On-yomi and kun-yomi ??

**Emo-kun** · 08-19-2008 01:24 PM

I've been using the JWPce software to write Japanese and to look up what a specific kanji means. The "character info lookup" function provides the meaning of the kanji, on-yomi and kun-yomi (occasionally there's nanori as well).

But what exactly is on-yomi and kun-yomi (and nanori) ?? I have no idea

EXAMPLE

The Kanji dictionary entry for い
え

**HikenNoAce** · 08-19-2008 01:46 PM

there's actually another way to look up kanji which is by number of strokes :P
but looking up kanji in a kanji dictionary is an art form

**Emo-kun** · 08-19-2008 01:50 PM

there's actually another way to look up kanji which is by number of strokes :P
but looking up kanji in a kanji dictionary is an art form

[/b]

I search by Radical lookup ( that's how I found out how to write Akuma :P ) but the on-yomi and kun-yomi isn't really a lookup thing. I think it's part of the kanji character explanation info but I don't see the connection between those random "i" and "e" being related to Kaze

I haven't got myself a hard copy of a kanji dictionary yet :P

**Hyrrokkin** · 08-19-2008 02:47 PM

the on-yomi and kun-yomi are the ways of pronouncation. The nanori are the possible pronouncation uses of the kanji when used in a name.

The on-yomi is how they would be straight from Chinese (Thus the katakana) and the kun-yomi is the Japanese's creation after importing the kanji god-knows-how-many-milleniums ago. :3

**HikenNoAce** · 08-19-2008 02:54 PM

the on-yomi and kun-yomi are the ways of pronouncation. The nanori are the possible pronouncation uses of the kanji when used in a name.

The on-yomi is how they would be straight from Chinese (Thus the katakana) and the kun-yomi is the Japanese's creation after importing the kanji god-knows-how-many-milleniums ago. :3[/b]

listen to the smart hyrro-sama ^^
and really these days who needs a hardcopy xD digital dictionaries are sooo convenient (but I have to admit I have 2 of 'em around here just in case

)

**Emo-kun** · 08-19-2008 05:30 PM

Thank you so much Hyrro

but are the on-yomi Cantonese or Mandarin pronounciation? Kaze would sound like "fu-o-n" in Cantonese. Just to check, is the kun-yomi how you pronounce the kanji in Japanese then?

@Hiks: Well I wouldn't mind a hard copy since I don't know any Kanji (a selective few) and I'm trying to learn how to write them ^^ if I knew how to write kanji already I would have just gone by with the digitized form =P

**Kitsune** · 08-19-2008 09:43 PM

Way to steal my thunder, Hyrro. :P

Listen to him. His explanation is perfect, for once. :P

-Kitsune

**Fabriz_di_Britannia** · 08-19-2008 11:01 PM

Just wanna mention, a kun-yomi pronunciation is usually used when by itself, the on-yomi is usually used when combining kanji by itself to make one word (Example 風　by itself is pronounced 'kaze', but when combining it with another kanji to make one word it uses the on-yomi, such as 風船 (Fuusen, meaning Balloon).

**Emo-kun** · 08-20-2008 06:06 AM

Just wanna mention, a kun-yomi pronunciation is usually used when by itself, the on-yomi is usually used when combining kanji by itself to make one word (Example 風　by itself is pronounced 'kaze', but when combining it with another kanji to make one word it uses the on-yomi, such as 風船 (Fuusen, meaning Balloon).[/b]

That's pretty interesting to know

thanks for reply.

I was testing out the kun-yomi for "Boku" ( I(male) ) and the kun-yomi for it was shi-mo-re (bo-ku is not listed) so is this an old way of pronouncing boku?

**Kahlan** · 09-06-2008 08:12 AM

The on-yomi is how they would be straight from Chinese (Thus the katakana) and the kun-yomi is the Japanese's creation after importing the kanji god-knows-how-many-milleniums ago. :3[/b]

Actually, they imported the kanji in the 6th or 7th century :P