48
本
Book, Origin, Main
もと (moto)
JLPT N5
Interesting Fact
"The Tale of Genji" was written in the early 11th century by Murasaki Shikibu, is often considered the world's first novel. The story follows the life of Prince Genji through romance, rivalry, heartbreak, and court politics. More than 1,000 years later, it remains one of Japan's most celebrated books and is still studied in schools and universities today.
Memory Trick
Kanji 本 is a tree (木) with a line marking its roots. The roots are the origin of the tree. Hence, Kanji 本, meaning origin or root.
Readings
Onyomi: ホン (hon)
Kunyomi: もと (moto)
Example Words
本
ほん (hon)
Book
日本
にほん (nihon)
Japan
本当
ほんとう (hontou)
Truth, really
一本
いっぽん (ippon)
One long object
Example Sentence
本を読んでいます。
ほん を よんでいます。
hon o yondeimasu
I am reading a book.