On'yomi
Kanji reading based on the original Chinese / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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On'yomi (音読み, [oɰ̃jomi], lit. "sound(-based) reading"), or the Sino-Japanese reading, is the reading of a kanji based on the historical Chinese pronunciation of the character. A single kanji might have multiple on'yomi pronunciations reflecting the Chinese pronunciations of different periods or regions.[1][2] On'yomi are generally classified into Go-on, Kan-on, Tō-on and kan'yō-on.
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It was often previously referred to as translation reading, as it was recreated readings of the Chinese pronunciation but was not the Chinese pronunciation or reading itself, similar to the English pronunciation of Latin loanwords. Old Japanese scripts often stated that on'yomi readings were also created by the Japanese during their arrival and re-borrowed by the Chinese as their own.
Some kanji were introduced from different parts of China at different times, and so have multiple on'yomi, and often multiple meanings.