Kanji Kanji Kanji

Kanji Kanji Kanji

Kanji are Japanese characters, and one of three writing systems in Japanese.

漢字

What is Kanji?

Kana are basically the print and cursive alphabet of Japanese, a phonetic syllabary system. Kanji are Japanese symbols that represent whole words. Kanji symbols can stand alone, or combine with other kanji or kana to create more words, ideas, or turn a kanji into a verb. Their pronunciation and readings vary based on what other kanji or kana they’re connected with — that’s the difficult part. The easy part is that they make reading easier. Even if you don’t know how to pronounce the kanji, if you recognize it’s word meaning, you can get the idea of the sentence.

Multiple Choice

True or False

Kanji character represent a whole word or idea.

• True

• False

​Here are the Kanji characters for Japanese numbers.

Study these numbers carefully.

Match

Match the following

• 一

• 三

• 八

• 九

• 百

one

three

hachi

nine

100

• one

• three

• hachi

• nine

• 100

Match

Match the following.

• 二

• 七

• 十五

• 四十

• 三百

two

seven

fifteen

forty

300

• two

• seven

• fifteen

• forty

• 300

This is the Kanji character for age.

It is pronounced as sai.

​

Age

What is the meaning of this Kanji character?

​

時

Hint: It is pronounced as toki or ji.

​

時

Have you worked it out yet?

​

時

This is the kanji character for time.

It is pronounced as toki or ji

​

時

Multiple Choice

What does the following statement mean in English?

三才　の　時

• The time when I was 4 years old

• The time when I was 3 years old

• The time when I was 6 years old

• When I was 1 year old

Multiple Choice

What does the following statement mean in English?

六才　の　時

• The time when I was 4 years old

• The time when I was 3 years old

• The time when I was 6 years old

• When I was 8 years old

Multiple Choice

What does the following statement mean in English?

八才　の　時

• The time when I was 7 years old

• The time when I was 3 years old

• The time when I was 6 years old

• When I was 8 years old

Hotspot

What is a randoseru?

​The education system in Japan is called the “6-3-3-4” system. Elementary school is for 6 years, junior high school is for 3 years, high school is for 3 years, and university is for 4 years, so it is called “6-3-3-4.” Elementary and junior high school are “compulsory education.” After graduating from high school, some students choose to go to junior colleges or vocational schools.

​Study this image carefully.

Labelling

How many years is elementary school?

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

six years

two years

five years

seven years

Labelling

How many years in middle school?

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

six years

there is no middle school

four years

three years

Labelling

How many years is high school?

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

six years

five years

two years

three years

Let's look closely at the Kanji for school.

​

Kanji

学校

This is the kanji for school

It is pronounced as

gakkou

Kanji for school

小学校

This is the kanji for elementary

It is pronounced as

shougakkou

Kanji for Elementary School

Multiple Choice

If 学校 (gakkou) is school and 小学校　(shougakkou) is elementary school, what do you think 小 (shou) might mean?

• first

• small

• elementary school

• begin

中学校

This is the kanji for elementary

It is pronounced as

chuugakkou

Kanji for Middle School

Multiple Choice

If 学校 (gakkou) is school and 中学校　(chuugakkou) is middle school, what do you think 中 (chuu) might mean?

• middle

• around

• outside

• high

高校

This is the kanji for high school

It is pronounced as

koukou

Kanji for High School

Multiple Choice

If 学校 (gakkou) is school and 高校　(koukou) is middle school, what do you think 高 (kou) might mean?

• middle

• above

• small

• tall/high

Study this image closely

​

​Kanji for school

Match

Match the following Kanji with the correct translation.

• 学校

• 高校

• 小学校

• 中学校

school

highschool

elementary school

middle school

• school

• highschool

• elementary school

• middle school

Study this image closely

​

​Kanji for school

Match

Match the following Kanji with the correct translation.

• 高

• 中

• 小

• 学

tall/high

middle

small

learning

• tall/high

• middle

• small

• learning

Draw

Draw the Kanji for age.

Draw

Draw the Kanji for time.

Multiple Choice

時

• toki

• togi

• gito

• dogi

Multiple Choice

才

• sei

• sai

• sia

• asi

Match

Match the following

• 学校

• 時

• 高校

• 才

• 小学校

gakkou

toki

koukou

sai

shougakkou

• gakkou

• toki

• koukou

• sai

• shougakkou