Reading Kanji
Why one character can sound more than one way, and the kana that help.
One Character, More Than One Reading
Most kanji have at least two readings! The kun reading is the old Japanese word for what the character means. The on reading came from Chinese, along with the character itself.
So 山 alone is yama, its kun reading. Inside 富士山 it is san, its on reading. The word around a kanji tells you which one to use, so you pick them up one word at a time.
Kun やま(yama)On サンmountain
Kun かわ(kawa)On センriver
Kun ひ(hi)On ニチsun, day
A Little Help Above the Kanji
Small kana are often printed above a kanji to show how it sounds. This is called furigana.
You will see it throughout this app, so an unfamiliar kanji never has to stop you.