Kanji
Japanese Name:
漢字
Romaji Name:
kanji
Description
↓↓
Kanji are logographic characters used in the Japanese writing system.
Each kanji represents a meaning (idea or object) and often has multiple readings.
They are combined with hiragana and katakana to write modern Japanese.
Kanji can represent whole words or parts of words, like roots or stems.
Common examples include 山 (yama = mountain), 水 (mizu = water), and 学 (gaku = study).
There are thousands of kanji, but about 2,000 are used in daily life.
Kanji are used in names, signs, literature, and official documents.
They add depth and nuance to written Japanese compared to phonetic writing alone.
History
↓↓
Kanji originated in China over 3,000 years ago during the Shang Dynasty.
They were introduced to Japan via Korea around the 4th to 5th century CE.
Early Japanese had no writing system, so kanji became the foundation.
Initially, they were used for official records and Buddhist texts.
Over time, Japan adapted kanji to fit the Japanese language structure.
This led to native readings (kun’yomi) and Chinese readings (on’yomi).
The kana systems (hiragana and katakana) later developed from simplified kanji.
Today, kanji remain a central part of Japanese literacy and cultural identity.