Understanding Kanji Compounds
Kanji compounds (็่ช - jukugo) are words formed by combining two or more kanji characters. At the N2 level, you need to understand approximately 1,000 kanji and recognize how they combine to form compound words with specific meanings. This section covers essential N2-level kanji compounds and their readings.
๐ฏ Types of Kanji Compounds
1. On-yomi + On-yomi Compounds
Most common type where both kanji use Chinese readings:
ๅญฆ็ (ใใใใ) - student
ๅญฆ (gaku - learning) + ็ (sei - life/person)
ไผ็คพ (ใใใใ) - company
ไผ (kai - meeting) + ็คพ (sha - company)
ๅณๆธ้คจ (ใจใใใใ) - library
ๅณ (to - diagram) + ๆธ (sho - book) + ้คจ (kan - building)
2. Kun-yomi + Kun-yomi Compounds
Both kanji use Japanese readings:
ๆๆฅ (ใใใฒ) - morning sun
ๆ (asa - morning) + ๆฅ (hi - sun)
ๅค็ผใ (ใใใใ) - sunset glow
ๅค (yuu - evening) + ็ผใ (yake - burning)
3. Mixed Compounds (้็ฎฑ่ชญใฟใปๆนฏๆกถ่ชญใฟ)
Combinations of on-yomi and kun-yomi readings:
ๅ ดๆ (ใฐใใ) - place
ๅ ด (ba - on-yomi) + ๆ (sho - kun-yomi)
ๅฐๆ (ใ ใใฉใใ) - kitchen
ๅฐ (dai - on-yomi) + ๆ (dokoro - kun-yomi)
๐ Essential N2 Kanji Compounds by Category
Business & Work (ไปไบ)
ไผๆฅญ (ใใใใ) - enterprise, company
็ตๅถ (ใใใใ) - management, administration
ๅฅ็ด (ใใใใ) - contract
ๅถๆฅญ (ใใใใใ) - business, sales
ๅๅผ (ใจใใฒใ) - transaction, business deal
่ทๅ ด (ใใใใฐ) - workplace
็ตฆๆ (ใใ
ใใใใ) - salary
ๆ้ฒ (ใใใใใ) - promotion
้่ท (ใใใใใ) - retirement, resignation
ๆฑไบบ (ใใ
ใใใ) - job opening, recruitmentEducation & Learning (ๆ่ฒ)
่ฌ็พฉ (ใใใ) - lecture
่ฉฆ้จ (ใใใ) - examination, test
ๅๆ ผ (ใใใใ) - pass (an exam)
ไธๅๆ ผ (ใตใใใใ) - fail (an exam)
ๆ็ธพ (ใใใใ) - grades, results
่ชฒ้ก (ใใ ใ) - assignment, task
็ ็ฉถ (ใใใใ
ใ) - research
่ซๆ (ใใใถใ) - thesis, paper
ๅฐ้ (ใใใใ) - specialty, major
ๅฅจๅญฆ้ (ใใใใใใใ) - scholarshipSociety & Daily Life (็คพไผ)
ไบค้ (ใใใคใ) - traffic, transportation
็ฐๅข (ใใใใใ) - environment
ๅ้ก (ใใใ ใ) - problem, issue
่งฃๆฑบ (ใใใใค) - solution, resolution
ๅฝฑ้ฟ (ใใใใใ) - influence, effect
ๅคๅ (ใธใใ) - change, transformation
ๅขๅ (ใใใ) - increase
ๆธๅฐ (ใใใใใ) - decrease
ๆฉไผ (ใใใ) - opportunity, chance
ๆกไปถ (ใใใใใ) - condition, termsEmotions & States (ๆๆ )
ๅฟ้
(ใใใฑใ) - worry, concern
ๅฎๅฟ (ใใใใ) - relief, peace of mind
ๆบ่ถณ (ใพใใใ) - satisfaction
ไธๅฎ (ใตใใ) - anxiety, uneasiness
ๆๅพ
(ใใใ) - expectation, hope
ๅคฑๆ (ใใคใผใ) - disappointment
ๆๅ (ใใใฉใ) - emotion, impression
่ๅณ (ใใใใฟ) - interest
็ทๅผต (ใใใกใใ) - tension, nervousness
้ฉใ (ใใฉใใ) - surpriseActions & Activities (ๅไฝ)
ๅๅ (ใใใ) - participation
ๅๅ (ใใใใใใ) - cooperation
่ชฌๆ (ใใคใใ) - explanation
็ขบ่ช (ใใใซใ) - confirmation
ๆบๅ (ใใ
ใใณ) - preparation
