Introduction to Kanji
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of the Jōyō Kanji list?

  • To include all kanji found outside of the Jōyō and Jinmeiyō kanji sets.
  • To serve as a literacy baseline for individuals who have completed compulsory education and to provide standard characters for government documents. (correct)
  • To provide a comprehensive list of all kanji and their readings used in the Japanese language.
  • To list all kanji permitted for use in personal names registered in Japan.

Which kanji represents 'forest'?

  • 林
  • 山
  • 木
  • 森 (correct)

The Jinmeiyō Kanji list serves what primary function?

  • It is a list of kanji specifically used in scientific and technical documentation.
  • It is a supplementary list of kanji officially approved for use in personal names. (correct)
  • It is a list of kanji considered obsolete and no longer used in contemporary Japanese.
  • It is a comprehensive list of all kanji used in modern Japanese literature.

Which of the following kanji is associated with the meaning 'metal' or 'money'?

<p>金 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates Hyōgai Kanji from Jōyō and Jinmeiyō Kanji?

<p>Hyōgai Kanji are kanji that fall outside of the Jōyō and Jinmeiyō Kanji lists. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which kanji has 7 strokes?

<p>言 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The kanji 川 represents which natural element?

<p>River (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Gaiji Kanji are best described as:

<p>Kanji not represented in standard Japanese encoding systems, including variant forms. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which list was the precursor to the Jōyō Kanji list?

<p>Tōyō Kanji (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which kanji shares a reading with the word 'yama'?

<p>山 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Approximately how many kanji are considered necessary for functional literacy in Japanese, according to the text?

<p>2136 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the relationship between Jōyō Kanji and Jinmeiyō Kanji?

<p>Jinmeiyō Kanji supplements Jōyō Kanji, providing additional characters approved for use in personal names. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which kanji is often used to represent Tuesday?

<p>火 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the number 13,108 in relation to Kanji?

<p>It represents the total characters that can be encoded in various Japanese Industrial Standards for kanji. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these kanji is likely to be used in words related to economics or finance?

<p>金 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which kanji has the kun'yomi reading of 'mimi'?

<p>耳 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which kanji is used in the word 'hanashi'?

<p>話 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of okurigana in Japanese writing?

<p>To conjugate verbs and adjectives and specify kanji readings. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it impossible to write Japanese entirely in kanji?

<p>There are not enough kanji to represent all Japanese words and grammatical elements. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If a student is in their second year of elementary school in Japan, what type of kanji are they most likely learning?

<p>Kyōiku kanji, specifically those designated for second-grade students. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term 'Han characters,' from which the Japanese term 'kanji' is derived, refers to:

<p>The Chinese character writing system. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the most accurate definition of 'Kyōiku kanji'?

<p>Kanji characters taught in Japanese elementary schools. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a Japanese sentence containing a verb, how are kanji and hiragana typically used together?

<p>Kanji are used for the verb stem, while hiragana indicates tense and inflection. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the historical relationship between kanji and hanzi?

<p>Kanji originated from hanzi and were imported to Japan. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated number of kanji that a Japanese person with average education knows?

<p>Around 3000 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When learning Kanji, what is the benefit of understanding radicals?

<p>It simplifies the learning process by memorizing Kanji as combinations of parts. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between on'yomi and kun'yomi readings of Kanji?

<p><em>On'yomi</em> is the sound reading derived from Chinese, while <em>kun'yomi</em> is the native Japanese reading. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If you see the Kanji 日 as a radical in another Kanji, which of the following concepts would most likely be related to that character?

<p>Day or sun. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The kanji 力 (chikara) represents 'strength'. In the example 勉 (tsutomu) which means 'to endeavor', what does the presence of 力 suggest about the meaning of the character?

<p>It suggests effort, strength, or exertion is required. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Kanji 口 can represent 'mouth', 'opening' or 'gate'. In the word 入口 (iriguchi), meaning 'entrance', what is the function of 口?

