🇯🇵 JAPANESE
Kanji – Batch 05
漢字 21–25 · 学 円 子 八 六 · JLPT N5
Progress: 0 / 2 exercises completed
A – Flashcard Practice
Click each card to reveal the meaning and readings. Aim to recall the meaning before you flip.
B – Type the On-yomi
Type the romaji for the on-yomi of each kanji. Any one correct on-yomi is accepted — e.g. gaku, en, shi, hachi, roku.
C – Type the Meaning
Type the primary English meaning of each kanji. Synonyms are accepted — e.g. study / learn for 学, circle / yen for 円, child for 子.
学
study / learn
On: ガク (gaku) | Kun: まなぶ (manabu)
Mnemonic
学 shows a child (子) sheltered beneath a roofed building with crossed hands above. The top element (⺍, two crossing strokes) represents the act of examining and cross-referencing ideas; 冖 is the roof providing shelter; 子 at the bottom is the child sitting beneath it all. Picture a student under a schoolhouse roof with hands raised to ask a question — a child sheltered by learning.
ガク covers all formal compounds: 学校 (gakkoo — school), 大学 (daigaku — university), 科学 (kagaku — science). まなぶ is the verb "to study / to learn" — it shares the same root and captures the active, personal side of learning.
ガク covers all formal compounds: 学校 (gakkoo — school), 大学 (daigaku — university), 科学 (kagaku — science). まなぶ is the verb "to study / to learn" — it shares the same root and captures the active, personal side of learning.
Key vocabulary
- 1学校がっこう (gakkoo)school
- 2学生がくせい (gakusei)student
- 3大学だいがく (daigaku)university
- 4医学いがく (igaku)medicine (field of study)
- 5科学かがく (kagaku)science
Sentences in context
Watashi wa gakkoo ni ikimasu.
私は学校に行きます。
"I as-for school to go."
I go to school.
Daigaku de Nihongo wo benkyou shimashita.
大学で日本語を勉強しました。
"University at Japanese (obj) studied."
I studied Japanese at university.
Kagaku ga suki desu.
科学がすきです。
"Science (subj) like is."
I like science.
円
circle / yen
On: エン (en) | Kun: まるい (marui) · まる (maru) · まどか (madoka)
Mnemonic
円 is a simplified frame enclosing a horizontal stroke — it once depicted a coin: a round disc with a flat edge. The top two strokes form the rim of the coin; the horizontal stroke inside is the ridge, like the ¥ symbol's bar. Every time you see 円, think of a round ¥ coin sitting in your palm.
The older, full form 圓 was complex — the simplified 円 was adopted in 1946. The kun-yomi まる literally means "round/circle," which is why まるい means "round" as an adjective and 丸 (the simpler kanji) also means circle. エン is the currency reading: Japan's yen has been called 円 since the Meiji era.
The older, full form 圓 was complex — the simplified 円 was adopted in 1946. The kun-yomi まる literally means "round/circle," which is why まるい means "round" as an adjective and 丸 (the simpler kanji) also means circle. エン is the currency reading: Japan's yen has been called 円 since the Meiji era.
Key vocabulary
- 1円えん / まる (en / maru)yen; circle
- 2円高えんだか (endaka)strong yen
- 3円安えんやす (en'yasu)weak yen
- 4円相場えんそうば (en souba)yen exchange rate
- 5一円いちえん (ichien)one yen
Sentences in context
Kore wa hyaku-en desu.
これは百円です。
"This as-for 100-yen is."
This is 100 yen.
Endaka no toki wa yunyuu ga yasui desu.
円高の時は輸入が安いです。
"Strong-yen 's time as-for imports cheap are."
When the yen is strong, imports are cheap.
Maru wo kaite kudasai.
円を書いてください。
"Circle (obj) please-draw."
Please draw a circle.
子
child
On: シ (shi) · ス (su) | Kun: こ (ko) · ね (ne)
Mnemonic
子 depicts a swaddled baby with outstretched arms: the top curved stroke is the head, the second stroke is the body with arms spread wide (like a baby reaching up), and the short bottom stroke is the legs wrapped snugly together. Just three strokes for one of the most fundamental ideas — a child.
シ vs ス vs こ: シ appears in most compounds (子供 kodomo uses こ, but 女子 joshi, 男子 danshi use シ). ス survives in a handful of words like 様子 (yousu — appearance/situation) and 帽子 (boushi — hat). ね is the zodiac reading — 子 is the first of the twelve zodiac signs, representing the rat.
シ vs ス vs こ: シ appears in most compounds (子供 kodomo uses こ, but 女子 joshi, 男子 danshi use シ). ス survives in a handful of words like 様子 (yousu — appearance/situation) and 帽子 (boushi — hat). ね is the zodiac reading — 子 is the first of the twelve zodiac signs, representing the rat.
