad.

careful

ことばをつつしむ;

mind one's language

19


⺗
Variation of 心 and 忄

Radical Name:したごころ
Radical meaning: heart

⺗
1

2

3 4

Common positions:

20


Kanji Examples

respect,
reverent

Vocabulary Words

ON: キョウ

恭順;

きょうじゅん;

KUN: うやうや(しい)

恭しくお辞儀する;

obeying reverently

うやうやしくおじぎする;

make a respectful bow

pining,
love dearly

ON: ボ

慕情;

KUN: した(う)

亡き母を慕う;

ぼじょう;

yearning heart

なきははをしたう;

miss my late mother

21


扌
Variation of 手

Radical Name: てへん
Radical meaning: hand

扌
2

Common positions:

1

3

22


Kanji Examples

pick up,
hold, own

finger,
point to,
indicate

throw

Vocabulary Words

ON: ジ

持参する;

じさんする;

KUN: も(つ)

持ち越す;

もちこす;

ON: シ

指摘する;

してきする;

KUN: ゆび、さ(す)

親指;

おやゆび;

a thumb

ON: トウ

投書;

とうしょ;

letter to the editor

KUN: な(げる)

石を投げる;

take something

defer

indicate

いしをなげる;

throw a stone

23


手
Variation of 扌

Radical Name: て
Radical meaning: hand

手
1

2

Common positions:

3

4

24