Mokkai

[springbacktolife]

My personal langblr since i figured keeping to my studies for one week so far means i can finally make one!

Tags:

N4 Kanji

N3 Kanji

N2 Kanji

N3 grammar

[tokidokitokyo]

保証

ほしょう

guarantee; security; assurance; pledge; warranty

これは正真正銘の九谷焼を保証いたします。 これ は しょうしんしょうめい の くたにやき を ほしょう いたします。 I guarantee that this is genuine Kutani ware.

[springbacktolife]

［N4] Kanji list for June 7

１５６ 近 NEAR, CLOSE

Readings: ちか、きん、こん 近い ちかい near, close, soon 最近 さいきん recently, nowadays

１５７ 送 SEND

Readings: おく、そう、 送る おくる to send, dispatch, to see someone off 配送 はいそう delivery

１５８ 通 PASS THROUGH

Readings: かよ、とお、つう 大通り おおどおり main street, avenue 通う かよう to commute 普通 ふつう usual, ordinary

１５９ 進 ADVANCE

Readings: すす、しん 進む すすむ to advance, to go forward 進化 しんか evolution

１６０ 運 CARRY, LUCK

Readings: はこ、うん 運ぶ はこぶ to carry, to move something 運動 うんどう exercise 運命 うん めい fate, destiny

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[tokidokitokyo]

寺院

じいん

① Buddhist temple

② religious building; church; cathedral; mosque

この寺院は七世紀からの物です。 この じいん は ななせいき から の もの です。 This temple dates from the 7th century.

[springbacktolife]

[N2] Kanji for June 4

１ 腕 ARM

Readings: うで、わん 腕前 うでまえ ability 上腕 じょうわん upper arm

２ 湾 GULF, BAY

Readings: わん 台湾 たいわん Taiwan

３ 和 JAPANESE、HARMONY

Readings: なご、やわ、わ、 和む なごむ to calm down, to be softened 和らげる やわらげる to soften, to moderate 和食 わしょく Japanese cuisine

４ 論 DISCOURSE

Readings: ろん 論文 ろんぶん thesis, essay, paper

５ 録 RECORD

Readings: ろく 録音 ろくおん audio recording

６ 老 OLD AGE

Readings: ろう 老人 ろうじん old person 老ける ふける to age 老いる おいる to age

７ 労 LABOR

Readings: いたわ*、ろう、 労働 ろうどう manual labor

８ 路 PATH

Readings: じ、みち*、ろ 大路 おおじ main street 道路 どうろ highway

９ 連 TAKE ALONG, JOIN

Readings: つ、つら、れん 連れ つれ companion 連なる つらなる to extend, to be linked, to enrol 関連 かんれん relation, connection

１０ 練 PRACTICE, POLISH

Readings: ね、れん 練る ねる to knead, to polish, to train 練習 れんしゅう practice, training

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

[N4] Kanji list for June 3

１５１ 赤 RED

Readings: せき、あか, しゃく 赤ちゃん あかちゃん baby, infant 赤道 せきどう equator 赤銅色 しゃくどういろ brown, tan

１５２ 走 RUN

Readings: はし、そう 走る はしる to run 御馳走さま ごちそうさま thank you for the meal

１５３ 起 WAKE UP

Readings: お、き、た 起きる おきる to get up, to wake up 起床 きしょう getting out of bed 起つ たつ to take action, to rise up　

１５４ 転 REVOLVE

Readings: ころ、てん 運転 うんてん driving, operating a machine 転ぶ ころぶ to fall down

１５５ 軽 LIGHT, LIGHTWEIGHT

Readings: かる、かろ、けい 軽い かるい light (weight), trivial 軽傷 けいしょう minor injury 軽やか かろやか light, easy

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[bluelightning42]

I wonder why the word for reptiles は虫類 has the kanji for insect 虫 in it?

[tokidokitokyo]

Oooh, pick me! *raises hand*

Because in ancient China they grouped everything like snakes and insects into 虫 without it really meaning "insect" but rather a garbage can term for anything not mammal, bird, or fish. So this has carried on through many other words, such as 爬虫類.

That's why you can write octopus (たこ) as 蛸 with the 虫 radical.

Some more info: https://bestiary.japanesewithanime.com/animals/mushi

[springbacktolife]

Another fun use of 虫 is 虫歯 (むしば) which is tooth decay.

