Knowing Chinese characters can help recognition, but a familiar shape does not guarantee a familiar Japanese reading or meaning.

The idea

Learn each Japanese word with its reading and context: 学校 is がっこう. Japanese uses kana alongside kanji for particles and endings. Some shapes differ, as in Japanese 電話 and Simplified Chinese 电话. Japanese 手紙 means a letter; in mainland Chinese 手纸 commonly means toilet paper. Japanese 勉強 means study, while Chinese 勉强 can mean reluctant or forced.

Patterns to compare
JapaneseMeaning
学校がっこうschool: Japanese reading がっこう
手紙てがみletter; Chinese 手纸 often means toilet paper
電話でんわtelephone; Simplified Chinese 电话

Examples

  • 学校がっこうはここです。The school is here.
  • これは私わたしの手紙てがみです。This is my letter.
  • 友達ともだちに電話でんわをかけます。I call a friend.
  • 今日きょう、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese today.
  • 学生がくせいは本ほんを読よみます。The student reads a book.
  • 先生せんせいに手紙てがみを書かきます。I write a letter to the teacher.

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

Watch out

Do not apply a Chinese pronunciation or meaning automatically. Shared characters are clues; check the whole Japanese word and its reading.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the kanji spelling of がっこう (school). 「がっこう」を漢字かんじで書かきます。＿。（学校がっこう／手紙てがみ）

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    学校

    学校 is the kanji spelling of がっこう, meaning school; the reading includes a small っ.

  2. Choose what you write to a friend. 友達ともだちに＿を書かきます。（手紙てがみ／電話でんわ）

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    手紙

    手紙 is a letter in Japanese, something you can write to a friend.

  3. Complete the expression for calling a friend. 友達ともだちに電話でんわを＿。（かけます／書かきます）

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    かけます

    電話をかけます means to make a phone call.

Use it today

Make two cards: 学校 with its Japanese reading, and 手紙 with its Japanese meaning. Read each in a sentence.