Tag - kanji

 
 

KANJI

As they enter the workforce, the young employees who grew up texting one another have their own rules for communicating.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 2, 2024
Fear of a full stop? Young Japanese say drop the period in your texts.
In addition to "maruhara," or "period harassment," younger employees want to cut down on the unnecessary emails that are a part of work culture.
What would you do if you received a juicy piece of gossip at work, do you know the Japanese for how you'd respond?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 23, 2024
Rumor, gossip and misinformation with neither roots nor leaves
Areas hit by the New Year's Day earthquake find themselves subject to damaging misinformation as they try to focus on reconstruction.
Seihan Mori, the chief Buddhist priest of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, writes the kanji character "zei," meaning "tax," with a calligraphy brush to announce the Kanji of the Year.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 15, 2023
Despite a taxing year, 2023's top kanji still draws questions
In a year of major crises around the world, Japanese voters pick the kanji for "zei," meaning "tax," based on a plan yet to be implemented.
Seihan Mori, chief priest of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, writes "zei" (taxes), which was chosen on Tuesday as the kanji of the year.
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2023
Talk of taxes spurs choice for Japan’s kanji of the year
The choice came as tax hikes and cuts were heavily covered in the news and discussed among policymakers.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 3, 2023
Japanese mottos: Where there’s a will, there’s a zayū no mei
Japanese business culture in particular is partial to the idea of a person being able to sum themselves up with a catchy — and insightful — phrase to live by.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 16, 2022
If you thought 2022 was a battle, this year's top kanji pick shows you weren’t alone
The kanji of the year for 2022 is used for wars and struggles, while this year's buzzwords referenced sports lingo and a Norwegian pop tune.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2022
'War' selected as kanji of the year amid international conflicts
The kanji for 'sen,' meaning war, battle or match, was picked as the single most representative Chinese character corresponding to the social mood in Japan this year.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Oct 28, 2022
A verb you're bound to wear out on Halloween
The verb 'kiru' (to wear) is a necessary bit of a vocabulary to know on a night like Halloween. Its usage is about more than just costumes, though.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 3, 2022
Looking to make an escape in Japanese? You'll need to know your kanji.
As the war in Ukraine looks far from over, there is no shortage of discussions on how to “get out” of such a dangerous situation. Here's a closer look at some escape-related terms.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 29, 2022
Yojijukugo: The four-kanji words that pack a whole lot of meaning
Some of the more common four-kanji idioms that we use in our daily lives include the word for daily life itself. Learn a few of them to impress your Japanese friends.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 22, 2022
Linguistic strategies for winning a Japanese quiz show
Want to test your knowledge of Japanese alongside native speakers and TV personalities? Try watching a quiz show on television.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 11, 2022
Military words are back in the headlines after Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been all over the news in Japan, which means we'll be seeing a whole new set of kanji and conflict-related terms.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Feb 2, 2022
Is Wordle too easy for you? Try it in Japanese.
Excitement over a simple online word game has spread to Japan for an entertaining way to practice your kanji and vocabulary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 14, 2022
A look at the kanji that helps us turn nouns into adjectives
The kanji for 'teki' can be seen in many words, and it's a rather versatile one that works particularly well as a suffix.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 17, 2021
All is not golden with the 2021 selection for kanji of the year
There was a sense of serious deja vu when 'u91d1' (kin) was announced as kanji of the year for 2021, it's fourth time to take the honor.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 13, 2021
'Kin' (gold) chosen as the kanji character of 2021
With references to Olympic medals, baseball legends and cash handouts, the 2021 selection highlighted 24-karat moments from a turbulent year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 7, 2021
French director Arthur Harari delves into the paranoid mind in 'Onoda'
French director Arthur Harari's biopic delves deep into the inner life of the Japanese soldier who refused to surrender for decades after the war.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 7, 2021
‘Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle’: An engrossing biopic on a wartime holdout
Arthur Harari's war film about Hiroo Onoda, who resisted surrender for decades after the end of World War II, focuses on key moments from the soldier's time in the Philippines.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 13, 2021
Discovering 'meaning' in Japanese with one kanji in particular
As we reflect on the Olympics, some may be wondering what the significance of holding them during a pandemic was. The kanji that helps express that is used for other deep thoughts, too.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 22, 2021
Radical recombinations: Capture the moment with created kanji
A yearly contest asks Japanese speakers to come up with new kanji to reflect modern times, providing a fun way to learn and understand the characters.

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on