Quick Japanese Words for Kids: Must‑Know Phrases and Easy Kanji
Starting with a handful of phrases and characters gives children immediate success. Simple greetings like こんにちは (hello) and everyday verbs like たべる (to eat) become natural when tied to fun games and routines. Adding just two or three new kanji—such as 山 (mountain) and 川 (river)—builds reading confidence in small, memorable steps.
Must-Know Phrases
Introduce these core expressions over a few days and use them repeatedly:
こんにちは (konnichiwa) – Hello
おやすみ (oyasumi) – Good night
ありがとう (arigatō) – Thank you
すき (suki) – I like
たべる (taberu) – To eat
Slip each phrase into mealtime chatter or bedtime stories so children hear and use the words naturally.
Easy Kanji to Practice
Pair simple pictographic characters with actions or objects children recognize:
山 (やま, yama) – mountain (three peaks)
川 (かわ, kawa) – river (flowing lines)
人 (ひと, hito) – person (stick-figure form)
口 (くち, kuchi) – mouth (open square)
日 (ひ, hi) – sun/day (circle in a frame)
Have kids draw each kanji on paper or in the air while saying its reading and meaning.
Activities
Phrase Charades
Write each phrase on a card. Children draw one, act it out silently, and others guess in Japanese—「ありがとう！」 encourages both recall and laughter.
Kanji Shape Hunt
Hide paper shapes representing kanji radicals around the room (triangles for 山, lines for 川). When children find all parts, they assemble and read the full character.
Practice Corner
Keep a “Word of the Day” board on the fridge. Each morning, display one phrase or kanji. Challenge the family to use it five times by bedtime, then celebrate with a sticker or clap.
For quick reinforcement, open Dinolingo after your activities. A single family subscription unlocks over 50 languages and 40 000+ interactive exercises—animated phrase drills, kanji tracing games, and surprise badges. Age-specific paths—Pre-readers (2–5), Elementary (6–10), Tween/Teen (11–14)—ensure each child practices at the right level, while parents track progress on an ad-free dashboard.
Final Thoughts
By focusing on a few key phrases and pictorial kanji, children feel success from day one. Pair these quick games with Dinolingo’s fun follow-ups, and your little learner will speak and read simple Japanese with confidence in no time.
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