ハン HAN なか • ば naka(ba)
The character 羊 depicts a cow キ being split
GR2 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. ケーキを半分に切った。
Kēki o hanbun ni kitta.
I cut the cake in half.
2. 番組の前半を見なかった。
Bangumi no zenhan o minakatta.
I missed the first half of the program.
3. 六時半に学校で会おう。
Rokuji han ni gakkō de aō.
Let's meet at school at 6:30.
4. このリボン、中途半端な長さだなあ。
Kono ribon, chūto hanpa na nagasa da nā.
This ribbon is such an awkward length.
5. 七月の半ばに友だちが来る。
Shichigatsu no nakaba ni tomodachi ga kuru.
A friend is visiting around the middle of July.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 半分 | hanbun | half |
| 前半 | zenhan | the first half, period |
| 後半 | kōhan | the latter half |
| 半島 | hantō | a peninsula |
| 下半身 | kahanshin | the lower half of one's body |
| 半額 | hangaku | half the amount (price) |
| 中途半端 | chūto hanpa | halfway; incomplete |
51
母
mother
ボ BO *モ MO はは haha
The character 母 derived from a pictograph of a seated woman. The two dots represent the breasts.
GR2 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. 母国語は絶対に忘れないそうです。
Bokokugo wa zettai ni wasurenai sō desu.
They say that you can't possibly forget your mother tongue.
2. 保母さんになりたいと思います。
Hobosan ni naritai to omoimasu.
I'd like to become a nursery school teacher.
3. 母は五年前に亡くなりました。
Haha wa gonen mae ni nakunarimashita.
My mother died five years ago.
4. お母さん、私のお弁当はどこ？
Okāsan, watashi no obentō wa doko?
Mom, where's my box lunch?
5. 叔母に茶道を習っています。
Oba ni sadō o naratte imasu.
I'm learning the tea ceremony from my aunt.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 母国語 | bokokugo | one's mother tongue |
| 保母(さん) | hobo(san) | a kindergarten teacher |
| 祖母 | sobo | one's grandmother |
| 母校 | boko | one's alma mater |
| 母親 | hahaoya | one's mother |
| *わ母亡ん | okāsan | mother; mom |
| *叔母 | oba | an aunt |
52
北
north
ホク HOKU きた kita
The character 北 depicts two people sitting back-to-back, a reference to turning one's back and fleeing to the north.
Example Sentences
1. まっすぐ北に行けばその町に着きますよ。
Massugu kita ni ikeba sono machi ni tsukimasu yo.
If you go directly north, you'll reach that town.
2. 選挙ではじめて敗北した。
Senkyo de hajimete haiboku shita.
He suffered his first defeat in the election.
3. 北半球と南半球では季節が反対です。
Kita-hankyū to minami-hankyū de wa kisetsu ga hantai desu.
Seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are reversed.
4. 外は寒い北風が吹いている。
Soto wa samui kitakaze ga fuite iru.
There's a cold north wind blowing outside.
5. 温暖化の影響で北極の氷が溶け始めている。
Ondanka no eikyō de hokkyoku no kōri ga tokehajimete iru.
The ice in the North Pole has begun to melt because of global warming.
GR2 N5 AP
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 北上 | hokujō | going north |
| 敗北 | haiboku | a defeat; a setback |
| 北極 | hokkyoku | the North Pole |
| 北半球 | kita-hankyū | the Northern Hemisphere |
| 北風 | kitakaze | a north wind |
| 北向き | kitamuki | facing north |
| *北京 | Pekin | Beijing (a place) |
53
本
book; main; origin
ホン HON もと
