# Kanji v Vocab/Readings **URL:** \ **Category:** Japanese Language\ **Created:** [July 2, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609 "2019-07-02T22:24:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solipsisticmood](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@solipsisticmood](https://community.wanikani.com/u/solipsisticmood)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/1 "2019-07-02T22:24:46Z")
Hi all, I’ve been using WaniKani for about a week and though it is enjoyable I am still a little confused about the Kanji v Vocab/Reading As an example would the vocab ‘To Get Lower’ (下がる) when written be purely 下 or would it be written 下がる? From the example provide by Wanikani I think it is just 下 and you need to use the reading above dependent on the context? Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/2 "2019-07-02T22:28:25Z")
Not sure exactly what you mean. The word 下がる appears in each example sentence. EDIT: unless you just mean the conjugations for tense and politeness. The dictionary form of the word is always 下がる. 下 would be a different word with a different reading. ---
**Author:** ![Saida](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/saida/32/348936_2.png) [@Saida](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Saida)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/3 "2019-07-02T22:30:54Z")
Are you talking about the context sentences? The word 下がる is in the dictonary form. In two of the sentences it has been inflected, because verbs do that, sometimes. I have bolded inflected verbs. せかいじゅうのかぶかが **下がった** 。 Stock prices all over the world fell. ねつが三十七どに **下がりました** 。 My temperature dropped to 37℃. ズボンが **下がる** ようにベルトをゆるめなさい。 Unfasten your belt so that your pants will hang down. ---
**Author:** ![solipsisticmood](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@solipsisticmood](https://community.wanikani.com/u/solipsisticmood)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/4 "2019-07-02T22:32:35Z")
Sorry it is in the 3rd sentence but not in the 1st two. I’m asking if I was reading a book is that exactly how it would be written? ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/5 "2019-07-02T22:36:10Z")
下がった is the plain past tense 下がりました is the polite past tense But it’s the same word. Here’s a diagram of common conjugations for it. ![Screenshot_2019-07-03-07-39-01](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/d/f/c/dfcc2d02b1e24ab521ae13dda1c570304d004b98.png) ---
**Author:** ![solipsisticmood](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@solipsisticmood](https://community.wanikani.com/u/solipsisticmood)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/6 "2019-07-02T22:41:26Z")
Cool - so the る is dropped when changing the tense/politeness? Also the 1st sentence is written almost completely in Hiragana. Is there a reason for that? I thought that Hiragana was used in breaks between Kanji? Appreciate all the help ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/7 "2019-07-02T22:44:00Z")
In some cases it is. In other cases it just converts for a different sound in the R column. Some of the example sentences are written to not show any kanji you haven’t learned yet. You can write any word in kanji (if it has kanji) or kana, as you see fit, whether it’s for style, or to make it easier for non-natives and children to read. ---
**Author:** ![solipsisticmood](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@solipsisticmood](https://community.wanikani.com/u/solipsisticmood)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/8 "2019-07-02T22:46:30Z")
Brilliant - thanks for all your help again Leebo (and the quick reply) I haven’t learnt any grammer etc yet so the change in the word/reading threw me but I can see the logic ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/6/2/a/62a8b0f4c59ff2c5b6651ffcf43531480b3e5297.png) [@system](https://community.wanikani.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/kanji-v-vocabreadings/37609/9 "2020-07-01T22:47:09Z")
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