JLPT N5 Kanji Learning Series Overview

Series Goals

• Learn to read and conceptualize JLPT N5 level kanji.
• Explore kunyomi (Japanese readings) and onyomi (Chinese readings) along with some non-standard readings.
• Aim to understand kanji usage in context rather than associating a kanji with just one word.
• Utilize kanji from the 10,000 most useful words (Kanshudo.com).

Video Focus

• Teach kanji that appear in almost 900 of the top 10,000 words.
• Provide a reading frequency to help judge the usefulness of memorizing certain readings.

Support and Community

• Supported by Patreon and Discord community.
• Encourages joining Game Gengo's Patreon for more resources.

Kanji Examples and Readings

Kanji for Person (人)

• Kunyomi: hito (人) - person
  • Can change to bito in compounds, e.g., 恋人 (koibito, lover).
• Onyomi: jin, nin
  • jin (人): space being (宇宙人, uchuu jin)
  • nin (人): human kind (人間, ningen)

Kanji for One (一)

• Kunyomi: hito (一) - one person/thing
• Onyomi: ichi, itsu
  • ichi (一): number one (一度, ichido)
  • itsu: often becomes ipiki in compounds (一匹, ipiki)
• Non-Standard Readings: tsuitachi, ototoy

Kanji for Day (日)

• Kunyomi: hi (日) - day
  • Changes to bi in compounds, e.g., 木曜日 (mokuyoubi, Thursday)
• Onyomi: nichi, jitsu
  • nichi (日): one day (一日, ichinichi)
  • jitsu: this day (本日, honjitsu)
• Non-Standard Readings: kyou (today), ashita/asu (tomorrow)

Kanji for Big (大)

• Kunyomi: oo (大) - big/large
• Onyomi: dai, tai
  • dai (大): grand adventure (大冒険, dai bouken)
  • tai (大): precious memory (大切, taisetsu)
• Non-Standard Readings: otona (adult)

Kanji for Year (年)

• Kunyomi: toshi (年) - year/age
• Onyomi: nen
  • nen (年): counter for years (一年, ichinen)

Kanji for Exit (出)

• Kunyomi: de (出) - come out/appear
• Onyomi: shutsu
  • shutsu (出): rescue (救出, kyoushutsu)

Kanji for Book (本)

• Kunyomi: moto (元) - origin/base
• Onyomi: hon
  • hon (本): book, true (本当に, hontou ni), Japan (日本, nihon)

Kanji for Middle (中)

• Kunyomi: naka (中) - inside/within
• Onyomi: chuu, juu
  • chuu (中): middle school (中学, chuugaku)
  • juu (中): throughout (ミッドガル中, midogaruchuu)

Kanji for Child (子)

• Kunyomi: ko (子) - child
• Onyomi: shi, ji
  • shi (子): in words like wife and child (妻子, saishi)
  • ji (子): prince (王子, ouji)

Kanji for See (見)

• Kunyomi: mi (見) - see/look
• Onyomi: ken
  • ken (見): discover (発見, hakken)

Conclusion

• This video covers kanji appearing in 890 of the 10,000 most useful words.
• Recommended resources: Kanshudo.com for kanji learning, vocabulary, and practice.
• Encouragement to join the supportive Game Gengo community on Patreon and Discord.