L52. Daily Japanese Kanji — 電 (Day 52)
Days 51-60
R-report
[Day 52] 電 - electricity
The kanji 電 originally evokes lightning and came to represent electric phenomena; today it appears in everyday words for electricity, electric devices, trains (historically 'electric car'), phones, and electronics. Readings: On'yomi and Kun'yomi are used mainly in compound words — see below. Common compound contexts: power (電気), transportation (電車), communication (電話), and electronics (電子). Mnemonic tip: imagine a lightning bolt (electricity) striking a lightbulb — that connects the sound "den" with all electric things. Readings: On'yomi: デン (den) — used in compounds like 電気 (でんき / denki) and 電話 (でんわ / denwa). Kun'yomi: none (no common kun'yomi in modern Japanese).
Readings
On'yomi: **デン / 電** (den) Kun'yomi: **(none in modern Japanese)**
Related words
- 電気（でんき / denki） — electricity / electric light. - 私は**電気**をつけて勉強します。 (Watashi wa **denki** o tsukete benkyō shimasu. — I turn on the light/electricity to study.)
- 電車（でんしゃ / densha） — train (electric train). - 毎朝、**電車**で学校へ行きます。 (Maiasa, **densha** de gakkō e ikimasu. — I go to school by train every morning.)
- 電話（でんわ / denwa） — telephone / call. - 仕事の後で母に**電話**をかけます。 (Shigoto no ato de haha ni **denwa** o kakemasu. — I'll call my mother after work.)
- 電子（でんし / denshi） — electronic; electron‑ (as a prefix). - この本は**電子**版です。 (Kono hon wa **denshi**-ban desu. — This book is an electronic edition.)
- 電源（でんげん / dengen） — power supply; power source. - パソコンの**電源**を入れてください。 (Pasokon no **dengen** o irete kudasai. — Please turn on the computer's power.)