Onyomi vs Kunyomi: Kanji Readings Explained

One of the first kanji surprises: a single character can be read several ways. These readings fall into two families.

Onyomi (音読み) — the “sound” reading

Derived from the original Chinese pronunciation, onyomi is usually used when a kanji appears in a compound with other kanji. Example: 学 is read gaku in 学校 (gakkō, school).

Kunyomi (訓読み) — the “meaning” reading

The native Japanese reading, usually used when the kanji stands alone or with hiragana okurigana. Example: 学 is read mana(bu) in 学ぶ (manabu, to learn).

A rule of thumb

• Kanji + kanji compound → often onyomi.
• Kanji + hiragana (verb/adjective) → often kunyomi.

Don''t over-drill readings alone

Rather than memorising every reading in isolation, learn the common words each kanji appears in. The right reading comes naturally with vocabulary.