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I was introduced to jisho.org a few days ago and I find it a really good tool
to use while using the Heisig method to learn the readings as I learn the
writing and understanding of kanji. I noticed 2 different symbols used when
they present the kunyomi. So far I haven't seen them used in onyomi so I think
they are not used in them. The "."(dot) and the "-"(dash). From what I gather
I believe I got what they basically mean but please correct me if I'm wrong:

  * "." - the dot is used to show where the kanji stops and after it the following is written in kana. I think the trailing kana had a name but I really can't remember it now. Is this **always** the case? When I see a dot should I always assume it's only kana after it? Or can there be kanji as well in some compounds?

  * "-" - the dash is used to show that the word is allowed to form compounds only on the side where the dash is shown. 

Take 一 for an example. Its 2 kun readings are: ひと-, ひと.つ so if I got this
correctly:

一つ - this is how you write it according to the second reading.

Other thing I noticed is that there are times you can use a kanji instead of a
trailing kana. I noticed this when I saw the other example compound on jisho
一月 Is this a common thing and does it have a term defining it so I can
research further on my own?

一人 - this is really the only compound I could think of but the way I see it if
the dash does what I think it does that means there will never be a compound
word that has ひと somewhere elsewhere in the word apart from the beginning.
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2016-08-24T14:27:14.313
38681
2016-12-14T18:14:56.677
2016-08-24T15:54:32.547
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question
kanji readings punctuation kana-usage
What is the meaning of dots and dashes in kunyomi readings?
The upshot is that you should try to look at the explanatory notes of the
dictionary you use and **try not to get too attached to a particular
notation**. Knowing that _kanji_ have a main reading, possibly with
_okurigana_ is usually all you need to know to make sense of a dictionary
entry.

Here are some examples, which are frequently encountered:

  * ### KANJIDIC

The _kanji_ search function on jisho.org uses
[KANJIDIC](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/kanjidic.html) as its base.
Indeed it looks as though the Western period `.` is used to separate the
reading of the _kanji_ from its _okurigana_ and the Western hyphen `-` is used
to indicate possible readings in compounds.

  * ### Official list of _jōyō kanji_

The official _jōyō kanji_ list
([PDF](http://kokugo.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/joho/kijun/naikaku/pdf/joyokanjihyo_20101130.pdf))
published by the Agency of Cultural Affairs gives the readings as follows

[![一](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZfWiZ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZfWiZ.png)

(no `.`, no `-`).

  * ### Wikipedia

Wikipedia uses a Western hyphen where KANJIDIC uses a Western period.

  * ### Monolingual dictionaries

Monolingual dictionaries usually list the word in _kana_ and give _kanji_
readings in brackets `【】`, e.g. _Daijirin_ has

> **ひと つ** [2] 【一つ】

where a space was used between the _kanji_ reading and the _okurigana_.

  * ### Other dictionaries

The _Shin Kanwa Daijiten_ uses the _nakaguro_ to separate the different
readings and uses **`bold`** readings and `regular` _okurigana_ :

> ## 【一】
>
> **イチ** ・ **イツ** ・ **ひと** ・ **ひと** つ

* * *

As for compounds like 一月, these are either regular words (listed in a
dictionary) or in this case [number]+[counter word], although you may also
encounter other words like [word]+[suffix], of which only [word] and [suffix]
are listed in the dictionary (and not the combination [word]+[suffix]).

* * *

As you suspected there are no _okurigana_ for _on'yomi_. There are also no
good rules for when which _on'yomi_ gets read how, depending on position in a
compound, so the notation `.` and `-` in KANJIDIC will only be used for
_kun'yomi_.
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2016-08-24T15:52:51.050
38687
2016-12-14T18:14:56.677
2016-12-14T18:14:56.677
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answer