Hope this question is not too basic, I started learning Kanji just a few weeks ago, working on grade 1 and 2 kanjis plus some everydaylife kanjis I need here living in tokyo.
So we have the Kanji for evening: 夕 with On-reading セキ seki according to my flashcards and various online ressource like jisho.org.
We have 食 for meal with on-reading ショク shoku
Hence, as two Kanjis together are read with onyomi 夕食 should be セキショク sekishoku - right?
Obviously it is not, it is ゆうしょく yuushoku like kunreading of 夕 and onreading of 食.
Ehm - why?
I mean, I don't need an explanation for everything, if you just say: "basically you're right, but in this case it's just like it is, deal with it" then I am fine.
I just want to know if there is an underlying principle I didnt get or if this is just an exception.
Found also some exceptions where kunreading is used in compund kanjis for names like
Nakano - 中野 - where naka and no seems to be kunreading of 中 and 野, but I guess for names I shouldn't bother too much.
So what's about 夕食 any rules at work here ot just an exception?
Thanks