Basic Kanji Characters

Adopted logographic Chinese characters used in the modern Japanese writing system.

Kanji, one of the three writing systems used in the Japanese language, is a system of symbolic characters, each of which represents a word or concept. In this unit, we will focus on learning the most common Kanji characters, understanding their different readings, and practicing their writing.

Most Common Kanji Characters

There are thousands of Kanji characters, but a basic understanding of the language can be achieved with knowledge of the most common ones. The Japanese Ministry of Education has designated 2136 characters, known as the "Jōyō Kanji," as the most commonly used in everyday life. In this unit, we will start with the most basic of these characters, such as those for numbers (一, 二, 三), days of the week (日, 月, 火, 水, 木, 金, 土), and basic nouns (人, 山, 川).

Different Readings of Kanji: On'yomi and Kun'yomi

Each Kanji character has at least two different readings: the On'yomi (Chinese reading) and the Kun'yomi (Japanese reading). The On'yomi is derived from the original Chinese pronunciation, while the Kun'yomi is the native Japanese pronunciation. For example, the Kanji character for "mountain" is read as "san" in its On'yomi reading and "yama" in its Kun'yomi reading. The context in which a Kanji character is used often determines which reading is appropriate.

Writing Basic Kanji Characters

Writing Kanji involves following specific stroke orders. This is not only to ensure the characters are written correctly, but also to aid in memorization. For example, the character for "person" (人) is written with two strokes: a diagonal stroke from left to right, followed by a second diagonal stroke from right to left.

Understanding the Meaning and Usage of Each Character

Each Kanji character represents a word or concept. For example, the character for "fire" (火) not only represents the physical element of fire, but can also be used in words related to fire, such as "fireplace" (暖炉) or "fireworks" (花火). Understanding the meaning of each character can help in understanding and remembering new words.

In conclusion, learning Kanji is a crucial part of mastering the Japanese language. By starting with the most common characters and understanding their readings, meanings, and usage, you can begin to read and write in Japanese. Practice is key, so be sure to regularly write and read Kanji to reinforce your learning.