[springbacktolife]

［N4] Kanji list for June 1

１４６ 計 MEASUREMENT

Readings: はか、けい 時計 とけい clock, watch 計る はかる to measure

１４７ 試 ATTEMPT

Readings: こころ、ため、し 試合 しあい match, game 試す ためす to try out 試みる こころみる to try, to attempt

１４８ 説 THEORY

Readings: と、せつ 小説 しょうせつ novel 説く とく to explain

１４９ 貸 LEND

Readings: か、たい 貸す かす to lend, to loan, to rent out 貸与 たいよ loan, lending

１５０ 質 QUALITY

Readings: しつ、しち、ち 質問 しつもん question 質屋 しちや pawnshop　 言質 げんち pledge

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

[N4] Kanji list for May 31

１４１ 英 ENGLISH/ENGLAND

Readings: えい 英語 えいご English language

１４２ 茶 TEA

Readings: ちゃ、さ 紅茶 こうちゃ black tea 喫茶店 きっさてん coffee shop, tearoom

１４３ 菜 VEGETABLE

Readings: な、さい 野菜 やさい vegetable 菜っ葉 なっぱ greens, leafy vegetables

１４４ 薬 MEDICINE

Readings: くすり、やく 薬 くすり medicine 薬局 やっきょく pharmacy

１４５ 親 PARENT

Readings: おや、した、しん 母親 ははおや mother 両親 りょうしん parents 親しい したしい close (in relation, or friendly)

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

May 30, 2026 (progress)

Went for extra vocab in my morning self-study session.

For evening studies with my buddy (back to it after a break), we studied one N3 grammar topic (お陰で) and practiced writing 5 N4 Kanji.

考 者 肉 自 色

[springbacktolife]

[N4] Kanji list for May 30

１３６ 考 THINK

Readings: かんが、こう 考える かんがえる to think 参考 さんこう reference, consultation

１３７ 者 SOMEONE

Readings: もの、しゃ 若者 わかもの young person 医者 いしゃ doctor

１３８ 肉 MEAT

Readings: にく 牛肉 ぎゅうにく beef

１３９ 自 SELF

Readings: じ、し、みずから 自分 じぶん myself, oneself 自然 しぜん nature 自ら みずから oneself, personally

１４０ 色 COLOR

Readings: いろ、しき、しょく 茶色 ちゃいろ brown 景色 けしき scenery, landscape 特色 とくしょく characteristic, feature

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

May 29, 2026 (progress)

Only had time for SRS today. Still hoping that one of these days these N2 and N1 kanji get set properly in my head so i don't get so many of them wrong 😭

[springbacktolife]

[N4] Kanji list for May 23

１３１ 究 RESEARCH

Readings: きわ、きゅう 研究 けんきゅう research 究める きわめる to investigate/research thoroughly

１３２ 答 ANSWER, REPLY

Readings: こた、とう 答え こたえ reply/response/answer 答案 とうあん exam sheet

１３３ 紙 PAPER

Readings: かみ、し 手紙 てがみ letter 和紙　 わし washi (Japanese paper)

１３４ 終 END

Readings: おわ、お、しゅう 終わり・終り おわり end/conclusion 最終 さいしゅう last, final

１３５ 習 LEARN

Readings: なら、しゅう 習う ならう to learn, to get trained 練習 れんしゅう practice/training

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

May 20, 2026 (progress)

Didn't get to self-study in the morning (I slept in) so I kept it for the end of the day.

For studying with my buddy today, we just did a news article. We've been translating N3 level articles for quite some time, so we tackled an N2 article again for a change. We are still not at the point to do it either confidently or fast (the increased difficulty is with the longer sentences and increased N1 level kanji and vocab), but we will keep at it. At the very least, working with more complex sentences is training our brain to figure out ways to understand with different tactics. We only did half of it today, so the rest will be wrapped up on Friday.

Self-study was again me catching up on SRS for vocab and kanji. I didn't learn any new Kanji today, but I did learn new vocab in the form of place names! Missed the time to take the screenshot for the kanji progress (but it was 205 kanji iirc).

Tomorrow is Thursday so I might do some grammar review from last week.

[springbacktolife]

May 19, 2026 (progress)

Self-study in bits only today. Was too tired to study anything else.

Honestly I was very tired to even do this much today, but I wanted to keep that streak going. So little by little I pushed at it, but of course that meant that combined with this exhaustion and me getting barely any sleep, I was too tired later in the day to study grammar etc. Gotta learn to pace myself.

[springbacktolife]

[N4] Kanji list for May 18:

１２６ 知

Readings:　し、ち 知識 ちしき knowledge, information お知らせ おしらせ notice, announcement (polite speech) ご存知 ごぞんじ know, be aware of (honorific speech)

１２７ 短

Readings:　みじか、たん 短い みじかい short, brief 最短 さいたん shortest

１２８ 研

Readings:　と、けん 研究 けんきゅう research 研ぐ とぐ to sharpen, to polish

１２９　私

Readings:　わたし、し 私 わたし I, me, etc 私立 しりつ private (establishment)

１３０ 秋

Readings:　あき、しゅう、 秋 あき autumn/fall 千秋 せんしゅう thousand autumns/years

References: List from Kanji.sh and words and meanings sourced from Renshuu.

Note: accompanying vocab is just limited to one simple word per reading, in order to aid memorization of the various readings. this list is not exhaustive and doesn't represent the N4 essential vocab.

* means that the kanji reading is not in common use/some other kanji is more commonly used for that reading and meaning instead

[springbacktolife]

May 18, 2026 (progress)

note at the start: I forgot to screenshot my progress so I have no record of doing it, but I did keep up my streak. Progress for today otherwise was:

Writing N4 kanji - 5

知 　短　研 　私 　秋

Studying N3 grammar - 1 (うちに）

Posts about that coming up in a bit.