[numpad0]

It actually works the same way in Japanese. Radicals give rough clues about meanings as well as pronunciation. Similar looking kanji do read similarly. It's just... you can read pronounce "brochures" in either French style or in Southern American, and which one is more appropriate depends.

edit: Simple examples:

  - 臆 and 億
  - 誤 and 語
  - 諦 and 締

[xandrius]

Not always, as I wrote in another comment this is because of the Japanese script reform for "modernising" and simplifying the script. So sometimes kanji look similar but are not. More info at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_script_reform#Mazeg...

[numpad0]

So, I don't know what to say, but to be honest, I never even thought 千 and 干 can be considered similar...

[coffeeling]

皮 彼 波

[numpad0]

pi, hi, ha?

[coffeeling]

  皮 kawa
  彼 kare
  波 nami