Kanji

Kanji are Chinese-derived characters used in Japanese writing alongside hiragana and katakana. They commonly represent word roots and carry meanings, while their pronunciations depend on context.

On'yomi: A Japanese reading of a kanji derived historically from a Chinese pronunciation. These Sino-Japanese readings preserve layers of Chinese influence in kanji vocabulary.
Jukujikun: A reading in which a whole kanji compound corresponds to a Japanese word without matching each character's usual reading. Jukujikun make some compound pronunciations impossible to derive character by character.
Chinese writing: A logographic writing tradition used to write Chinese and adapted for several neighboring languages. Kanji developed from characters transmitted through this broader writing tradition.
Katakana: A Japanese syllabary used especially for loanwords, emphasis, and certain names or technical terms. Katakana marks sound-based writing where kanji would be uncommon or unsuitable.
Jōyō kanji: The list of kanji designated by Japan's government for ordinary use in modern writing. The list guides school instruction and public writing without limiting all possible kanji use.
Kun'yomi: A Japanese reading assigned to a kanji based on an indigenous Japanese word. These readings let kanji represent native Japanese words as well as Chinese-derived ones.
Nanori: Special kanji readings used primarily in Japanese personal names. Name readings add another layer of pronunciation beyond ordinary on'yomi and kun'yomi.
Man'yōgana: An early Japanese writing system that used Chinese characters for their phonetic values. Man'yōgana shows how characters were repurposed to write Japanese sounds before kana emerged.
Hangul: The alphabetic writing system used for the Korean language. Modern Korean writing relies primarily on Hangul, unlike Japanese's mixed kanji-kana system.
Kyōiku kanji: The set of kanji taught in Japanese elementary schools, arranged by grade. This curriculum subset defines the first stages of formal kanji education.

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