Meet 発 in 出発, 発音, and other useful words. Read the examples and connect each word to its meaning.

The idea

発 has 9 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram. Learn 出発 (しゅっぱつ) and 発音 (はつおん) as whole words: a character’s reading depends on the word.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
出発しゅっぱつThe train departs at seven.
発音はつおんI practise Japanese pronunciation every day.
発車はっしゃThe bus leaves in five minutes.
発見はっけんI discovered a new star last year.

Examples

  • 電車でんしゃは七時しちじに出発しゅっぱつします。The train departs at seven.
  • 日本語にほんごの発音はつおんを毎日まいにち練習れんしゅうします。I practise Japanese pronunciation every day.
  • バスは五分後ごふんごに発車はっしゃします。The bus leaves in five minutes.
  • 新あたらしい星ほしを去年きょねん発見はっけんしました。I discovered a new star last year.
  • 出発しゅっぱつの前まえに切符きっぷを確たしかめます。I check my ticket before departure.
  • その発音はつおんをもう一度いちど聞ききます。I listen to that pronunciation once more.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Here, 出発 means “departure; 発 is pronounced ぱつ here”; 発音 means “pronunciation; 発 is pronounced はつ here”. Compare 出発 (しゅっぱつ) and 発音 (はつおん) in context: “The train departs at seven.” and “I practise Japanese pronunciation every day.” The same character does not make the words interchangeable. Compare the shapes of 発 and 登 as well.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 出発 in hiragana.

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    しゅっぱつ

    出発 is read しゅっぱつ. In context: The train departs at seven.

  2. Write the reading of 発音 in hiragana.

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    はつおん

    発音 is read はつおん. In context: I practise Japanese pronunciation every day.

  3. Write the missing kanji: 出＿ [発 / 登] (しゅっぱつ).

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    発

    発 completes 出発, read しゅっぱつ. In context: The train departs at seven.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 発 from memory, then read 出発 and 発音 aloud. Check the readings and contexts.