Japanese Kanji: The Mystery Behind the Writing System

Let’s learn how kanji, hiragana, and katakana work together to create the Japanese language from ancient beginnings to modern use! Join us on a journey through the complexities of Japanese writing and discover the secrets hidden within its characters!

A brief history of the Japanese language

Japanese is different from many other languages in the world. Did you know that over 127 million people speak Japanese globally? That’s a lot of people! One interesting aspect of Japanese is that it has many different dialects or variations across various regions of Japan. These dialects can be so different that someone from one part of Japan might have difficulty understanding someone from another part of the country!

The written form of Japanese can be traced back to the 8th century, over 1,200 years ago! The Kojiki is the oldest known written text in the Japanese language. Over the centuries, the Japanese language has undergone significant changes and evolved into the modern version we know today. Even though there are many regional dialects, a standard written form of Japanese has been established. 

This standard version is taught in schools and used in media like TV and newspapers, helping to create a common language that Japanese speakers across the country can understand. Japanese is a fascinating language with a rich history and diverse variations, but it also has a unified written form that unites people.

How did the writing system develop?

Japanese writing has undergone numerous changes over the centuries. At first, the Japanese used Chinese characters and grammar. However, over time, a new system called man’yō-gana gained popularity. In this system, Chinese characters were used to represent the sounds of Japanese. This eventually led to the creating two new writing systems called katakana and hiragana.

Hiragana became popular among women and was used in famous books like “Genji monogatari” by Murasaki Shikibu. Today, Japanese writing combines three different writing systems: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana. Each system has a different purpose. Kanji helps readers understand words that sound the same but have different meanings. 

The Japanese government recommends that people learn around 2,000 kanji characters daily. These characters are taught in schools, and when newspapers use characters that are not on the list, they provide readings in hiragana to help readers understand. Japanese writing is a unique blend of different systems that have evolved over many centuries.

When to use Kanji

One of the three writing systems used in Japanese is called kanji. Kanji characters originated from China and represent entire words or concepts. The kanji system was introduced to Japan a long time ago, around the 4th or 5th century. At first, the Japanese matched the Chinese symbols with Japanese words.

Over time, the Chinese pronunciation of kanji, called on-yomi, became part of the Japanese language alongside the Japanese pronunciation, called kun-yomi. This means that many kanji characters can be read in two different ways—one way using the Japanese pronunciation and another way using the Chinese pronunciation.

This double-reading system can be confusing because the same kanji character might be pronounced differently depending on whether you’re using Japanese or Chinese reading. For example, the kanji character for ‘water’ is 水. In Japanese, it’s pronounced as ‘mizu‘ (kun-yomi). But in the Chinese pronunciation (on-yomi), it’s pronounced as ‘sui’. This double-reading system allows kanji to show meaning in Japanese and borrowed Chinese pronunciations.

Hiragana

Hiragana is another Japanese writing system and can be considered the most basic. Each hiragana character represents a sound. These characters are used to add grammar points or simple words in Japanese. Hiragana is known for its rounded shape, commonly used in everyday words such as “konnichiwa” (こんにちは, “hello”) and adjectives like “kawaii” (かわいい, “cute”).

Hiragana is also used as a guide for pronouncing rare kanji characters. This is often seen with hiragana placed alongside kanji in a smaller size above or below them. Hiragana was created in the 8th century as an easier replacement for kanji by women. Because each character represented a sound, it became popular among men and eventually came to be used for everyday writing with kanji.

Katakana

Katakana is another writing system used in the Japanese language. It was created because reading kanji characters, especially in formal letters, was difficult. At first, katakana was just a simplified version of kanji symbols. But over time, it evolved into its own separate writing system.

Unlike hiragana, which has rounded shapes, katakana characters have straight lines and sharp angles. Katakana eventually became mainly used for writing foreign words or to express strong feelings!

Katakana has many different uses. It’s used for writing the names of foreign people and places, titles of foreign books, movies, and video games, Japanese slang words, company names, and less common plants and animals. Using katakana for these words and expressions makes them stand out and seem more important in Japanese text. Today, katakana plays a vital role in modern Japanese writing.

Why use all three?

Japan employs three distinct writing systems: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Each one has its own unique role. Kanji is used to express complex ideas and communicate precise meanings in written Japanese. Hiragana simplifies writing by representing sounds phonetically, explaining grammar rules, and is used for simple words. Katakana is used to convey strong emotion when referring to foreign words, such as names of people or countries.

Using all three of these writing systems together helps make communication in Japanese easier for anyone trying to read and write. While it would be simple to use hiragana (since it’s the primary writing system), using kanji also conveys a sense of maturity and facilitates a better understanding. Combining kanji, hiragana, and katakana gives the Japanese language depth, readability, and a unique cultural identity.

Japan’s three writing systems—kanji, hiragana, and katakana—give the language depth, clarity, and cultural significance. From their ancient beginnings to their use today, these scripts help convey meaning and understanding. Whether you’re learning Japanese or are already fluent, it’s safe to say that Japanese is a unique language unlike any other in the world! Have you ever learned Japanese? What was the most challenging part about it for you? Let us know in the comments!