Kanji Created by Japanese People

Behind the Scene | 日本人がつくった漢字

Kanji Created by Japanese People

Foreign Student (hereinafter FS): Kanji was imported from China, but I’ve heard that many kanji were created by Japanese people. How many are there? And what are they? Teacher (hereinafter, T): They are called kokuji (national characters), and it is said there are about 2,600 of these characters. For instance, the kanji 峠 touge, which means an elevated spot on the way to the summit of a mountain. The concept is represented through a combination of 山 yama (mountain), 上 ue (above), and 下 shita (below). The kanji in 働くhataraku (work) is also a kokuji. It is a combination of the radical イ with the kanji 動く ugoku (move). Most kanji in which the radical 魚 sakana (fish) forms part of the kanji are also kokuji and are used in the names of sushi toppings. For instance, 鰯 iwashi (sardine) is a combination of 魚 (fish) and 弱 yowai (weak). Conversely, there are many compound kanji that China has adopted from Japan. FS: What kind of kanji compounds are they? T: In fact, it is said that the Japanese created the name for both China 中華人民共和国 chuuka jinnminn kyouwa koku (People’s Republic of China) and 共産主義 kyousann’shugi (Communism). FS: That’s unexpected, isn’t it? Besides those, what other ones are there? T: It seems that 改善 kaizenn (improvement), which was promoted by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is now used the world over. 改 kai means “reform” and 善 zen means “good.” In addition, there are many that deal with life in general, including 政党 seitou (a political party), 政策seisaku (policy), 経済 keizai (economy), 財政 zaisei (finance), 社会 shakai (society), 自由jiyuu (freedom), 民主minnshu (democracy), 信用 shinnyou (credibility), 保証 hoshou (guarantee), 宗教shuukyou (religion), 哲学 tetsugaku (philosophy), 博士 hakushi (doctor), and 弁護士 benngoshi (lawyer). FS: Why were these compound kanji expressions created in Japan? T: In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Japan was the first country in Asia to adopt Western customs. During that time, Western concepts that hadn’t previously existed in Japan were incorporated and given an appropriate kanji. Besides these kanji, loan words from languages such as English were spelt out using katakana characters sticking as closely to the original pronunciation as possible. In China, they replace loan words with kanji that have a similar sound and meaning. FS: Language changes with time. Has kanji also changed? T: That’s a good question. In China, there were big upheavals each time a new dynasty arose, and this also had an influence on kanji. At present kantaiji (simplified characters) are used and people are apt to forget previously used scripts. Since Japan has never been conquered by other countries or races, the old form of kanji that Japan originally adopted has remained relatively unchanged. Ironically, Japan rather than China has proved to be a better environment for the study of older forms of kanji. FS: What do you think the future holds for kanji in Japan? T: Japanese script comprises of hiragana, katakana, and kanji, allowing for a richness of expressive possibility. Kanji will continue to play an important role.

