So you think you know what a word means, and then you hear it used in a way that makes absolutely no sense at all! I’m talking about the Japanese word kanji, but what does kanji mean in Japanese?
Well that’s the thing. It depends…
You see, Japanese has this feature called homophones. Actually, pretty much all languages have them – words that sound the same, but mean different things.
But Japanese has more. I mean, a LOT MORE!
Why is this? Well, it has to do with the fact that Japanese only has a total of 48 sounds in it.
Most languages have 100,000’s of words in them! So when you’ve got tons and tons of words, but very few sounds, some of them are going to get reused (I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is!).
There are a couple ways to get around this confusing situation, like the use of different tones in Japanese, but generally speaking the best way to tell what a word means, is to see how it fits in with the words right before it, and right after it.
It’s called context, and it is King within the realm of Japanese.
So let’s jump right into the Japanese word kanji, its meanings, usages, and learn exactly what it is.
Kanji – The Chinese Characters
Probably the most commonly known meaning for the word kanji (at least to students) is the one that refers to the third Japanese writing system.
Here is this version of the word spelled in (what else?) kanji –> 漢字
This is actually a compound word, which simply means that it has more than one kanji in it. The first kanji in this word is 漢 (kan) which means China, and in particular the Han Dynasty.
The second kanji is 字 (ji) which means character, as in “something one inscribes or engraves.”
So you put them together and you get the word 漢字 (kanji) and it translates to Chinese characters.
People who are learning Japanese are always talking about, and studying these kanji. And there are tons of different books our there that teach people how to learn them.
kono kanji ga kakenai no?
Can’t you write this kanji?
Kanji – The Feeling
If the last version of the word kanji is the one that students are most familiar with, this next one is the one that I hear used most often in anime, and real life too.
This one is spelled 感じ (kanji) which is a kanji that is assisted with a Hiragana character to complete the word. It can mean emotion; feeling; or sensation when it’s used.
ima, ashi ga karui kanji ga shimasu.
I feel light on my feet now.
I think that a lot of people who are studying Japanese know the first meaning of kanji and then get confused when they watch a show and hear this second meaning of the (same) word pop up often.
So just be aware that in regular conversations, when you hear the word kanji, it is probably in relation to this second meaning, rather than the first.
Your friend could be explaining a situation to you and then finished it off with something like:
donna kanji desu ka?
How do you feel (about that)?
Now you will know that they’re not asking you “what kind of Chinese character is that?” They’re asking for your opinion. 😉
Kanji – The Person in Charge of Making Arrangements
Even though we’ve come to the third meaning for kanji, there are still plenty more. But these first three are the only ones that are common, so these are the three that you will want to know and understand. The rest can be left until a later time.
OK, so this third one is spelled 幹事 (kanji) and some of the equivalent words that we would use in English are event coordinator; organizer; person in charge of making arrangements; or perhaps even the emcee.
Basically, if you are the 幹事 then it will be your job to make all of the arraignments for whatever is going on. It could be a party at work, or a school reunion, or whatever.
bōnenkai no kanji ni natte shimaimashita.
I (regretfully) became the organizer for the year-end-party.
Look for this particular meaning when the topic of conversation turns to an event that you plan on attending.
Kanji – Other Meanings That are not Commonly Used
Alright, here’s a list of some of the other possible meanings of the word kanji in Japanese. I wouldn’t say that this list is extensive, but if you’re still looking for the meaning of the word after reading those first three, then it should be here.
- 監事 = Auditor
- 寛治 = The Kanji era (1087-1094 AD)
- 冠辞 = Stereotyped epithet
- 官寺 = A state-sponsored temple
- 官事 = Government business
- 莞爾 = Smiling
But other than that, you’re going to have to look somewhere else if you still haven’t found the meaning you’re looking for.
Let me know! Did you find what you were looking for? Did you NOT?
Leave a comment below!
