Meaning

Primary

Bright

Alternative

Cheerful

Word Type

い adjective

Explanation

This is a single kanji plus the hiragana るい. Words that end in are usually adjectives, and this is no exception. What's the adjective form of bright? It's also bright.

Reading

あかるい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

You have to remember the あか portion. What is あか in Japanese? It is "red." So, think of something that's really bright. Now, imagine it being totally red (aka あか). In Japan, the color red is associated with the sun, and the sun is pretty bright. If you can remember this you can also remember the reading of this word.

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 外が明るい

    it is bright outside

    色が明るい

    the color is bright

    空が明るい

    the sky is bright

Context Sentences

カーテンから入る日の光が明るい。

The light of the sun coming from the curtain is bright.

この会社は明るい人が多いですね。

There are many cheerful people in this company.

ジェニーは今日は休みだと分かると、一気に明るくなった。

When Jenny found out it was a holiday today, she lit up all at once.

Kanji Composition