Start Learning Japanese in the next 30 Seconds with
a Free Lifetime Account

Or sign up using Facebook

What Is Yomi? On-yomi And Kun/kon-yomi?

Moderators: Moderator Team, Admin Team

JamieJoystick
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 15
Joined: September 28th, 2008 12:19 am

What Is Yomi? On-yomi And Kun/kon-yomi?

Postby JamieJoystick » September 28th, 2008 4:33 am

I cant remember if it was kun or kon yomi, sorry.

But anyway, what is it?

i figured its the kanji readings but thats all i got out of it?

QuackingShoe
Expert on Something
Posts: 368
Joined: December 2nd, 2007 4:06 am

Postby QuackingShoe » September 28th, 2008 5:28 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanji#Readings
onyomi (音読み) are readings imported from the Chinese with the characters they were attached to. kunyomi (訓読み) are native Japanese readings attached to the characters after import.
Well, theoretically.

Get 40% OFF
JamieJoystick
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 15
Joined: September 28th, 2008 12:19 am

Postby JamieJoystick » September 28th, 2008 5:45 am

Oh Right. I See.

So How Can You Tell Which Of The Reading Is Kun-yomi Or On-yomi?

QuackingShoe
Expert on Something
Posts: 368
Joined: December 2nd, 2007 4:06 am

Postby QuackingShoe » September 28th, 2008 6:15 am

You can guess by how it's used (as described on the website), and simply how it sounds (you rapidly learn to tell the difference between Chinese-derived and Japanese-derived sounds; they're just different), but also any dictionary that lists the readings of a kanji writes the onyomi in katakana and the kunyomi in hiragana. Or in those (blurgh) romaji ones, I believe onyomi are ALL CAPS, but I might have it the other way around, it's been a long time since I've seen one.

JamieJoystick
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 15
Joined: September 28th, 2008 12:19 am

Postby JamieJoystick » September 28th, 2008 6:22 am

Oh K. Yea I Understand How You Could See The Difference When Its Written.

I Suppose Telling Them Apart Will Come With Practise.

Thanks For Your Help.

Return to “JapanesePod101 Listener's Lounge”