漢字

• Reading: かんじ
• Romaji: kanji
• Kanji breakdown: 漢 (kan) — China, Han dynasty; 字 (ji/aza) — character, letter
• Pronunciation: /kaɴ.dʑi/

Meaning

Kanji; Chinese character. The logographic characters adopted from Chinese and used in Japanese writing.

A noun combining 漢 (China/Han dynasty) and 字 (character). Japanese uses roughly 2,136 常用漢字 (jouyou kanji, common-use kanji) designated by the government. Each kanji typically has at least two readings: on'yomi (Chinese-derived) and kun'yomi (native Japanese). JLPT N5 requires knowledge of about 80 kanji.

Examples

1. 漢字の勉強は大変です。 Studying kanji is tough.
2. この漢字は何と読みますか。 How do you read this kanji?
3. 毎日新しい漢字を五つ覚えます。 I memorize five new kanji every day.

Usage Guide

Context: language learning, writing, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Literally 'Han characters,' referring to the writing system of the Han dynasty (漢) of China. Kanji were introduced to Japan around the 5th century via the Korean peninsula and Chinese texts.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal