How do you learn kanji compounds?

Learn the kanji first, then learn it inside one or two common words straight away. On the JLPT you almost never read a kanji alone; you read 電車, 先生, 会社. A compound (熟語, jukugo) is a word written with two or more kanji, and most of them use on’yomi.

Why do compounds matter so much?

The kanji reading task asks for the reading of a word in a sentence. Knowing that 会 means “meet” and 社 means “company” doesn’t tell you 会社 is かいしゃ. The word is what gets tested.

How do compounds usually work?

Pattern	Example	How to read the meaning
Two similar meanings	道路 (road + road)	road
Adjective + noun	大学 (big + study)	university
Verb + object	読書 (read + book)	reading
Meaning drifts	大丈夫	all right

Most two-kanji words read with on’yomi on both kanji. Mixed readings exist (重箱読み, on then kun, as in 台所; 湯桶読み, kun then on, as in 手本). Note them as exceptions, not rules.

A study loop that works

1. Learn the single kanji with a keyword and a story.
2. Add one high-frequency compound that uses it. 電: 電車.
3. Say the compound’s reading out loud.
4. When a new kanji appears in a compound you already know, link them: 車 in 電車, then 自転車.

Don’t stack ten compounds per kanji. One or two you’ll actually meet beat a long list.

Common traps

• Sound changes: 学 + 校 is がっこう, not がくこう.
• Voicing: 本 in 三本 is ぼん.

Those changes are the near-miss options in JLPT reading questions. The phonetic components guide helps you guess unfamiliar on’yomi.

Kanji Mnemonics (my app, so weigh my opinion accordingly) covers N5 through N1 with one keyword, one story and one picture per kanji, readings and example words, a flashcard quiz in both directions and progress per level. It works offline. Lesson 1 is free; the rest needs Pro (weekly, monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase). See the app page, the App Store listing or all my apps. The example words shown with each kanji are a good first compound to learn.