<p>It specifies ‘entrance’ as a type of opening or gate. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The kanji 子 can mean a child, as in 「その子はいつも何かねだってばかりいる。」(Sonoko wa itsumo nani ka ne datte bakari iru. The child is always begging for something.). When it is part of 学 (gaku, student), how does the meaning of 子 influence the meaning of 学 ?

<p>It implies students are like young plants needing care and attention. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Considering the example sentence 「その日は雨が降っており、雷も鳴っていました。」 (Sonohi wa ame ga futte ite, kaminari mo natte imashita. It was raining that day and there was thunder.), and knowing that 日 means 'day,' how does this understanding contribute to interpreting the sentence?

<p>Knowing 日 helps identify the topic is about the weather on a specific day. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If you encounter a new Kanji that includes both the radicals 日 and 力, which of the following would be the most reasonable initial hypothesis about the Kanji's meaning?

<p>Related to effort or energy expended during the daytime. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Kanji

Japanese writing system using Chinese characters.

Hanzi

Chinese characters used in Japanese, Korean, & Vietnamese.

Han (Historical)

Historical term for a daimyo's estate during the Edo and Meiji periods (1603-1912)

Kanji Usage

Used for nouns, adjectives, verb stems, and important words.

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Hiragana and Katakana

Japanese requires these for words without kanji or grammatical endings.

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Okurigana

Kana suffixes following Kanji stems, indicating verb tense or meaning

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Kyōiku Kanji

Kanji taught in Japanese elementary schools (grades 1-6).

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Gakushū Kanji

Another name for Kyōiku Kanji, emphasizing the learning aspect.

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On'yomi

Kanji readings derived from Chinese pronunciations.

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Kun'yomi

Native Japanese readings of Kanji.

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Radicals

Basic components of kanji, which can appear alone or in combination.

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日 (hi)

Meaning: Day, Sun; Examples: 明 asu 早 haya 昨 saku 時toki 暑atsu

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力 (chikara)

Meaning: Strength, Power.

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口 (kuchi)

Meanings: mouth, entrance, opening, gate.

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口 Example Words

Common words: 古ko 品hin　員in　味 aji

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子 (ko)

Meaning: Child, Boy child, young

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Jōyō Kanji

Kanji for regular use and are officially announced by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

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Current Jōyō Kanji List

A list of 2,136 characters issued in 2010 intended as a literacy baseline after compulsory education in Japan.

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Jinmeiyō Kanji

Kanji for use in personal names in Japan, supplementing the Jōyō Kanji. Also known as 'name kanji'.

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Number of Jinmeiyō Kanji

A set of 863 Chinese characters allowed for use in registered personal names in Japan.

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Hyōgai Kanji

Japanese kanji outside the Jōyō and Jinmeiyō lists.

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Gaiji Kanji

Kanji that are not represented in existing Japanese encoding systems.

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Jōyō Kanji for Literacy

The number of kanji considered necessary for functional literacy in Japanese.

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Total Encoded Kanji

The total number of characters that can be encoded in various Japanese Industrial Standards for kanji.

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田 (Den/Ta)

Represents a field, rice field, or rice paddy.

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金 (Kin/Kon/Kane)

Represents metal, money, or gold; signifies value.

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言 (Gen/Gon/Koto/I)

Represents a word, remark, or statement.

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馬 (Ba/Uma)

Represents a horse.

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山 (San/Sen/Yama)

Represents a mountain.

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火 (Ka/Hi)

Represents fire, flame or Tuesday.

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木 (Moku/Boku/Ki/Ko)

Represents a tree or wood.

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月 (Gatsu/Getsu/Tsuki)

Represents month or moon.

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川 (Sen/Kawa)

Represents a stream or river.

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雨 (U/Ame)

Represents rain.

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Study Notes

  • Kanji is a Japanese writing system using Chinese symbols/characters.
  • The term "kanji" literally translates to "Han characters".
  • Kanji is written using the same characters as in traditional Chinese, referred to as "hanzi" (also meaning "Han character").
  • In Japanese it is called kanji, hanja in Korean, chữ Hán in Vietnamese.
  • "Han" is a historical Japanese term for the estate of a daimyo/shogun during the Edo (1603–1868) and early Meiji (1868-1912) periods.

