Japanese kanji 夏: 夏 and 夏休み

The idea

夏 has 10 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram. Learn 夏 (なつ) and 夏休み (なつやすみ) as whole words: a character’s reading depends on the word. In the formal compound 夏季休業, 夏 is read か; in 夏休み it is なつ.

Examples

• 夏なつは海うみで泳およぎます。I swim in the sea in summer.
• 夏休なつやすみは八月はちがつに始はじまります。Summer vacation begins in August.
• 真夏まなつの昼ひるはとても暑あついです。It is very hot at midday in midsummer.
• 夏服なつふくをたんすから出だします。I take my summer clothes out of the wardrobe.
• 夏なつの夜よるは風かぜが涼すずしいです。The breeze is cool on summer nights.
• 夏休なつやすみに祖父母そふぼに会あいます。I see my grandparents during summer vacation.
• 夏季休業かききゅうぎょうの日程にっていを確認かくにんします。I check the dates of the summer closure.

Watch out

Here, 夏 means “summer”; 夏休み means “summer vacation”. Compare 夏 (なつ) and 夏休み (なつやすみ) in context: “I swim in the sea in summer.” and “Summer vacation begins in August.” The same character does not make the words interchangeable. Compare the shapes of 夏 and 麦 as well.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 夏 in hiragana.

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   なつ

   夏 is read なつ. In context: I swim in the sea in summer.

2. Write the reading of 夏休み in hiragana.

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   なつやすみ

   夏休み is read なつやすみ. In context: Summer vacation begins in August.

3. Write the missing kanji: ＿ [夏 / 麦] (なつ).

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   夏

   夏 completes 夏, read なつ. In context: I swim in the sea in summer.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 夏 from memory, then read 夏 and 夏休み aloud. Check the readings and contexts.