Japanese writing system

System of modified Chinese characters used for writing the Japanese language. The Japanese developed a mixed system, partly logographic (based on the Chinese writing system) and partly syllabic. In the 9th or 10th century two sets of syllabic signs evolved: hiragana, simplified cursive versions of Chinese characters; and katakana, based on elements of Chinese characters. Modern Japanese is written with the two syllabaries and Chinese characters.

Japanese Writing System

a writing system consisting of about 15,000 characters, or kanji, each of which represents a morpheme or several synonymous morphemes (either Japanese or borrowed from Chinese), and two parallel syllabic alphabets, each containing 47 syllabic symbols, or kana. The first alphabet, hiragana, is used to transcribe syntactic morphemes and onomatopoeic words. The second alphabet, katakana, is used in writing new loanwords. The Japanese writing system is therefore both ideographic and phonetic.

Japanese characters were borrowed from China in the sixth and seventh centuries; separate characters were fused together in Japan. The Japanese initially wrote in Chinese and later began indicating Japanese word order and syntactic morphemes; sacred words and poetry were written in characters that performed the role of syllabic signs. Each syllable could be represented by any of five to 20 homonymous signs. By the 12th century two sets of kana remained: the simpler, truncated syllabic signs— katakana—and the rounded, cursive signs— hiragana. A mixed writing system came to prevail (see Figure 1).

In 1946 the number of kanji characters for general use was reduced to 1,800, and the shapes of 700 characters were simplified; it was recommended that kana be used to write words that previously had been written with kanji characters. The orthography was standardized to conform with modern pronunciation; for example, wi and we were replaced by i and e, a-u by o-u (for [ó]), and e-u by yo-u. Japanese is written without spaces from the top of the page downward and from right to left. Sometimes, texts are printed from left to right. The Latin alphabet is little used.

REFERENCES

Fel’dman-Konrad, N. I. laponsko-russkii uchebnyi slovar’ ieroglifov, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1977.
Syromiatnikov, N. A. Drevneiaponskii iazyk. Moscow, 1972.

N. A. SYROMIATNIKOV

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No references found	Well, let's take a look at the benefits of getting on friendly terms with Japanese alphabet characters and Kanji symbols. 5 Career and Money Benefits of Learning Japanese Alphabets and Kanji ... by Rika susan / Jobs and Careers community TRADE'ex Procurement is customized for NTT's business rules and it is fully localized in Kanji, the Japanese alphabet. NTT Completes Roll Out of TRADE'ex Procurement; Internet-Based ... by Business Wire Japanese texts are made up of a rich mixture of characters, including Latin ones and three separate Japanese alphabets, including the most familiar one in Kanji in which is based on Chinese characters and has thousands of members. Japanese version of Open Text Index goes on-line; First web search ... by Business Wire	January 9, 2012 January 9, 2013 January 9, 2014 January 9, 2015 January General Strike of 1918 January thaw Janus Janus system Janusz Groszkowski Janusz Korczak Janzen, Daniel H. Japan Japan Constitution Memorial Day Japan Current Japan Federation of Labor Japan Federation of Trade Unions Japan Marine Day Japan National Foundation Day Japan paper Japan tallow Japan Trench Japan wax Japan, Sea Japan, Sea of Japanese Japanese alphabet Japanese Angelica Tree Japanese Apricot Japanese architecture Japanese art Japanese ash Japanese beetle Japanese Cedar Japanese Deer Japanese Emperor's Birthday Japanese encephalitis Japanese flowering cherry Japanese Lacquer Japanese language Japanese law Japanese literature Japanese Millet Japanese music Japanese PC market Japanese peppermint oil Japanese philosophy Japanese quince Japanese Raisin Tree Japanese Spaniel Japanese Studies Japanese tung oil	Japana Esperanto Junularo Japanee Japanee Japanese Japanese Japanese Japanese (disambiguation) Japanese (disambiguation) Japanese (language) Japanese Academy of Family Medicine Japanese Academy of Home Care Physicians Japanese Academy of Learning Disabilities Japanese Accounting Standards Board Japanese Acupuncture Japanese Acupuncture and Bodywork Institute Japanese administration of the Kuril Islands Japanese administration of the Kuril Islands Japanese Adult Video Japanese Aero Engines Corporation Japanese Affiliates of Foreign Firms Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs Japanese Agricultural Standard Japanese Agricultural Systems Society Japanese Air Defense Environment Japanese Aircraft Development Corporation Japanese Akita Japanese Akita Club of America, Inc. Japanese Akita Welfare Trust Japanese allspice Japanese alphabet Japanese Amateur Radio League Japanese Amateur Radio Overseas Club Japanese Amateur Radio Teleprinter Society Japanese Amateur Satellite Japanese amberjack Japanese American Japanese American Amateur Radio Society Japanese American Archival Collection Japanese American Association of Northern California Japanese American Bar Association Japanese American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley Japanese American Citizens League Japanese American Cultural and Community Center Japanese American Curriculum Project Japanese American Democratic Club Japanese American Doll Enthusiasts Japanese American Evacuation Cases Japanese American Historical Plaza Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego Japanese American Museum of San Jose Japanese American National Museum Japanese American Relocation Digital Archive Japanese American Research Project Japanese American Resource Center of Colorado

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Well, let's take a look at the benefits of getting on friendly terms with Japanese alphabet characters and Kanji symbols.

5 Career and Money Benefits of Learning Japanese Alphabets and Kanji ... by Rika susan / Jobs and Careers community

TRADE'ex Procurement is customized for NTT's business rules and it is fully localized in Kanji, the Japanese alphabet.

NTT Completes Roll Out of TRADE'ex Procurement; Internet-Based ... by Business Wire

Japanese texts are made up of a rich mixture of characters, including Latin ones and three separate Japanese alphabets, including the most familiar one in Kanji in which is based on Chinese characters and has thousands of members.

Japanese version of Open Text Index goes on-line; First web search ... by Business Wire

January General Strike of 1918