kanji

Meaning

Surprise, Surprised

Reading

Parts

馬Horse 敬Respect

Example Word

驚かす: surprise. The Japanese verb '驚かす (おどろかす)' means 'to surprise' or 'to astonish'. It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object. This verb is used when someone causes another person to feel surprised or shocked, often intentionally. For example: He surprised his friend with a gift「彼は友達をプレゼントで驚かした」(かれはともだちをぷれぜんとでおどろかした). The loud noise surprised everyone「大きな音がみんなを驚かした」(おおきなおとがみんなをおどろかした). The verb can also imply a sense of startling someone, as in: She startled me by suddenly appearing「彼女が突然現れて私を驚かした」(かのじょがとつぜんあらわれてわたしをおどろかした). Note that the verb '驚く (おどろく)' is the intransitive form, meaning 'to be surprised'.

Radical

馬

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

410

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Cage, Basket

Reading

Parts

⺮Bamboo (竹)龍

Example Word

籠もる: seclude. The Japanese verb '籠もる (こもる)' means 'to seclude oneself' or 'to stay indoors'. It is often used to describe someone staying inside a place, such as a room or house, for an extended period of time, either by choice or due to external circumstances. For example: he secluded himself in his room「彼は部屋に籠もった」(かれはへやにこもった). During the storm, we stayed indoors「嵐の間、私たちは家に籠もっていた」(あらしのあいだ、わたしたちはいえにこもっていた). This verb can also imply a sense of isolation or withdrawal from the outside world.

Radical

竹

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

712

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Attack, Inherit

Reading

Parts

衣Clothes 龍

Example Word

襲う: attack. The Japanese verb '襲う (おそう)' primarily means 'to attack'. This verb is used to describe a sudden and often violent action against someone or something. It can refer to physical attacks, such as an animal attacking a person, or more abstract forms of attack, like a sudden storm or a wave of emotions. For example: The bear attacked the hiker「熊がハイカーを襲った」(くまがハイカーをおそった). A sudden feeling of sadness attacked her「突然の悲しみが彼女を襲った」(とつぜんのかなしみがかのじょをおそった). The verb can also be used metaphorically to describe being overwhelmed by something, such as a wave of nostalgia or a sudden realization.

Radical

衣

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1102

Handwriting