ๅฎ่ก (ใใฃใใ) - execution, implementation
็ถ็ถ (ใใใใ) - continuation
ไธญๆญข (ใกใ
ใใ) - cancellation, suspension
ๅปถๆ (ใใใ) - postponement
็ฆๆญข (ใใใ) - prohibition, banTime & Duration (ๆ้)
ๆ้ (ใใใ) - period, term
ๆ้ (ใใใ) - deadline, time limit
็ฌ้ (ใใ
ใใใ) - moment, instant
ๆฐธ้ (ใใใใ) - eternity
ๅฝๆ (ใจใใ) - at that time, then
็พๅจ (ใใใใ) - present, now
้ๅป (ใใ) - past
ๆชๆฅ (ใฟใใ) - future
ๆ่ฟ (ใใใใ) - recently, lately
ๅฐๆฅ (ใใใใใ) - future, prospects๐ Common Reading Patterns
Compounds with ็ (ใฆใ)
Creates adjectives meaning "-tic, -al, -ive":
ๅบๆฌ็ (ใใปใใฆใ) - basic, fundamental
ๅ
ทไฝ็ (ใใใใฆใ) - concrete, specific
ไธ่ฌ็ (ใใฃใฑใใฆใ) - general, common
็ๆณ็ (ใใใใฆใ) - ideal
็ตๆธ็ (ใใใใใฆใ) - economical
ๅนๆ็ (ใใใใฆใ) - effective
็ฉๆฅต็ (ใใฃใใใใฆใ) - positive, active
ๆถๆฅต็ (ใใใใใใใฆใ) - passive, negativeCompounds with ๆง (ใใ)
Creates nouns meaning "-ity, -ness, nature":
ๅฏ่ฝๆง (ใใฎใใใ) - possibility
้่ฆๆง (ใใ
ใใใใใ) - importance
ๅฟ
่ฆๆง (ใฒใคใใใใ) - necessity
ๅฑ้บๆง (ใใใใใ) - danger, risk
ๅๆง (ใใใ) - individuality
ๆงๆ ผ (ใใใใ) - personality, character
็นๆง (ใจใใใ) - characteristic, propertyCompounds with ๅ (ใ)
Creates verbs/nouns meaning "-ization, transformation":
ๅคๅ (ใธใใ) - change
ๅฝ้ๅ (ใใใใใ) - internationalization
็พไปฃๅ (ใใใ ใใ) - modernization
ๆ
ๅ ฑๅ (ใใใใปใใ) - informatization
ๅผทๅ (ใใใใ) - strengthening
ๆชๅ (ใใฃใ) - deterioration
ๆๅ (ใถใใ) - culture๐ก Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Match Compounds
Match the kanji compound with its meaning:
1. ็ตๆธ (ใใใใ) A. environment
2. ็ฐๅข (ใใใใใ) B. economy
3. ๆฟๆฒป (ใใใ) C. society
4. ็คพไผ (ใใใใ) D. politics
5. ๆๅ (ใถใใ) E. culture
Answers: 1-B, 2-A, 3-D, 4-C, 5-EExercise 2: Reading Practice
Read the following compounds and identify their readings:
1. ไผๆฅญ โ (ใใใใ)
2. ๆบๅ โ (ใใ
ใใณ)
3. ๅฝฑ้ฟ โ (ใใใใใ)
4. ็ขบ่ช โ (ใใใซใ)
5. ๅฐๆฅ โ (ใใใใใ)
6. ๅๅ โ (ใใใใใใ)
7. ๆ้ โ (ใใใ)
8. ๆบ่ถณ โ (ใพใใใ)Exercise 3: Fill in the Blank
Complete the sentences with appropriate kanji compounds:
ใใฎ___ใฏๆฅ้ฑใพใงใงใใ
Answer: ๆ้ (ใใใ) - This deadline is until next week.
___ใๆชใใฆใ่ฉฆ้จใซ่ฝใกใใ
Answer: ๆ็ธพ (ใใใใ) - My grades were bad, so I failed the exam.
๐ฏ Key Takeaways
- On-yomi dominance: Most N2 compounds use on-yomi readings
- Pattern recognition: Learn common suffixes like ็ใๆงใๅ
- Context matters: Same kanji can have different readings in compounds
- Semantic meaning: Understanding component kanji helps deduce meaning
- Category learning: Study compounds by topic for better retention
- Reading practice: Regular exposure improves recognition speed
- Compound formation: Learn rules for how kanji combine
- Exception awareness: Some compounds have irregular readings