Look up Japanese words and readings

The idea

Copy the whole sentence, then search the word as written. If 読みました gives no useful entry, remove the polite past ending and look for 読む. Check the reading よむ, part of speech and example sentences, then select the meaning that fits the context. Record the original form alongside the headword and reading.

Examples

• 図書館としょかんで本ほんを読よみます。I read a book at the library.
• 昨日きのう、手紙てがみを読よみました。I read a letter yesterday.
• 辞書じしょで言葉ことばを調しらべてください。Please look up the word in a dictionary.
• 今日きょうは天気てんきがいいです。The weather is good today.
• この店みせはいいパンを売うっています。This shop sells good bread.
• 読よみ方かたを先生せんせいに聞ききます。I will ask the teacher how to read it.

Watch out

A kanji can have several readings, and a dictionary’s first meaning may not fit. For example, いい is commonly listed under 良い (よい); check both forms and usage rather than guessing from one character.

Try it yourself

1. 読よみました → ？（辞書じしょの形かたち）

   Show answer or example answer

   読む

   読みました comes from 読む, whose reading is よむ. Search the dictionary form to find the verb entry.

2. いい → ？（辞書じしょの形かたち）

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   良い

   いい corresponds to 良い, read よい in the headword; いい is a common form used in the sentence.

3. 図書館としょかんで本ほんを読よみます。本ほん → ？（ひらがな）

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   ほん

   本 is read ほん here. Check the complete word and sentence, because individual kanji can have other readings.

Use it today

Look up 読みました and いい in the examples. Save each sentence, headword, reading and fitting meaning; revisit them tomorrow.