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Introduction to Kanji
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Japanese uses three scripts: Hiragana (native words), Katakana (foreign words), and Kanji (Chinese-origin characters). Hiragana and Katakana each have 46 base characters. Master pronunciation rules before moving on — long vowels, double consonants, and pitch accent are commonly overlooked early.
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Kanji Formation: Pictograms (象形文字)
Characters derived from pictures of objects. 木 (tree), 山 (mountain), 川 (river), 日 (sun).
Kanji Formation: Simple Ideograms (指事文字)
Abstract concepts shown with symbols. 上 (above), 下 (below), 一 (one), 二 (two), 三 (three).
Kanji Formation: Compound Ideograms (会意文字)
Two or more elements combined for meaning. 明 (bright) = 日 (sun) + 月 (moon). 休 (rest) = 人 (person) + 木 (tree).
On-yomi vs. Kun-yomi
On-yomi: Chinese-derived reading, used in compound words (e.g., 山 = サン in 火山/kazan). Kun-yomi: native Japanese reading, used alone (e.g., 山 = やま).
明 combines 日 (___) and 月 (___) to mean 'bright'
sun, moon