Kanji Usage

  • Kanji is used to write nouns, adjectives, verb stems, and other important Japanese words.
  • Kanji are ideograms originating in China, imported to Japan in the 8th century.
  • Kanji are mainly used to describe names and nouns.
  • Kanji are often combined with hiragana, especially in verbs and adjectives.
  • Most Japanese sentences include both kanji and hiragana.
  • An average educated Japanese person knows around 3,000 kanji.
  • About 4,000 kanji characters are generally used in Japanese literature.

Kanji with Other Scripts

  • Japanese cannot be written entirely in kanji.
  • Hiragana and katakana are for words lacking corresponding kanji, or for grammatical endings.
  • Hiragana indicates the pronunciation of kanji.
  • Furigana is a phonetic notation accompanying kanji, appearing as small symbols alongside or above them.
  • Horizontally, furigana is above, but can appear below.
  • Vertically, furigana is on the left or right.
  • Okurigana are kana suffixes to kanji stems in Japanese words.
  • Okurigana inflect/conjugate adjectives/verbs and assign meaning/reading to kanji.
  • In "走 はしる" (hashiru, "to run"), "走" is the kanji and "る" is the okurigana, indicating the infinitive form.

Types of Kanji

  • Kyōiku Kanji are "education kanji" that Japanese elementary students learn from grades 1-6.
  • Kyōiku Kanji, also known as gakushū kanji ("learning kanji"), are listed in the Gakunenbetsu kanji haitō hyō ("table of kanji by school year").
  • The Japanese Ministry of Education develops/maintains this list.
  • Non-native speakers can focus on commonly used kanji using this list.
  • Jōyō Kanji are "regular-use kanji" listed on the Jōyō kanji hyō ("list of regular-use kanji"), announced by the Ministry of Education.
  • As of 2010, the Jōyō Kanji list contains 2,136 characters.
  • Jōyō Kanji are a modified version of the tōyō kanji.
  • Tōyō kanji was the initial list of secondary school-level kanji standardized post-WWII.
  • The list helps literacy for compulsory education graduates and official document use.
  • Jinmeiyō Kanji is a set of 863 Chinese characters ("name kanji") used for personal names.
  • This list supplements legally allowed characters for registered names in Japan.
  • "Jinmeiyō kanji" references characters from both the jinmeiyō and jōyō lists.
  • Hyogai Kanji are "characters from outside the table/chart" used outside the jōyō kanji lists.
  • The jōyō kanji lists include the jinmeiyō kanji, and are taught in primary/secondary schools.
  • Hyogai means any kanji not on the jōyō kanji list, including jinmeiyō kanji.
  • Gaiji Kanji, literally "external characters", are kanji not in Japanese encoding systems.
  • Gaiji Kanji include variant forms of kanji in reference works, and can also have non-kanji symbols.
  • Functional literacy needs 2,136 jōyō kanji characters.
  • Approximately a thousand more characters are commonly used and understood in Japan.
  • Thousands more kanji find occasional use, especially in specialized fields.
  • 13,108 characters can be encoded with Japanese Industrial Standards for kanji.

Kanji Readings

  • Kanji readings are either on'yomi ("sound reading," from Chinese) or kun'yomi ("meaning reading," native Japanese).
  • Most kanji have at least two readings (at least one of each type).

Radicals

  • Radicals are the building blocks of kanji.
  • Every Japanese kanji character is a single radical or made up of two or more radicals.
  • Memorizing kanji combinations rather than unique characters simplifies learning.
  • Radicals appear as their own kanji or as a component of more complex kanji.

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Kanji is a Japanese writing system using Chinese symbols. Kanji characters came from China in the 8th century. They are mainly used to describe names and nouns. Most Japanese sentences include both kanji and hiragana.

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