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Kotomora

音

sound, noise

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 500Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • オン
  • イン
  • -ノン

Kun'yomi

  • おと
  • ね

Nanori

  • お
  • と

Meaning

音 centers on what is heard: sound or noise. It covers both intentional sounds and incidental noise.

Most common words using 音

24 of 889
  • 音おと
    N5

    sound; noise

  • 音ね
    N1

    sound; tone; note; ring; chirp

  • 音おん

    sound; noise

  • 音楽おんがく
    N5

    music

  • 音声おんせい
    N2

    voice; speech; sound of a voice

  • 録音ろくおん
    N2

    (audio) recording

  • 発音はつおん
    N4

    pronunciation

  • 本音ほんね
    N2

    real intention; motive; true opinion; what one really thinks

  • 騒音そうおん
    N3

    noise; din

  • 音量おんりょう

    volume (sound)

  • 音響おんきょう
    N1

    sound; noise; audio; acoustics; reverberation

  • 音質おんしつ

    tone quality; sound quality

  • 音色ねいろ
    N1

    tone color; tone colour; tone quality; timbre

  • 低音ていおん
    N1

    low tone; bass; low voice

  • 観音かんのん

    Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; Kwannon; Guanyin; Buddhist deity of compassion

  • 福音ふくいん

    good news; glad tidings

  • 音楽家おんがくか

    musician

  • 音痴おんち

    tone deafness; amusia; having no ear for music

  • 音頭おんど

    lead (in a cheer, toast, song, etc.); (someone's) lead

  • 足音あしおと
    N1

    (sound of) footsteps

  • 爆音ばくおん

    (sound of an) explosion or detonation; roar (of a machine)

  • 雑音ざつおん
    N2

    noise (usu. unpleasant)

  • 音符おんぷ

    musical note; note symbol

  • 高音こうおん
    N1

    high-pitched tone; soprano

Explore all words using 音 →

Study

Etymology

音 is thought to derive from 言 (word, speech) with a distinguishing mark inside the mouth shape, indicating sound or voice. The modern form keeps the 立 over 日 structure.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 立 looks like a standing person, and the bottom 日 is a mouth. Imagine a person standing and making a sound with their mouth: 音 is sound.

Reading mnemonic

For オン, picture turning on a radio and hearing sound: on -> オン.