Key vocabulary
- 1子こ (ko)child
- 2子供こども (kodomo)children
- 3女子じょし (joshi)girl; woman
- 4男子だんし (danshi)boy; man
- 5原子力げんしりょく (genshiryoku)nuclear energy
Sentences in context
Ano ko wa kawaii desu.
あの子はかわいいです。
"That child as-for cute is."
That child is cute.
Kodomo ga suki desu.
子供がすきです。
"Children (subj) like is."
I like children.
Genshiryoku wa tsuyoi enerugi desu.
原子力は強いエネルギーです。
"Nuclear-power as-for strong energy is."
Nuclear power is a powerful energy source.
八
eight
On: ハチ (hachi) | Kun: や (ya) · やつ (yatsu) · やっつ (yattsu) · よう (you)
Mnemonic
八 is two strokes spreading outward — like hands opening wide to show "this many" or legs parting apart. Notice it is the mirror image of 入 (enter): 入 has two strokes converging downward (going in); 八 has two strokes diverging outward (spreading out). Eight things fanning open from a single point.
Lucky number: 八 is considered very lucky in Japan and China because the shape widens toward the bottom — symbolising growth and expanding prosperity. Many businesses choose phone numbers and prices ending in 8. In Chinese, 八 (bā) sounds like "prosper" (發, fā).
Lucky number: 八 is considered very lucky in Japan and China because the shape widens toward the bottom — symbolising growth and expanding prosperity. Many businesses choose phone numbers and prices ending in 8. In Chinese, 八 (bā) sounds like "prosper" (發, fā).
Key vocabulary
- 1八はち / や (hachi / ya)eight
- 2十八じゅうはち (juuhachi)eighteen
- 3八月はちがつ (hachigatsu)August
- 4八十はちじゅう / やそ (hachijuu / yaso)eighty
- 5三十八度線さんじゅうはちどせん (sanjuuhachidosen)38th parallel
Sentences in context
Hachigatsu wa atsui desu.
八月は暑いです。
"August as-for hot is."
August is hot.
Hachi-ji ni okimasu.
八時に起きます。
"Eight-o'clock at wake-up."
I wake up at eight o'clock.
Hachijuu-sai no sobo ga imasu.
八十歳の祖母がいます。
"Eighty-years-old 's grandmother (subj) exists."
I have an eighty-year-old grandmother.
六
six
On: ロク (roku) · リク (riku) | Kun: む (mu) · むつ (mutsu) · むっつ (muttsu) · むい (mui)
Mnemonic
六 has a roof (亠) on top with two legs splaying out below — like a person sitting cross-legged under a hat, counting to six on their fingers. Think of a hexagon (六角形 rokkakkei — "six-cornered shape"): 六 itself has that angular, multi-sided quality.
Gemination with ロク: Before voiceless consonants, ロク compresses — 六本 becomes ろっぽん (roppon), 六回 becomes ろっかい (rokkai), 六個 becomes ろっこ (rokko). The small っ doubles the following consonant just as with 一 (ichi → ik-). Recognise the pattern and six will never trip you up in counting.
Gemination with ロク: Before voiceless consonants, ロク compresses — 六本 becomes ろっぽん (roppon), 六回 becomes ろっかい (rokkai), 六個 becomes ろっこ (rokko). The small っ doubles the following consonant just as with 一 (ichi → ik-). Recognise the pattern and six will never trip you up in counting.
Key vocabulary
- 1六ろく / む (roku / mu)six
- 2六月ろくがつ (rokugatsu)June
- 3六十ろくじゅう / むそ (rokujuu / muso)sixty
- 4六十四分音符ろくじゅうしぶおんぷ (rokujuushibu onpu)sixty-fourth note (music)
- 5十六じゅうろく (juuroku)sixteen
Sentences in context
Rokugatsu wa tsuyu no kisetsu desu.
六月は梅雨の季節です。
"June as-for rainy-season 's season is."
June is the rainy season.
Roku-ji ni nemasu.
六時に寝ます。
"Six-o'clock at sleep."
I go to sleep at six.
Juuroku-sai no toki Nihon ni ikimashita.
十六歳の時日本に行きました。
"Sixteen-years-old 's time Japan to went."
I went to Japan when I was sixteen.
| Kanji | Meaning | On-yomi | Kun-yomi | JLPT | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 学 | study / learn | ガク (gaku) | まなぶ (manabu) | N5 | 8 |
| 円 | circle / yen | エン (en) | まるい (marui) · まる (maru) | N5 | 4 |
| 子 | child | シ (shi) · ス (su) | こ (ko) · ね (ne) | N5 | 3 |
| 八 | eight | ハチ (hachi) | や (ya) · やっつ (yattsu) · よう (you) | N5 | 2 |
| 六 | six | ロク (roku) · リク (riku) | む (mu) · むっつ (muttsu) · むい (mui) | N5 | 4 |