Kun'yomi in the context of "Jukujikun"

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⭐ Core Definition: Kun'yomi

Kun'yomi (訓読み; Japanese pronunciation: [kɯɰ̃.jo.mi], lit. 'explanatory reading') or kundoku (訓読; [kɯn.do.kɯ]) is the way of reading kanji characters using the native Japanese word that matches the meaning of the Chinese character when it was introduced. This pronunciation is contrasted with on'yomi, which is the reading based on the original Chinese pronunciation of the character.

Generally, kun'yomi readings are used for simple, singular words, including most verbs, while on'yomi readings are used for compound, technical words.

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👉 Kun'yomi in the context of Jukujikun

Kanji (/ˈkændʒi, ˈkɑːn-/; Japanese: 漢字, pronounced [kaɲ.dʑi] , 'Han characters') are logographic Chinese characters, historically adapted from Chinese writing scripts, used in writing of Japanese. They comprised a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used today, along with the subsequently derived syllabic (phonographic) scripts of hiragana and katakana. Most Kanji characters have two pronunciations: kun'yomi, based on the sounds of vernacular Japanese, where the Kanji is often phonetically transcribed with furigana; and on'yomi, based on the imitation of the original Middle Chinese sound when it was borrowed from written Chinese. Some Kanji characters were indigenously invented in Japan by constructing character components derived from other Chinese characters.

After the Meiji Restoration, Japan made its own efforts to simplify the Kanji characters, now known as shinjitai (新字体; 'new character form'), by a process similar to China's simplification efforts, with the intention to increase literacy among the general public. Since the 1920s, the Japanese government has published character lists periodically to help direct the education of its citizenry through the myriad Chinese characters that exist. There are nearly 3,000 kanji used in Japanese names and in common communication.

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Kun'yomi in the context of On'yomi

A single kanji might have multiple on'yomi pronunciations, reflecting the Chinese pronunciations from different time periods or regions. On'yomi pronunciations are generally classified into go-on, kan-on, tō-on and kan'yō-on, roughly based on when they were borrowed from Chinese during the peaks of the Sinosphere.

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Kun'yomi in the context of Japanese numerals

The Japanese numerals (数詞, sūshi) are numerals that are used in Japanese. In writing, they are the same as the Chinese numerals, and large numbers follow the Chinese style of grouping by 10,000. Two pronunciations are used: the Sino-Japanese (on'yomi) readings of the Chinese characters and the Japanese yamato kotoba (native words, kun'yomi readings).

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Kun'yomi in the context of Kamikaze (typhoon)

The kamikaze (Japanese: 神風, lit. 'divine wind') were two winds or storms that are said to have saved Japan from two Mongol fleets under Kublai Khan. These fleets attacked Japan in 1274 and again in 1281. Due to the growth of Zen Buddhism among Samurai at the time, these were the first events where the typhoons were described as "divine wind" as much by their timing as by their force. Since Man'yōshū, the word kamikaze has been used as a Makurakotoba of waka introducing Ise Grand Shrine.

The term "kamikaze" is the native Japanese kun'yomi reading of the characters, and the main reading of them that was used more throughout history was the on'yomi (Sinitic) "shinpu".

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← On'yomi ← Japanese numerals ← On reading ← Kamikaze (typhoon) ← Jukujikun
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Kanji → Wago → Hanzi → On'yomi → Verbs →