On'yomi

On'yomi refers to the "Chinese readings" of kanji characters used in the Japanese writing system. When Japan adopted Chinese characters, they integrated both the characters and their pronunciations, resulting in these readings. On'yomi are often used in compound words and can reflect the original Chinese pronunciation, although they may vary in sound due to language differences. This contrasts with kun'yomi, which are the native Japanese readings assigned to the same characters. Understanding on'yomi is crucial for grasping many Japanese words, especially in more formal or literary contexts.