【Japanese Language】9th Grade: Applications of Kanji and Vocabulary

Hello! To all 9th-grade students, you are well into your studies for entrance exams and regular tests.
You have learned many kanji up to this point, but in the 9th grade, you are expected to go beyond just "reading and writing"—you need to "master the ability to use them correctly according to the situation."

Some of you might feel that studying kanji and vocabulary is just tedious memorization. But, if you grasp the techniques, the world of words becomes as fun as a puzzle or a game. It might feel difficult at first, but don't worry! Let's check it out together, one step at a time.

1. Understand Kanji Compound Structures!

Once you know the "inner workings" of two-kanji and four-kanji compounds, it becomes much easier to guess their meanings.

■ Common Patterns in Two-Kanji Compounds

When you break down a compound, the relationship between the characters becomes clear.

  • Combination of similar meanings: "Zouka (Increase + Add)", "Ganseki (Rock + Stone)"
  • Combination of opposite meanings: "Kandan (Cold + Warm)", "Tashou (Many + Few)"
  • The top character modifies the bottom character: "Kaigai (Sea + Outside/Overseas)", "Nanmon (Difficult + Question)"
  • "〜 o / ni" (Object/Target) relationship: "Dokusho (Read + Book)", "Chakuseki (Arrive + Seat)"

【Pro-Tip!】
If you get a test question asking you to "choose the words with the same structure," try changing the kanji into their "kun-yomi" (native Japanese reading). For example, for "Tozan" (Mountain climbing), it becomes "yama ni noboru" (climb a mountain), so you can immediately see it follows the "〜 ni / o" pattern.

2. Tricky Homophones

Words that sound the same but have different meanings are a favorite topic for 9th-grade tests and entrance exams.

■ Common Mistakes and Confusing Sets

① "Igai" (意外) and "Igai" (以外)
・意外 (Unexpected): Different from what you thought. (Ex: It was unexpectedly easy.)
・以外 (Except for): Everything else excluding that. (Ex: No entry except for authorized personnel.)

② "Kaitou" (解答) and "Kaitou" (回答)
・解答 (Solution/Answer): Solving a problem to provide an answer. (Ex: Test answers.)
・回答 (Response/Reply): Responding to a question or request. (Ex: Responding to a survey.)

③ "Tsuikyuu" (追求), "Tsuikyuu" (追究), and "Tsuikyuu" (追及)
・追求 (Pursuit): Striving to obtain a goal. (Ex: Pursuing happiness.)
・追究 (Investigation/Inquiry): Researching something unknown to clarify it. (Ex: Pursuing the truth.)
・追及 (Questioning/Pressing): Pressing someone for responsibility or cornering them. (Ex: Pressing for responsibility.)

【Trivia】
When in doubt, focus on the meaning of the kanji itself! "究" means to "study/fathom," and "及" means to "reach/catch up with/corner." Each kanji is a hint to the meaning!

3. Idioms, Proverbs, and Four-Character Compounds

These are like "language shortcuts" that condense long explanations into short phrases. Using them in conversation or essays makes you sound more intellectual.

■ Idioms Using Body Parts

These are slightly advanced expressions you should learn for 9th grade.

  • "Hana ga takai" (High nose): To be proud or boastful. (Ex: I am proud of my younger brother for receiving an award.)
  • "Te o yaku" (Burn hands): To have trouble handling someone or something. (Ex: Having a hard time looking after the mischievous child.)
  • "Mi o ko ni suru" (Make body into powder): To work extremely hard without complaining about the hardships.

■ Must-Know Four-Character Compounds

  • Onko-chishin: Learning from the past to gain new knowledge or perspectives.
  • Shikou-sakugo: Trial and error; getting closer to the answer while repeating failures.
  • Tekizai-tekisho: The right person for the right job.

【Summary: Tips for Memorization】
Instead of just memorizing the visual characters, the shortcut is to imagine the situation in which you would use them and create your own example sentences. Thinking, "If I were in this situation, I'd say this to my friend," is the best memory trick.

4. Distinguishing Polysemous Words (Multiple Meanings)

Words that have multiple meanings are called "polysemous." This is great practice for reading comprehension and understanding context.

■ Example: Kanji for "Toru"

  • 取る: To hold in hand, to accept. (Ex: Take it in your hand, take notes.)
  • 撮る: To capture a photo or film. (Ex: Take a commemorative photo.)
  • 捕る: To catch a living thing. (Ex: Catch a fish.)
  • 採る: To hire, to collect/gather. (Ex: Hire a new employee, gather alpine plants.)

【Pro-Tip!】
In entrance exams, there are often questions asking you to change "toru" written in hiragana to the appropriate kanji. Always check the object: "What" exactly are you taking/catching?

Final Thoughts: Steps to Level Up Starting Today

Increasing your vocabulary leads directly to better reading comprehension. If you come across a word you don't know while reading, don't just skip it! Make it a habit to look it up in a dictionary or ask your teacher.

★ Words of Encouragement ★
You might think, "I'll never be finished learning all these kanji...", but if you master the material covered in 9th grade, you will be able to smoothly read most news and articles in daily life. This is a weapon you will keep for the rest of your life. Let's engage with language a little bit every day, and have fun doing it!