What is the difference between Kunyomi and Onyomi?

[benbot]

What is the difference between Kunyomi and Onyomi?

I know one is the japanese reading, but am not sure which one.

Thanks
Ben

[i_broke_down]

The kunyomi is the Japanese reading of the kanji. The Onyomi is the Chinese reading of the kanji.

When multiple kanji appear in the same word it's typically read with the onyomi pronounciations, and typically when kanji appear as a single kanji in a word it's read as kunyomi.

However there are a lot of exceptions.

[benbot]

Thanks for your reply,

seems confusing to me... hopefully in time i will understand it.

Ben

[i_broke_down]

I usually don't really worry about which is which... just when I learn a new way to use a kanji I'll remember how to use it there...

like　銀行　 ぎんこう　
or　　飛行機 ひこうき

and 　行く　　　いく

I learned いく first, as that is the verb to go. But later on I learned ぎんこう　which is the noun for bank. It doesn't really matter to me which is the kunyomi or which is the onyomi, I just know when I see these written in a sentence that's the way I need to read it because I've memorized that kanji in these words.

So now that I've got these words memorized I can guess that こう is the onyomi reading and い　is the kunyomi reading of 行. But it really doesn't matter so much unless I was taking a test on it or something I suppose.

[Psy]

In the vast majority of cases, on'yomi is utilized for compound words (two kanji instead of kanji+kana) and a good deal of them originated (hence "Chinese" readings) in China. Additionally, all on'yomi are either 1 or 2 kana (3 if you include diphthongs/sokuon).

It can be helpful to distinguish the on'yomi from the kun'yomi as your reading comprehension improves-- most characters only have one or two on'yomi, so when you encounter a new compound word, you can often guess the proper pronunciation and get an idea of meaning based on the characters themselves. For example, if I rip a headline from the Asahi:

肝炎救済法案、国の責任・謝罪を前文に　与党案
kan'en kyuusai houan, kuni no sekinin, shazai wo zenbun ni yotou-an

I've not seen the word 肝炎 before, but since it's a compound, and I know the readings are kan and en, I can guess the word to be kan'en which, of course, it is. A lot of difficult vocabulary can be digested (comparatively) easily if you crack down on the on'yomi, and you'll feel good about yourself when you're out parsing such headlines. This cannot be done with the kun'yomi as there are a baffling number of exceptions, including the dark and demonic monster known as ateji which has given us such memorable words as 西瓜 (suika) and 秋刀魚 (samma).

As it is, I wouldn't worry much, but I think it'd be good for you to make a mental note of this.