留学生りゅうがくせい
ryuugakusei
foreign student
以後いごりゅう):
igo ryuu
hereinafter FS
漢字かんじ
kannji ha
kanji
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku
China
から
kara
from
れられました
toriirerare mashita
was imported
が、
ga,
but
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
Japanese people
ga
by
つくった
tsukutta
were created
漢字かんじ
kannji mo
kanji
たくさんある
takusann aru
many
to
that
きました。
kikimashita.
(I)’ve heard
どのくらい
donokurai
how many
あるのですか。
aru no desuka.
are there?
また、
mata,
and
どんなものが
donnna monoga
what
ありますか。
arimasuka.
are they ?
先生せんせい
sennsei
teacher
以後いごせん):
igo senn
hereinafter T
国字こくじ
kokuji to
national characters
ばれ、
yobare,
(they) are called and
2600にせんろっぴゃく
nisenn roppyaku ji
two thousand six hundred (of these)characters
ほど
hodo
about
ある
aru
there are
to
[that]
いわれています。
iwarete imasu.
(it) is said
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for instance
山頂さんちょう
sannchou no
(the) summit of (a) mountain
途中とちゅう
tochuu no
on the way to
小高こだか
kodakai
elevated
場所ばしょ
basho wo
a(n) spot
あらわす
arawasu
(which) means
とうげ」。
touge.
(the kanji) touge
やま
yama,
mountain
うえ
ue,
above
した
shita
(and) below
no
of
わせ
kumiawase
(a) combination
de
through
表現ひょうげんされています。
hyougenn sarete imasu.
(the concept) is represented
はたらく」
hataraku
work
no
in
漢字かんじ
kannji
(the) kanji
mo
also
国字こくじ
kokuji
(a) kokuji
です。
desu.
is
ひとあらわ
hito wo arawasu
[which means]
にんべん(イ)
ninnbenn
(the) radical [person]
to
with
うごくく」
ugoku
move
という
toiu
[of]
漢字かんじ
kannji
(the) kanji
no
of
わせ
kumiawase
(a) combination
です。
desu.
(it) is
寿司すしネタねた
sushi no neta
(the names of) sushi toppings
de
in
使つかわれる、
tsukawareru,
are used and
さかなへん(さかな)が
sakanahenn sakana ga
(the) radical fish
つく
tsuku
forms (part of the kanji)
漢字かんじ
kannji no
kanji (in which)
ほとんど
hotonndo
most
mo
also
国字こくじ
kokuji
kokuji
です。
desu.
are
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for instance
いわし」は、
iwashi ha,
sardine
さかな
sakana
fish
to
and
よわい」
yowai
weak
no
of
わせ
kumiawase
(a) combination
です。
desu.
is
ぎゃく
gyaku ni
conversely
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku ga
China
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
から
kara
from
導入どうにゅうした
dounyuu shita
(that) have adopted
熟語じゅくご
jyukugo ha
compound kanji
たくさん
takusann
many
あります。
arimasu.
there are
りゅう
ryuu
FS
どんな
donnna
what kind of
熟語じゅくご
jyukugo ga
kanji compounds
ありますか?
arimasuka
are
せん
senn
T
じつは、
jitsu ha
in fact
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku
China
no
for
国名こくめい
kokumei
(the) [country] name
中華人民共和国ちゅうかじんみんきょうわこく
chuukajinnminnkyouwakoku
People’s Republic of China
ya
and
共産きょうさん主義しゅぎ
kyousann shugi
Communism
mo
both
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn ga
the Japanese
つくった
tsukutta
created
to
that
いわれます。
iwaremasu.
(it) is said
りゅう
ryuu
FS
それは意外いがいです
soreha igai desu
that’s unexpected
ね。
ne.
isn’t it ?
そのほかでは
sono hoka deha
besides those
どんなものが
donnna mono ga
what other ones
ありますか。
arimasuka.
are there ?
せん
senn
T
トヨタとよた自動車じどうしゃ
toyota jidousha
(the) Toyota Motor Corporation
ga
by
推進すいしんし、
suishinn shi,
(which) was promoted
いま
imaya
now
世界的せかいてきにも
sekai teki nimo
(the) world over
使つかわれている
tsukawarete iru
is used
改善かいぜん」も
kaizenn mo
improvement
そうです。
soudesu.
(it) seems (that)
かい」は
kai ha
kai
あらためる、
aratameru,
(means) reform
ぜん」は
zenn ha
(and) zenn
よいこと
yoi koto
good
です。
desu.
means
また、
mata,
in addition
政党せいとう
seitou,
(a) political party
政策せいさく
seisaku,
policy
経済けいざい
keizai,
economy
財政ざいせい
zaisei,
finance
社会しゃかい
shiakai,
society
自由じゆう
jiyuu,
freedom
民主みんしゅ
minnshu,
democracy
信用しんよう
shinnyou,
credibility
保証ほしょう
hoshou,
guarantee
宗教しゅうきょう
shuukyou,
religion
哲学てつがく
tetsugaku,
philosophy
博士はくし
hakushi,
doctor
弁護士べんごし
benngoshi,
(and) lawyer
など、
nado,
including
生活せいかつ全般ぜんぱん
seikatsu zennpann
life in general
にわたって
ni watatte
(that) deal with
たくさん
takusann
many
あります。
arimasu.
there are
りゅう
ryuu
FS
これらの
korerano
these
熟語じゅくご
jyukugo ga
compound kanji expressions
どうして
doushite
why
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
de
in
つくられるようになったのですか。
tsukurareru youni natta no desuka.
were created ?
せん
senn
T
明治めいじ時代じだい
meiji jidai
(the) Meiji era
ni
in
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
アジアあじあ
ajia
Asia
de
in
いちはや
ichi hayaku
the first(country)
西洋せいよう
seiyou no
Western
文化ぶんか
bunnka wo
customs <culture>
れました。
toriire mashita.
was to adopt
そのころ
sonokoro
that time
ni
during
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
には
niha
in
なかった
nakatta
(that) hadn’t previously existed
西洋せいよう
seiyou no
Western
概念がいねん
gainenn wo
concepts
適切てきせつ
tekisetsu na
appropriate
漢字かんじ
kannji ni
a(n) kanji
あてはめたのです。
atehameta no desu.
were incorporated and given
英語えいご
eigo
English
など
nado
such as
漢字かんじ
kannji
(these) kanji
以外いがい
igai no
besides
外来語がいらいごは、
gairaigo ha,
loan words from languages
できるだけ
dekirudake
possible as
原音げんおん
gennonn
(the) original pronunciation
ni
to
ちか
chikai
closely
カタカナかたかな
katakana wo
katakana characters
あてはめて、
atehamete,
sticking (as)
使つかっています。
tsukatte imasu.
were spelt out using
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku
China
では
deha
in
外来語がいらいご
gairaigo ni
loan words
ちかおと意味いみ
chikai oto ya imi no
(a) similar sound and meaning
漢字かんじ
kannji wo
kanji (that have)
あてはめています。
atehamete imasu.
(they) replace with
りゅう
ryuu
FS
言葉ことば
kotoba ha
language
時代じだい
jidai
time
とともに
to tomoni
with
わります
kawari masu
changes
が、
ga,
[and]
漢字かんじ
kannji
kanji
mo
also
わるのですか。
kawaru no desuka.
has changed ?
せん
senn
T
いい
ii
good
質問しつもん
shjitsumonn
(a) question
ですね。
desu ne.
(that)’s
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku
China
では
deha
in
あらたな
arata na
new
王朝おうちょう
ouchou ga
(a) dynasty
誕生たんじょうする
tannjyou suru
arose
ごとに
goto ni
each time
おおきな
ookina
big
変革へんかく
hennkaku ga
upheavals
あり、
ari,
there were and
漢字かんじ
kannji
kanji
mo
also
影響えいきょう
eikou wo
(an) influence
けました。
ukemashita.
(this) had on
現代げんだいでは
genndai deha
at present
漢字かんじ
kannji wo
characters
簡単かんたんにした
kanntann ni shita
simplified
簡体字かんたいじ
kanntaiji ga
kantaiji
使つかわれ、
tsukaware,
are used and
過去かこ
kako ni
previously
使つかわれた
tsukawareta
used
文字もじ
moji ga
scripts
わすれられていく
wasurerarete iku
forget
傾向けいこうにあります。
keikou ni arimasu.
(people) are apt to
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
他国たこく
takoku
other countries
ya
or
他民族たみんぞく
taminnzoku
races
ni
by
征服せいふくされたことがない
seifuku sareta kotoga nai
has never been conquered
ため、
tame,
since
日本にほん
nihonn ga
Japan
導入どうにゅうした
dounyuu shita
(that originally) adopted
むかし
mukashi no
(the) old form (of)
漢字かんじ
kannji ha
kanji
そのまま
sonomama
(relatively) unchanged
日本にほん
nihonn ni
[in Japan]
のこっています。
nokotte imasu.
has remained
皮肉ひにくなことに
hiniku na koto ni
ironically
ふる
furui
older forms of
漢字かんじ
kannji
kanji
no
of
研究けんきゅう
kennkyuu ha
(for the) study
中国ちゅうごく
chuugoku
China
よりも
yori mo
than
日本にほん
nihonn no
Japan
ほうが
hou ga
rather
yoi
better
環境かんきょう
kannkyou ni
a[n] environment
ある
aru
to be
to
[that]
いわれます。
iware masu.
has proved
りゅう
ryuu
FS
今後こんご
konngo,
(the) future
漢字かんじ
kannji ha
(for) kanji
日本語にほんご
nihonngo no
Japan
なか
naka de
in
どうなっていくと
dounatte iku to
what holds
おもわれますか。
omoware masuka.
do (you) think ?
せん
senn
T
日本語にほんご
nihonngo no
Japanese
文字もじには
moji niha
script
ひらがな、
hiragana,
hiragana
カタカナかたかな
katakana,
katakana
漢字かんじ
kannji ga
(and) kanji
あり、
ari,
comprises of
ゆたかな
yutakana
(a) richness of
表現ひょうげん
hyougenn ga
expressive
可能かのうです。
kanou desu.
allowing for possibility
漢字かんじ
kannji ha
kanji
おおきな
ookina
important
役割やくわり
yakuwari wo
a(n) role
mochi
to play
つづけるとおもわれます。
tsuzukeru to omoware masu.
will continue

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