Action and Abstract Kanji
The last batch of the 88-character set: verbs and adjectives. These are the action and description kanji you need before the grammar chapters. Continues from People and Nature Kanji (part 2).
1. Essential verbs 基本動詞
Section titled “1. Essential verbs 基本動詞”Twenty verbs for everyday communication: eating, going, reading, speaking, buying.
| Kanji | Meaning | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | Mandarin | Sound Bridge | Common words | Memory note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 食 | eat, food | ショク (shoku) | た(べる) tabe(ru) | shí | sh- → sh-, -í → -oku | 食べる (to eat), 食堂 (cafeteria), 食事 (meal) | Same character as Chinese 食 — the radical 食 even looks like a bowl with a lid |
| 飲 | drink | イン (in) | の(む) no(mu) | yǐn | y- dropped, -ǐn → -in | 飲む (to drink), 飲み物 (beverage), 飲食 (food & drink) | 食 + 欠: eating with a gap (open mouth) = drinking |
| 見 | see, look | ケン (ken) | み(る) mi(ru) | jiàn | j- → k-, -ian → -en | 見る (to see), 見学 (observation tour), 意見 (opinion) | 目 (eye) over 儿 (legs): standing on legs to look |
| 聞 | hear, listen, ask | ブン / モン (bun/mon) | き(く) ki(ku) | wén | w- → b-/m-, -en → -un/-on | 聞く (to listen), 新聞 (newspaper), 聞こえる (to be audible) | Ear 耳 at the gate 門: listening at the door |
| 読 | read | ドク / トク (doku/toku) | よ(む) yo(mu) | dú | d- preserved, -ú → -oku | 読む (to read), 読書 (reading), 読者 (reader) | 言 (speech) + 売 (sell): “selling words” by reading aloud (historical) |
| 書 | write | ショ (sho) | か(く) ka(ku) | shū | sh- preserved, -ū → -o | 書く (to write), 辞書 (dictionary), 書道 (calligraphy) | 聿 (brush) holding 日: writing by hand in daylight |
| 話 | speak, talk | ワ (wa) | はな(す) hana(su) | huà | h- → w-, -ua → -a | 話す (to speak), 電話 (telephone), 会話 (conversation) | 言 (speech) + 舌 (tongue): words from the tongue |
| 行 | go, act, line | コウ / ギョウ (kō/gyō) | い(く) / ゆ(く) i(ku)/yu(ku) | xíng / háng | x-/h- → k-/gy-, -ing/-ang → -ō | 行く (to go), 銀行 (bank), 旅行 (travel) | 彳 (step) + 亍: crossroads of movement; same as Chinese 行 |
| 来 | come | ライ (rai) | く(る) ku(ru) | lái | l- → r-, -ai preserved | 来る (to come), 来年 (next year), 以来 (since then) | Identical to 来 (lái) — one of the most common verbs in both languages |
| 出 | exit, go out, appear | シュツ / スイ (shutsu/sui) | で(る) / だ(す) de(ru)/da(su) | chū | ch- → sh-/s-, -ū preserved | 出る (to exit), 出口 (exit), 出席 (attendance) | Two mountains 山: emerging from between peaks |
| 入 | enter, insert | ニュウ (nyū) | はい(る) / い(れる) hai(ru)/i(reru) | rù | r- → ny-, -ù → -ū | 入る (to enter), 入口 (entrance), 加入 (joining) | Pictograph of an arrow entering a box: direction is clear |
| 買 | buy | バイ (bai) | か(う) ka(u) | mǎi | m- → b-, -ai preserved | 買う (to buy), 買い物 (shopping), 売買 (buying & selling) | 网 (net) over 贝 (shell/money): netting goods with currency |
| 売 | sell | バイ (bai) | う(る) u(ru) | mài | m- → b-, -ai preserved | 売る (to sell), 売店 (shop), 販売 (sales) | Same on’yomi as 買 — buy and sell share a sound in compounds |
| 持 | hold, have | ジ (ji) | も(つ) mo(tsu) | chí | ch- → j-, -í → -i | 持つ (to hold), 持ち物 (belongings), 保持 (maintenance) | 扌 (hand) + 寺 (temple): hand holding at the temple |
| 待 | wait | タイ (tai) | ま(つ) ma(tsu) | dài | d- → t-, -ai preserved | 待つ (to wait), 招待 (invitation), 期待 (expectation) | 彳 (step) + 寺: stopping steps at the temple to wait |
| 使 | use, envoy | シ (shi) | つか(う) tsuka(u) | shǐ | sh- preserved, -ǐ → -i | 使う (to use), 大使 (ambassador), 使用 (usage) | 亻 (person) + 吏 (official): a person on an official mission |
| 作 | make, create | サク / サ (saku/sa) | つく(る) tsuku(ru) | zuò | z- → s-, -uo → -aku | 作る (to make), 作品 (work/product), 動作 (movement/action) | 亻 (person) + 乍 (first effort): a person’s first creation |
| 思 | think | シ (shi) | おも(う) omo(u) | sī | s- preserved, -ī → -i | 思う (to think), 思想 (thought/ideology), 思い出 (memory) | 田 (field) over 心 (heart): heart cultivating thoughts like a field |
| 言 | say, speech | ゲン / ゴン (gen/gon) | い(う) / こと i(u)/koto | yán | y- → g-, -an → -en/-on | 言う (to say), 言語 (language), 名言 (famous quote) | Radical for all speech kanji (話, 語, 読, 說) — look for 言 |
| 知 | know | チ (chi) | し(る) shi(ru) | zhī | zh- → ch-, -ī → -i | 知る (to know), 知識 (knowledge), 通知 (notification) | 矢 (arrow) + 口 (mouth): hitting the target with words = knowing |
Many verb compounds match Chinese directly: 読書 (dokusho) = 读书, 会話 (kaiwa) = 会话, 旅行 (ryokō) = 旅行, 出席 (shusseki) = 出席. If you know these in Mandarin, the compound layer is partly in place — though readings still need memorizing.
What is the kun'yomi verb form of 食 (eat)?
Which two kanji share the same on'yomi バイ (bai)?
食Click to reveal
ショク / たべるeat, foodSame as 食 (shí) — 食べる = to eat
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2. Essential adjectives 基本形容詞
Section titled “2. Essential adjectives 基本形容詞”Twenty adjectives for size, speed, distance, strength, and light.
| Kanji | Meaning | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | Mandarin | Sound Bridge | Common words | Memory note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 高 | high, tall, expensive | コウ (kō) | たか(い) taka(i) | gāo | g- → k-, -ao → -ō | 高い (tall/expensive), 高校 (high school), 最高 (the best) | Tall tower with a roof — same as 高 (gāo) |
| 安 | cheap, peaceful, safe | アン (an) | やす(い) yasu(i) | ān | initial vowel preserved, -n added | 安い (cheap), 安全 (safety), 安心 (peace of mind) | 宀 (roof) + 女: woman under a roof = peace, safety |
| 長 | long, leader | チョウ (chō) | なが(い) naga(i) | cháng / zhǎng | ch- preserved, -ang → -ō | 長い (long), 社長 (company president), 成長 (growth) | Long hair flowing: leader (長) shares the same character |
| 短 | short, brief | タン (tan) | みじか(い) mijika(i) | duǎn | d- → t-, -uan → -an | 短い (short), 短期 (short term), 短所 (weak point) | 矢 (arrow) + 豆 (small): a small arrow = short |
| 多 | many, much | タ (ta) | おお(い) oo(i) | duō | d- → t-, -uo → -a | 多い (many), 多分 (probably), 多様 (diverse) | Two moons stacked: many pieces of the night sky |
| 少 | few, little | ショウ (shō) | すく(ない) / すこ(し) suku(nai)/suko(shi) | shǎo | sh- preserved, -ao → -ō | 少ない (few), 少し (a little), 少年 (boy/youth) | 小 (small) with an extra slash: even smaller |
| 早 | early, fast | ソウ / サッ (sō/satsu) | はや(い) haya(i) | zǎo | z- → s-, -ao → -ō | 早い (early/fast), 早速 (at once), 早朝 (early morning) | 日 (sun) over 十 (ten): sun at ten = early morning |
| 遅 | late, slow | チ (chi) | おそ(い) oso(i) | chí | ch- preserved, -í → -i | 遅い (slow/late), 遅刻 (lateness), 遅れる (to be delayed) | 辶 (walk) + 犀: walking like a heavy rhino = slow |
| 近 | near, close | キン / コン (kin/kon) | ちか(い) chika(i) | jìn | j- → k-, -in preserved | 近い (near), 近所 (neighborhood), 最近 (recently) | 辶 (walk) + 斤 (axe): a short walk with an axe = nearby |
| 遠 | far, distant | エン / オン (en/on) | とお(い) too(i) | yuǎn | y- → e-/o-, -uan → -n/-on | 遠い (far), 永遠 (eternity), 遠足 (excursion/day trip) | 辶 (walk) + 袁: a long walk to the distant field |
| 強 | strong, powerful | キョウ / ゴウ (kyō/gō) | つよ(い) tsuyo(i) | qiáng | q- → ky-/g-, -iang → -ō | 強い (strong), 勉強 (study), 強力 (powerful) | 弓 (bow) + 虽: drawing a bow requires strength |
| 弱 | weak | ジャク (jaku) | よわ(い) yowa(i) | ruò | r- → j-, -uo → -aku | 弱い (weak), 弱点 (weak point), 弱虫 (coward) | Two bows 弓 hanging limply: unable to draw |
| 明 | bright, clear | メイ / ミョウ (mei/myō) | あか(るい) / あ(ける) aka(rui)/a(keru) | míng | m- preserved, -ing → -ei/-yō | 明るい (bright), 明日 (tomorrow), 説明 (explanation) | 日 (sun) + 月 (moon) = brightness from both lights |
| 暗 | dark | アン (an) | くら(い) kura(i) | àn | initial vowel preserved, -n added | 暗い (dark), 暗記 (memorization), 暗号 (code/secret sign) | 日 (sun) + 音 (sound): sun blocked, only sounds remain |
| 広 | wide, broad | コウ (kō) | ひろ(い) hiro(i) | guǎng | g- → k-, -uang → -ō | 広い (wide), 広告 (advertisement), 拡大 (expansion) | 广 (wide building) + 黄: a wide yellow field |
| 狭 | narrow | キョウ / コウ (kyō/kō) | せま(い) sema(i) | xiá | x- → ky-/k-, -ia → -ō | 狭い (narrow), 狭い道 (narrow road), 狭小 (small and narrow) | 犭 (dog) + 夹: a dog squeezed between walls |
| 重 | heavy, important | ジュウ / チョウ (jū/chō) | おも(い) omo(i) | zhòng / chóng | zh-/ch- → j-/ch-, -ong → -ū/-ō | 重い (heavy), 重要 (important), 体重 (body weight) | Person standing on a scale: weight pressing down |
| 軽 | light (weight) | ケイ (kei) | かる(い) karu(i) | qīng | q- → k-, -ing → -ei | 軽い (light), 軽食 (light meal), 気軽 (casual/easygoing) | 車 (vehicle) + 圣: a light cart that moves easily |
How do Japanese i-adjectives like 高い (takai) differ from Mandarin adjectives?
Which pair are opposites — strong and weak?
高Click to reveal
コウ / たかいhigh, tall, expensiveSame as 高 (gāo) — 高い = tall/expensive
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How to use this collection
Section titled “How to use this collection”Daily practice (10 minutes)
Section titled “Daily practice (10 minutes)”- Pick one group (verbs, adjectives, etc.).
- Cover the On’yomi column and guess from Mandarin.
- Cover the Meaning column and read the kanji from shape alone.
- Say one compound word aloud for each character.
Before travel
Section titled “Before travel”Prioritize nouns (駅, 店, 道, 電, 車), direction (東西南北, 外, 内), food and daily life (魚, 肉, 茶, 薬, 傘), and time (朝, 夜, 曜).
Connecting to the rest of chapter 4
Section titled “Connecting to the rest of chapter 4”- Radicals: decode unfamiliar kanji by their parts
- Identical characters: kanji that match Chinese forms and meanings
- False friends: characters that look familiar but differ in Japanese
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”Work through one section at a time. When a kanji sticks, add its compounds to flashcards or a spaced-repetition app. For characters that still blur together, cross-check radicals and false friends before moving on. Even with Mandarin background, expect to revisit this list many times — the readings and compounds are the slow part, not the shapes.