Kanji

Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana and katakana. The Japanese term "kanji" translates literally to "Han characters" and is written using the same characters as the Chinese word hànzì.

History

Kanji are one of the five scripts used in the Japanese language. The characters were introduced to Japan through Chinese articles and texts brought over by Korean missionaries during the Asuka period. The use of kanji in Japan has evolved over time, leading to the development of different styles and usage.

Structure

Each kanji is a symbol representing a concept or an idea, rather than a specific word in the Japanese language. Kanji characters are made up of strokes, and the number of strokes in a character can range from one to more than 30. The structure of kanji can be broken down into radicals or "bushu", which are smaller components that carry their own meanings and sounds.

Usage

Kanji are used in a variety of contexts in Japanese, including literature, newspapers, and official documents. They are also used in names, both of places and people. There are two main readings for kanji: the on reading, which is based on the original Chinese pronunciation, and the kun reading, which is based on the Japanese pronunciation.

Learning Kanji

Learning kanji is a significant part of Japanese language study for non-native speakers. The Japanese Ministry of Education designates 2,136 characters as Jōyō kanji, or "regular-use Chinese characters", which are taught in schools and are considered necessary for daily life.

See Also

• Chinese characters
• Japanese language
• Japanese writing system
• Hiragana
• Katakana
• Jōyō kanji

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