N2 kanji: learn readings with the words
At N2, most new kanji turn up in two-kanji on’yomi words: 「半島」 and 「大陸」 on maps, 「津波」 and 「着陸」 in the news, 「高原」 and 「熱帯」 in weather forecasts. You need the reading of each kanji, but learn it with the word, because readings often change when two kanji join. This lesson covers 13 kanji for land and water. It starts with the most common sound changes, and every later lesson points them out again.
| Change | How it works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Small 「っ」 | The first kanji ends in 「つ」 or 「ち」 and the next starts in the 「か」, 「さ」, 「た」 or 「は」 row, or it ends in 「く」 and the next starts in the 「か」 row: its last sound becomes a small 「っ」 (and 「は」-row sounds become 「ぱ」-row sounds) | 熱帯・鉄橋・北海道 |
| Rendaku | Two words join into one and the first sound of the second becomes voiced; most common in kun’yomi words | 川岸・島国・日本橋 |
| After 「ん」 | When the first kanji ends in 「ん」, a 「か」-row sound after it sometimes becomes 「が」-row, and a 「は」-row sound sometimes becomes 「ぱ」-row | 運河・銀河・電波 |
| Jukujikun | Several kanji together are read as one native Japanese word; you can’t read them one kanji at a time | 河原・今日・お土産 |
Watch out
Patterns are only cluesThese changes happen “often”, not “always”. Take 「橋」: 「日本橋」 in Tokyo is read 「ばし」, but the common surname 「高橋」 keeps 「はし」, and a place in Osaka written with the same kanji is read 「日本橋」. 「本州」 and 「海岸」 don’t change either. So learn each new word with its reading, and when unsure, trust the furigana and the dictionary.
By the sea: island, bay, shore, wave and 「浮く」
- 島Strokes: 10
island
- On’yomi
- トウ
- Kun’yomi
- しま
The on’yomi 「トウ」 is used in words like 「半島」. In place names it is usually 「しま」 or 「じま」: 「広島」, 「宮島」.
島
island
半島
peninsula
島国
island nation
無人島
uninhabited island
- 湾Strokes: 12
bay
- On’yomi
- ワン
- Kun’yomi
- —
湾
bay
東京湾
Tokyo Bay
台湾
Taiwan
湾岸
bayside, waterfront
- 岸Strokes: 8
shore, bank
- On’yomi
- ガン
- Kun’yomi
- きし
「川岸」 shows rendaku: 「きし」 becomes 「ぎし」.
海岸
coast, seashore
岸
shore, bank
川岸
riverbank
対岸
the opposite shore
- 波Strokes: 8
wave
- On’yomi
- ハ
- Kun’yomi
- なみ
When your phone signal is poor, you can say 「電波が 弱い」.
波
wave
津波
tsunami
電波
radio waves; (phone) signal
大波
big wave
- 浮Strokes: 10
float; come to mind
- On’yomi
- —
- Kun’yomi
- うく・うかぶ・うかべる
In 「浮気」, 浮 is read 「うわ」; learn it on its own.
浮く
to float (on water); to be left over (money saved)
浮かぶ
to float; (an idea) to come to mind
浮かべる
to float (something); to show (on the face)
浮気
cheating, infidelity
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 浮く | to float on the water and not sink | 木は 水に 浮く |
| 浮く | (money, time) to be saved, left over | 交通費が 浮いた |
| 浮かぶ | to float on water or in the air, where you can see it | 空に 雲が 浮かぶ |
| 浮かぶ | (an idea, an image) to come to mind | いい 考えが 浮かぶ |
| 浮かべる | transitive: to make something float; to show on your face | 目に 涙を 浮かべる |
Tip
「浮く」 is about “not sinking”; 「浮かぶ」 is about “floating there, in view”. So for ideas and images, use 「浮かぶ」: 「いい 考えが 浮かびました」. To say “make it float” or “put on a smile”, use the transitive 「浮かべる」 with 「を」. In casual speech, 「浮く」 also means to stand out awkwardly in a group: 「クラスで 浮いて いる」.
Land: continent, Kyushu, plateau and the tropics
- 陸Strokes: 11
land
- On’yomi
- リク
- Kun’yomi
- —
In weather forecasts, 「台風が 上陸する」 means a typhoon makes landfall. A plane touching down is 「着陸」.
大陸
continent
陸
land
着陸
landing (of a plane)
上陸
landfall, landing (from the sea)
- 州Strokes: 6
state, province
- On’yomi
- シュウ
- Kun’yomi
- —
九州
Kyushu
本州
Honshu (Japan’s largest island)
州
state (of the US and other countries)
欧州
Europe
- 原Strokes: 10
plain, field; origin
- On’yomi
- ゲン
- Kun’yomi
- はら
The kun’yomi 「はら」 is now used mostly in 「野原」 and in place names, such as 「原宿」.
高原
plateau, highlands
草原
grassland, meadow
野原
field, open land
原因
cause
- 帯Strokes: 10
belt, sash; zone; time slot
- On’yomi
- タイ
- Kun’yomi
- おび
「携帯」 is short for 「携帯電話」; in everyday speech it just means a mobile phone.
