On and Kun

[ben]

Can some one explain which is used more often or do you use both alot?
I think that On was taken from the chinese pronounciation and changed a little to fit japanese and Kun is changed to japans own splling and pronounciation.

i'm wrong but, what is the difference?

[Daisuke]

[NEVER MIND]... I must learn to shut up sometimes.

[Sunny Pig]

Kun readings are the native Japanese readings for Kanji. Kanji with okurigana 「送仮名」are read by its Kun readings.

For example: 「支える」- ささえる

On readings are the Japanese approximations of original Chinese pronunciations and are used on words that are "borrowed" from Chinese. Around 50% of the Japanese vocabulary originated from Chinese.

For example: 「支援」- しえん

Usually Kanji with no okurigana are pronounced by their On readings. However, there are irregularities.

The character 「火」has a On reading of 「か」and a Kun reading of「ひ」.
For the word 「火花」, which means "sparks", one might expect it to be read using a On reading of 「か」, but it is actually read as 「ひばな」using the Kun readings

There are also rare cases where a mixture of On and Kun readings are used on a 2 Kanji word.

「手本」- Tehon (Te is kun reading of 手, Hon is On reading of 本)

For more information, try this webpage
http://www.cjvlang.com/Writing/writsys/writjpn.html

[hihlordjp]

Sunny Pigさん, I believe you've mistakenly switched around the combination 花火...

[Sunny Pig]

花火（はなび）and 火花（ひばな）. Both of these exists. The first one means fireworks and the latter means sparks. Both uses Kun readings.

[hihlordjp]

Sunny Pig wrote:
花火（はなび）and 火花（ひばな）. Both of these exists. The first one means fireworks and the latter means sparks. Both uses Kun readings.

Ah, then it is I who am mistaken. :p Pardon me. Maybe it's because all I saw was the latter combination in your previous post.

[ben]

I'm sorry Daisuke.

What did I do this time?

Is it because i didn't go to this site and look at the resources here?

Sorry, but i just feel that it's easier to learn if im actually talking to someone. If i can get their openion.

(Thanks for helping!)

[hihlordjp]

Ben, I think it's because there are already other threads on your topic. Anyway, I'm not really sure. :p I agree though that learning through interaction is much better than just learning by reading by yourself.

[ben]

We are all different...

[Daisuke]

... I didn't say you did anything wrong! I posted an answer, but deleted it again because i thought someone else could explain it better.

[ben]

Thanks Daisuke, I must be a real pain...

[Daisuke]

Not at all

[ben]

ok!