JLPT N3 Kanji - 作, 課, 長 - Lesson 2

Alright, it's time for the second lesson!

In our first lesson, we just discussed some of the useful methods for studying kanji. This time we're going to make the "network of kanjis" so that we can remember them better. The video lesson is available on the RHJ channel too:

First, we'll take a kanji from the previous lesson: 作業 meaning "work". Let's take a deeper look into 作 and see where else it shows up.

• 作 - kun: つく、－づく - on: サク、サ
• 作る - つくる - to make something
• 物作り - ものづくり - craftsmanship, to make something by hands
• 作成 - さくせい - to create something
• 作曲 - さっきょく - to compose music
• 作戦 - さくせん - strategy

So, 作 is a very common, very versatile kanji that imparts the meaning of "creation". Let's look at some example sentences to understand better:

• 明日の試験のためにこの作戦を作りました
  あしたのしけん の ため にこのさくせんをつくりました
  I made this strategy for tomorrow's exam.
• 今月のレポートは作成中です
  こんげつのレポートはさくせいちゅうです
  This month's report is being drafted/prepared.
• 今日は物作りセンターでこの筆箱を作りました
  きょうはものづくり センターでこの ふでばこをつくりました
  I made this pencil box at the 'monozukuri center' today.

Hope you guys can get the feeling how to these words in practical situations. If you have any questions or confusions, please let me know in the comments. I'll try my best to answer them.

Let's move onto 課

• 課 - on: ka
• 課程 - かてい - (academic) course
• 課外活動 - かがいかつどう - extra-curricular activities
• １０課 - じゅうか - chapter 10 (of a book)

In my image, 課 is somehow always related to academics and it has a meaning of "component" or "section". Again, let's look at some example sentences:

• 今年から博士課程に入りました
  ことしからはくしかていにはいりました
  I entered the doctoral course from this year.
• 課外活動として色々なスポーツ競技に参加することがあります
  かがいかつどうとしていろいろなスポーツきょうぎにさんかすることがあります
  I have participated in various sports events as extra-curricular activities.

This kanji doesn't come around so often, definitely not as often as 作. Still, for people in academics, 課 is a very important kanji.

Next on our list is 長 - a very common kanji with 2 kunyomis and 1 onyomi. Although the onyomi (チョウ) is way more frequent than the kunyomi (なが), ironically ironically almost everyone just remembers the latter one. So today let's look at all the common usage of 長

• 長 - kun: なが、おさ - on: チョウ
• 課長 - かちょう - section chief
• 社長 - しゃちょう - company president
• 長期 - ちょうき - long-term
• 長い - ながい - long
• 村の長 - むらのおさ - village head (おさ is quite rare. 村長 - そんちょう is much more common)

We can clearly see that the most common use of 長 is as the mean of "boss" or "chief". The other usage is for "long". Finally, let's study some example sentences:

• 今日はね、石川君は遅れて課長にしかられた
  きょうはね、いしかわくんはおくれてかちょうにしかられた
  You know, today Ishikawa got scolded by the boss for being late. (casual expression)
• これは億万長者になるための長期計画のフェーズ１だよ
  これはおくまんちょうじゃになるためのちょういけいかくのフェーズ１だよ
  This is just the phase 1 of my long-term plan to become a billionaire. (casual expression)
•  実は、この実験用に細長いガラス棒が欲しいです
  じつは、このじっけんようにほそながいガラスぼうがほしいです
  Actually I want a thin and long glass rod for this experiment.

It's easy to understand how common 長 is in day-to-day conversations in the office, restaurant, supermarket or classroom. I hope you guys will feel confident while using the onyomi (チョウ) from now on!

Okay, with all kanjis of today's lesson combined, this is how the Kanji Map looks like:

Please remember to practice regularly, whether 10 minutes or 60 minutes doesn't matter. Just as long as you do it regularly, you will definitely improve your Japanese ability!
Thank you for reading today's notes and I'll see you next time!