noun
Uncommon
kun
Kun (noun) means In Japanese, the way of reading a kanji character according to its native Japanese meaning, rather than its borrowed Chinese-derived sound. Example: “The character for 'mountain' has a kun reading of 'yama' and an on reading closer to the original Chinese.”
noun
1
In Japanese, the way of reading a kanji character according to its native Japanese meaning, rather than its borrowed Chinese-derived sound.
"The character for 'mountain' has a kun reading of 'yama' and an on reading closer to the original Chinese."
"Beginners often struggle with knowing whether to use the kun or on reading of a kanji."
"Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun"."
How to use kun
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe native-Japanese pronunciation of a kanji, as opposed to its Chinese-based 'on' pronunciation.
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The character for 'mountain' has a _____ reading of 'yama' and an on reading closer to the original Chinese.
Etymology
From Japanese 訓読み (kun'yomi), literally "meaning reading."
Frequently asked questions
What does “kun” mean?
The word “kun” means in Japanese, the way of reading a kanji character according to its native Japanese meaning, rather than its borrowed Chinese-derived sound. In plain terms, the native-Japanese pronunciation of a kanji, as opposed to its Chinese-based 'on' pronunciation.
How do you use “kun” in a sentence?
Here is “kun” used in a sentence: “The character for 'mountain' has a kun reading of 'yama' and an on reading closer to the original Chinese.”
What part of speech is “kun”?
“Kun” is a noun.
Where does the word “kun” come from?
The word “kun” comes from Japanese. From Japanese 訓読み (kun'yomi), literally "meaning reading.".
Is “kun” a common word?
“Kun” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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