Japanese Kanji Power. John Millen

      3

      七

      seven

      シチ SHICHI なな nana なな • つ nana(tsu) *なの nano

      The character 七，represented an ancient way of signaling seven, using the hands. Think of this character as a combination of five fingers and two.

      GR1 N5 AP

      Example Sentences

      1. 七月七日は七夕です。

      Shichigatsu nanoka wa tanabata desu.

      July 7 is the Tanabata Festival.

      2. この本は七千円しました。

      Kono hon wa nanasen-en shimashita.

      This book cost seven thousand yen.

      3. 七つ目の駅で降りてください。

      Nanatsume no eki de orite kudasai.

      Please get off at the seventh station.

      4. 一週間は七日です。

      Isshūkan wa nanoka desu.

      There are seven days in a week.

      5. あの歌手は七色の声をもっている。

      Ano kashu wa nanairo no koe o motte iru.

      That singer can use many different voices.

Common Compounds and Phrases
七月	shichigatsu	July
七時	shichiji	seven o'clock
七五三	shichigosan	festival (November 15) for children aged 3, 5 and 7
七千	nanasen	seven thousand
七つ目	nanatsume	the seventh (one)
*七日	nanoka	seven days; the seventh day of the month
*七夕	Tanabata	the Tanabata (Star) Festival

      4

      十

      ten

      ジユウ JŪ ジッ JI' とお to と to

      In the character 十, 一 represents east-west, while I represents north-south; thus, 十 signifies all directions. The idea of complete and the association of the number ten derived from this meaning.

      GR1 N5 AP

      Example Sentences

      1. 十月の祭日はいつですか。

      Jūgatsu no saijitsu wa itsu desu ka.

      When is the public holiday in October?

      2. 準備体操を十分にして下さい。

      Junbi taisō o jūbun ni shite kudasai.

      Don't rush through your warm up.

      3. 駅まで歩いて十分です。

      Eki made aruite juppun (jippun) desu.

      It's a ten-minute walk to the station.

      4. 今年の春休みは十日間でした。

      Kotoshi no haru-yasumi wa tōkakan deshita.

      My spring vacation this year was ten days long.

      5. 食べ物の好みは十人十色。

      Tabemono no konomi OA jūnin tiro.

      When it comes to food, there are so many people, and so many tastes.

Common Compounds and Phrases
十月	jūgatsu	October
十分	jubun	enough; plenty of
十分	juppun, jippun	ten minutes
十人	jūnin	ten people
十分の一	jūbun no ichi	one-tenth
十五夜	jūgoya	a night with a full moon
十日	tōka	ten days; the tenth day of the month

      5

      人

      man; people

      ジンJIN ニン NIN ひと hito

      The character 人 represents a side view of a person

      GR1 N5 AP

      Example Sentences

      1. 妻はドイツ人です。

      Tsuma wa Doitsujin desu.

      My wife is German.

      2. ご家族は何人ですか。

      Gokazoku wa nannin desu ka.

      How many people are there in your family?

      3. ここは人が多い。

      Koko wa hito ga ōi.

      There are many people here.

      4. 人のせいにしないで。

      Hito no sei ni shinai de.

      Don't blame it on somebody else!

      5. このレストランはとても人気がある。

      Kono resutoran wa totemo ninki ga aru.

      This restaurant is very popular.

Common Compounds and Phrases
ドイツ人	Doitsujin	a German; the Germans
日本人	Nihonjin	a Japanese person; the Japanese
何人	nan-nin	How many people?
人気	ninki	popularity
*一人	hitori	one person; alone
*大人	otona	adult
*仲人	nakōdo	a go-between, matchmaker

      6

      二

      two

      ニ NI ふた futa ふた • つ futa(tsu)

      Two lines are used to indicate the number two.

      GR1 N5 AP

      Example Sentences

      1. 明日の午後ニ時に会いましょう。

      Ashita no gogo niji ni aimashō.

      Let's meet at 2:00 P.M. tomorrow.

      2. 二月に二人目の子供が生まれる。

      Nigatsu ni futarime no kodomo ga umareru.

      My second child will be born in February.

      3. 日本語検定の二級に受かった。

      Nihongo kentei no nikyū ni ukatta.

      I passed the second level of the Japanese language examination.

      4. 二度と同じ失敗を繰り返すな。

      Nido to onaji shippai o kurikaesu na.

      Don't make the same mistake again (a second time)!

      5. むこうに山がニつ見えます。

      Mukō ni yama ga futatsu miemasu.

      You