Further Resources for Learning Japanese:
Unafikiri unajua maana ya neno, lakini unasikia linatumiwa kwa njia isiyo na maana! Ninaongea juu ya neno la Kijapani kanji, lakini kanji inamaanisha nini katika Kijapani? Naam, hilo ndilo jambo. Inategemea... Unaona, Kijapani ina kipengele hiki kinachoitwa homophones. Kwa kweli, lugha zote zina maneno <unk> ambayo husikika sawa, lakini yanamaanisha mambo tofauti. Lakini Kijapani kina mengi zaidi. Yaani, Mengi Zaidi! Kwa nini jambo hilo linatukia? Kwa mfano, kwa lugha ya Kijapani kuna sauti 48 tu. Lugha nyingi zina maneno zaidi ya 100,000! Kwa hiyo wakati una tani na tani ya maneno, lakini sauti chache sana, baadhi yao ni kwenda kupata kutumika tena (Mimi sorry, kwamba ni tu njia ni!). Kuna njia kadhaa za kuzunguka hali hii ya kuchanganyikiwa, kama vile kutumia sauti tofauti katika Kijapani, lakini kwa ujumla njia bora ya kujua maana ya neno ni kuona jinsi inavyofaa na maneno kabla yake na baada yake. Inaitwa muktadha, na ni Mfalme ndani ya ulimwengu wa Kijapani. Kwa hiyo hebu tuingie moja kwa moja katika neno la Kijapani kanji, maana yake, matumizi, na kujifunza hasa ni nini. Kanji ni jina la lugha ya Kichina linalotumiwa na watu wengi, lakini jina la Kanji ni jina la lugha ya Kijapani. Hapa ni toleo hili la neno spelled katika (ni nini kingine?) Kanji <unk> <unk> 漢字 Hii kwa kweli ni neno la mchanganyiko, ambalo kwa urahisi linamaanisha kuwa lina kanji zaidi ya moja ndani yake. Kanji ya kwanza katika neno hili ni 漢 (kan) ambayo inamaanisha China, na haswa nasaba ya Han. Kanji ya pili ni 字 (ji) ambayo inamaanisha tabia, kama katika <unk> kitu mtu anaandika au engraves.<unk> Kwa hivyo unaweka pamoja na unapata neno <unk>漢字 (kanji) na hutafsiri kwa herufi za Kichina. Kwa wale wanaosoma Kijapani, ni muhimu kujua kwamba kanji ni moja ya lugha za asili za Kijapani. Kuna vitabu vingi sana vya aina mbalimbali ambavyo vinawafundisha watu jinsi ya kujifunza. Kanji ga kakenai no? Je, huwezi kuandika kanji hii? Kanji ni neno la Kiingereza linalotumiwa sana na wanafunzi wa shule za sekondari, na kwa hivyo ni neno la kawaida katika anime. "Kanjiji ya ""kanji"" ni aina ya herufi ya Kihiragana inayotumiwa katika lugha ya Kiswahili." Inaweza kumaanisha hisia; hisia; au hisia wakati inatumiwa. Imagi, Ashi ga Karuichi Kanji ga Shimasu Ninajisikia mwepesi kwenye miguu yangu sasa. "Watu wengi wanaosoma Kijapani wanajua maana ya kwanza ya kanji na kisha wanashangaa wakati wanapoangalia kipindi na kusikia maana ya pili ya neno ""kanji"" mara nyingi." "Kama unavyojua, katika mazungumzo ya kawaida, wakati unaposikia neno ""kanji,"" ni uwezekano mkubwa kuhusiana na maana hii ya pili, badala ya kwanza." "Mara nyingi, mtu anaweza kuelezea hali fulani na kisha kumaliza kwa kusema ""Donna Kanji Desu Ka?""" Unahisije (kuhusu hilo)? Sasa utajua kwamba wao si kuuliza wewe "ni aina gani ya tabia ya Kichina ni kwamba?" Wao ni kuuliza kwa maoni yako. 😉 Kanji  Mtu anayehusika na Kufanya Mipango Hata ingawa tumekuja kwa maana ya tatu kwa kanji, bado kuna mengi zaidi. Lakini hizi tatu za kwanza ni zile tu ambazo ni za kawaida, kwa hivyo hizi ni tatu ambazo utahitaji kujua na kuelewa. Vile vingine vyaweza kuachwa hadi wakati mwingine. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""mwenyeji"" ni jina la lugha ya Kiingereza, na katika lugha ya Kiingereza, ""mwenyeji"" ni jina la mtu anayehusika na kuandaa tukio, mratibu, mratibu, mwendeshaji, mwendeshaji, mwendeshaji, mwendeshaji, mwendeshaji, mwendeshaji." Kwa kweli, ikiwa wewe ni <unk>幹事 basi itakuwa kazi yako kufanya mashtaka yote kwa chochote kinachoendelea. Inaweza kuwa sherehe kazini, au mkutano wa shule, au chochote. bōnenkai no kanji ni natte shimaimashita. Kwa kusikitisha, mimi ndiye niliyekuwa mratibu wa sherehe ya mwisho-ya-mwaka. Tafuta maana hiyo hususa wakati kichwa cha mazungumzo kinapozungumzia tukio unalopanga kuhudhuria. Kanji <unk> Maana Nyingine ambazo hazitumiwi kwa kawaida Sawa, hapa ni orodha ya baadhi ya maana nyingine zinazowezekana za neno kanji katika Kijapani. Mimi si kusema kwamba orodha hii ni pana, lakini kama wewe bado ni kuangalia kwa maana ya neno baada ya kusoma wale tatu za kwanza, basi ni lazima kuwa hapa. "Kama ""Mwanamke"" (Kwanza) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke) au ""Mwanamke"" (Mwanamke)." Niambie tu! Je, ulipata kile ulichokuwa ukitafuta? Je, si wewe? Acha maoni hapa chini! Rasilimali zaidi za kujifunza Kijapani: