kanji Guide What does 向 mean in Japanese? 向 carries the idea of facing or pointing toward something. The most immediately useful form for learners is 向こう (mukou, over there / the other side), which is one of the first direction words you will need when asking or receiving directions in Japan. 向 also builds the suffix … Read more
What does 泊 mean in Japanese? 泊 means staying overnight. The kanji carries the water radical 氵 on the left — originally evoking a boat anchored for the night. For learners, the most important things to know are the verb 泊まる (tomaru, to stay overnight) and the counter 〜泊 (haku), which counts nights in accommodation. … Read more
What does 旅 mean in Japanese? 旅 means travel or journey. The kun’yomi たび and the on’yomi リョ each have a distinct feel. たび (as a standalone word) carries a slightly literary or evocative nuance — being away from home, on the road. リョ (in compounds) is practical and everyday: 旅行 (ryokou, trip), 旅館 (ryokan, … Read more
What does 海 mean in Japanese? 海 means sea or ocean. The left side of the kanji is the water radical 氵, which signals its aquatic meaning. The right side 毎 is mainly a phonetic component here, helping shape the on’yomi カイ rather than adding the core meaning. For learners, 海外 (kaigai, overseas/abroad) is probably … Read more
What does 道 mean in Japanese? 道 means a road or path, and it also carries the deeper meaning of ‘the way’ — a discipline, a practice, a lifelong pursuit. This dual function makes 道 unusual among N4 kanji. For everyday use: みち (road, the path you walk along). For cultural contexts: 〜道 (〜dou) as … Read more
What does 通 mean in Japanese? 通 is built around continuous movement through a channel. The verb 通る (tooru) means to pass through a space; the verb 通う (kayou) means to travel back and forth regularly, the way a commuter or student travels the same route every day. Both readings come from the same kanji. … Read more
What does 着 mean in Japanese? 着 is one of the most surprising kanji for beginners: a single character with two completely unrelated meanings — to arrive (着く) and to wear upper-body clothing (着る). The two readings even start with different sounds: つ (tsuku, arrive) vs き (kiru, wear). Context makes the meaning clear, but … Read more
What does 発 mean in Japanese? 発 is unusual among N4 kanji because it has no kun’yomi — it always appears as ハツ or ハッ inside compound words. This actually makes it easier to read than most kanji: whenever you see 発, you know its reading is always on’yomi. On train station timetables, 発 marks … Read more
What does 降 mean in Japanese? 降 has two kun’yomi readings that learners often confuse because they serve completely different purposes. お-りる means to get off or step down from a vehicle or elevated surface. ふ-る means precipitation falls from the sky. One reading is for transit; the other is for weather. As the counterpart … Read more
What does 乗 mean in Japanese? 乗 is the kanji for boarding vehicles — trains, buses, taxis, bicycles. On platform signs, transfer guides, and ticket machines you will see 乗 everywhere the moment you start navigating Japan. The core verb is 乗る (noru, to board/ride). It takes particle に to mark the vehicle: 電車に乗る, バスに乗る. … Read more