One Kanji, Two Ways: Pronunciation & Translation ~ Learn Japanese with Toby ~

Can You Read Both? Dual-Pronunciation Kanji Japanese kanji often carry multiple pronunciations that shift the word's subtle nuances or even its entire definition. 辛い　karai =spicy tsurai =painful 人気　ninki =popularity hitoke =presence of people 大人気　daininki =very popular otonage =maturity 風車　fuusha =windmill kazaguruma =pinwheel 牧場　bokujou =stock farm makiba =pasture 上手　jouzu =skillful kamite =stage left 下手　heta =unskillful shimote =stage right 分別　bunbetsu =sorting funbetsu =discretion 市場　shijou =market ichiba =street market 色紙　shikishi =autograph board irogami =colored paper 団扇　uchiwa =paper fan dansen =Chinese-style round fan 氷柱　tsurara =icicle hyouchuu =ice pillar 生物　seibutsu =living thing namamono =raw food 利益　rieki =profit riyaku =divine favour 心中　shinchuu =inner thoughts shinjuu =double suicide その方　sonohou =that way sonokata =that person 一月　ichigatsu =January hitotsuki =one month 二月　nigatsu =February futatsuki =two months 三月　sangatsu =March mitsuki =three months 四月　shigatsu =April yotsuki =four months 五月　gogatsu =May itsutsuki =five months 六月　rokugatsu =June mutsuki =six months 七月　shichigatsu =July nanatsuki =seven months 八月　hachigatsu =August yatsuki =eight months 九月　kugatsu =September kokonotsuki =nine months 十月　juugatsu =October totsuki =ten months 運命　unmei =destiny, fate sadame =doom, karma 本気　honki =serious maji =for real 小豆　azuki =Azuki bean shouzu =red bean 眼鏡　megane =glasses gankyou =eyeglasses