Word of the Day: Tsuranari 連なり 【つらなり】 (Noun) A series (of something).
Kanji Info: 連
Notes: 連 forms the root of several verbs and appears in compounds relating to connection: 連なる【つらなる】(to extend, stretch out, stand in a row), 連ねる【つらねる】 (to link, join), 連れる【連れる】 (to lead), 連絡【れんらく】 (to contact, get in touch), 労連【ろうれん】 (labor union), 国連【こくれん】 (The U.N.)
Word of the Day: Honkakuteki 本格的 【ほんかくてき】 (Na Adjective) Regular, normal.
Kanji Info:
本
格
的
Notes:本【ほん】 means “book” by itself and is also the counter for cylindrical objects. 基本【きほん】 means “basic” and 本物【ほんもの】 means “the genuine article”.
格 appears in the words 合格【ごうかく】 (success) and 性格【せいかく】 (personality).
的 can be read as 【まと】 (target) by itself, and as 【てき】 (-like, typical of) when used as a suffix.
Word of the Day: Koeru 越える 【こえる】 (Intransitive Verb) to cross or pass.
Kanji Info: 越
Notes: 越 also appears in verbs like 引っ越す【ひっこす】 (to change residence) and 乗り越える【のりこえる】 (to climb over). There is also the amazing compound 呉越同舟【ごえつどうしゅう】: two enemies placed by fate in the same boat. More amazing: the dictionary claims this is a commonly-used word.
Word of the Day: Zairyou 材料 【ざいりょう】 (noun) Ingredients.
Kanji Info: 材 料
Notes: 材 【ざい】 is listed as meaning lumber, talented person, and raw materials by itself. It appears in compounds like 題材【だいざい】 (subject), 人材【じんざい】 (talented person), and 教材【きょうざい】 (teaching materials).
By itself 料【りょう】 means material or fee. 料 appears in several very common words: 料理【りょうり】 (cooking), 授業料【じゅぎょうりょう】 (tuition), 給料【きゅうりょう】 (salary).
Word of the Day: Taikutsu 退屈 【たいくつ】 (Noun, Na Adjective)
Kanji Info: 退 屈
Notes: 退 appears in the intransitive verb 退く 【のく】 (to step aside, resign) and the transitive verb 退ける 【のける】 (to remove, take away). It often appears in compounds relating to retirement, resignation or departure: 退学【たいがく】 (quitting school), 退院【たいいん】 (leaving the hospital), and 退役 【たいえき】 (retirement from the military).
屈 appears in compounds like 不屈【ふくつ】 (persistence), 卑屈【ひくつ】 (menial), and 理屈【りくつ】 (theory).
Word of the Day: Saidai 最大 【さいだい】 (Noun, na adjective) Greatest, maximum.
Kanji Info: 最 大
Notes: 最 is used in a lot of compounds describing superlatives: 最悪 【さいあく】 (the worst), 最高 【さいこう】 (the highest), 最強 【さいきょう】 (the strongest).
大 means large and appears in the adjective 大きい 【おおきい】 (large). It appears in words like 大人 【おとな】 (adult), 大名 【だいみょう】 (Daimyou), and 大家 【たいか】 (expert).
Word of the Day: Maigo 迷子 【まいご】 (Noun.) Lost/stray child.
Kanji Info: 迷 子
Notes: 迷 is the first character in 迷う 【まよう】 (to lose one’s way). 迷 appears in compounds as diverse as 迷惑 【めいわく】 (bother, annoyance), 迷彩 【めいさい】 (camouflage, disguise), 迷信 【めいしん】 (superstition), and 迷宮【めいきゅう】(maze, labrynth).
子 is read 【こ】 by itself and means “child.” It appears in too many compounds to list here, but for the sake of comparison with 迷宮, 子宮 【しきゅう】 means womb or uterus. It also appears in several scientific terms not related to reproduction: 電子【でんし】 (electron), 原子【げんし】 (atom), 振り子【ふりこ】 (pendulum). Other compounds include 帽子【ぼうし】 (hat) and 障子【しょうじ】 (paper sliding door).