熱帯
the tropics
時間帯
time of day, time slot
携帯
mobile phone
帯
obi (kimono sash)
| Island | About it |
|---|---|
| 北海道 | the northernmost main island |
| 本州 | the largest island, home to Tokyo and Osaka |
| 四国 | the island south-west of Honshu, with four prefectures |
| 九州 | the furthest south-west of the four |
Tip
「北海道」 has a small 「っ」 too: 「北」 followed by 「海」 becomes 「ほっかい」. 「〜帯」 after a noun means a stretch or range: 「時間帯」 is a part of the day, 「熱帯」 is the hot belt of the earth, and 「辺り 一帯」 means “the whole area around here”.
River, valley, stone and bridge
- 河Strokes: 8
river
- On’yomi
- カ
- Kun’yomi
- かわ
「河原」 is jukujikun; it is also written 「川原」.
河原
dry riverbed, riverside
運河
canal
銀河
the Milky Way, galaxy
河川
rivers (written)
- 谷Strokes: 7
valley
- On’yomi
- —
- Kun’yomi
- たに
In place names it is also read 「や」: 「渋谷」, 「四谷」.
谷
valley
谷間
ravine, (in) the valley
谷川
mountain stream
渋谷
Shibuya (an area of Tokyo)
- 石Strokes: 5
stone
- On’yomi
- セキ・シャク
- Kun’yomi
- いし
The on’yomi is usually 「セキ」; 「磁石」 is read 「シャク」, so learn it on its own.
石
stone
石油
oil, petroleum
宝石
jewel, gem
磁石
magnet
- 橋Strokes: 16
bridge
- On’yomi
- キョウ
- Kun’yomi
- はし
After another word it often becomes 「ばし」: 「石橋」, 「日本橋」.
橋
bridge
鉄橋
iron bridge, railway bridge
歩道橋
footbridge (over a road)
日本橋
Nihonbashi (an area of Tokyo)
| Written | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 川 | the everyday word for any river, big or small | 川・川岸・小川 |
| 河 | rare on its own; mostly in on’yomi words | 運河・銀河・河川 |
| 河原・川原 | flat, sandy and stony ground by a river; both spellings are correct | 河原で バーベキューを する |
Tip
To write “river”, 「川」 is almost always right. 「河」 on its own usually means a very large river, and even then 「川」 is now the usual spelling. When you see 河, think of on’yomi words first: 「運河」 and 「銀河」, where 「か」 after 「ん」 has become 「が」.
Compare
You can remember them by their parts: 「島」 is a “bird” resting on a “mountain”, since an island at sea is where birds land; 「波」 is “water” plus “skin”, the surface of the water moving; the 可 on the right of 「河」 hints at the reading 「カ」; 「岸」 has “mountain” on top and a cliff shape below. English has one word, “river”; Japanese usually writes 「川」, and 河 appears mostly in words like 「運河」 (“canal”) and 「銀河」 (“galaxy”).
Reading words and a short text
九州は 本州の 南西に ある 大きな 島です。
Kyushu is a large island to the south-west of Honshu.
飛行機は 予定どおり 十時に 着陸しました。
The plane landed at ten, on schedule.
台風が 今夜 九州に 上陸する おそれが あります。
The typhoon may make landfall in Kyushu tonight.
地震の あとは、津波に 注意して ください。
After an earthquake, please watch out for tsunamis.
ここは 山の 中なので、携帯の 電波が 弱いです。
We’re in the mountains here, so the phone signal is weak.
夜の 時間帯は 電車の 本数が 少なく なります。
At night, fewer trains run.
お風呂に 入って いる とき、いい 考えが 浮かびました。
A good idea came to me while I was in the bath.
日曜日は 友達と 河原で バーベキューを しました。
On Sunday I had a barbecue with friends by the river.
島の 夏休み
夏休みに、九州の 小さな 島へ 行きました。港から 船で 一時間ぐらいです。
Show the translation
In the summer holidays I went to a small island in Kyushu. It is about an hour by boat from the port.
島の 海岸は 砂が 白くて、波も 静かでした。
Show the translation
The island’s beach had white sand, and the waves were calm.
海で あおむけに 浮いて いると、空に 白い 雲が 浮かんで いました。
Show the translation
As I floated on my back in the sea, white clouds were floating in the sky.
島には 大きな 川が なく、山から 細い 谷川が 流れて いるだけです。
Show the translation
There are no big rivers on the island; only a narrow mountain stream flows down from the hills.
古い 石の 橋を 渡ると、小さな 神社が ありました。
Show the translation
When I crossed an old stone bridge, there was a small shrine.
山の 上では 携帯の 電波が 入りませんでしたが、そのほうが のんびり できました。
Show the translation
On top of the hill my phone had no signal, but that made it more relaxing.
帰りの 船から 島を 見て いると、もう 来年の 夏の 計画が 頭に 浮かんで いました。
Show the translation
Looking at the island from the boat home, I was already thinking of plans for next summer.