Sino-Japanese Reading

Sino-Japanese reading refers to the way Japanese language uses Chinese characters, known as kanji, and their readings. There are two main types of readings: "on'yomi," which are derived from the original Chinese pronunciations, and "kun'yomi," which are native Japanese readings. For example, the kanji for "mountain" (山) has the on'yomi reading "san" and the kun'yomi reading "yama." Understanding these readings is crucial for reading and understanding Japanese texts, as many words can have multiple readings depending on context and usage. This system highlights the historical influence of Chinese on the Japanese language.