What is "kanji illiteracy" (kanji yomenai) in the context of native Japanese speakers?


In the context of native Japanese speakers ([not non-
natives](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/354/what-are-the-
advantages-disadvantages-of-writing-in-romaji-instead-of-kanji-hir)), is there
a concept that roughly translates as "kanji illiteracy"? If so, what are the
Japanese terms for it? Also, what does it mean? Does it mean not being able to
distinguish kanji apart, not knowing the readings, or not knowing the
meanings? Can it also mean people who are unable to write kanji, being reliant
on IMEs and producing lots of
[誤変換](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/3178/91)?

**Background** : Episode 5 of 古代少女ドグちゃん had _Das Kapital_ being deployed to
un-brainwash some exploited workers in a crab-meat factory (presumably a
reference to [蟹工船](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanik%C5%8Dsen)). It worked on
the older workers, but the younger workers were not un-brainwashed, and the
heroes deployed the まんがで読破 ([Manga de
Dokuha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga_de_Dokuha)) version, saying "the
pressure-free education kanji-illiterate can understand it," according to a
D-Addicts fansub.

Related question: [How do I differentiate all these terms for
"illiterate"?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/4539/how-do-i-
differentiate-all-these-terms-for-illiterate) talks about illiteracy, but
doesn't seem to mention kanji in particular.

**Edit:** The term turned out to be kanji yomenai (漢字読めない). (Thanks nkjt先生!)
Edited the title so it's more informative.




In this particular case, could it just have been 漢字読めない？ (The other "KY").




nkjit's guess of 漢字読めない (kanji yomenai) was correct.

I don't know exactly what 漢字読めない (kanji yomenai) means, but the term seems to
exist, possibly as a slight neologism.

It's mentioned in Japanese Wikipedia's [page on
KY](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/KY).

Then Japanese Prime Minister Tarō Asō has
[apparently](https://celestialkitsune.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/why-excessive-
manga-reading-is-bad-for-you/) been
[called](http://blogs.japanesepod101.com/?p=1697) a KY for his misreading of
kanji. Describing himself as a Manga fan probably contributed to that
perception of him.

[Aso struggles with his kanji](http://blogs.straitstimes.com/2008/11/20/aso-
struggles-with-his-kanji/) says that he:

  1. Misread “mizou” (meaning “unprecedented”) as “mizoyu” (a [nonword](https://celestialkitsune.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/why-excessive-manga-reading-is-bad-for-you/)).
  2. Described exchanges between China and Japan as “hanzatsu” (“troublesome”) rather than “hinpan” (“frequent”).
  3. Mispronounced “toshu” (“follow”) as “fushu” (“awful smell”).

and [Aso's Kanji Blunders](http://tx.english-ch.com/teacher/julia/home/asos-
kanji-blunders/) says that he

  1. Pronounced "teimei" (sluggish) as "teimai"
  2. Misread "kiban" (basis) as "kihan"

His problems with kanji led to a boom in books about kanji, including Futami
Shobo's "Yomesode Yomenai Machigaiyasui Kanji" ("Commonly Misread Kanji that
Look Easy to Read, but Cannot Be Read Properly"), according to the Aso's Kanji
Blunders blog post.

I guess it shows that the kanji shouldn't be misunderestimated!

