Japanese Kanji | The Japan Guy

Japanese Kanji

Answers to The Japan Guy Kanji Quiz

May 15, 2012
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Answers to The Japan Guy Kanji Quiz

Let’s take a brief look at the chart once more: Okay ladies and gents! Let’s see how you did. The answers below show the word and the corresponding kanji character. I also included a brief explanation of each one. Check it out! 1. One 一 One, single, solitary dash seems fitting to me. So the next time somebody asks you if you know kanji, you can show them how well you can write the kanji for the number “one.” 2. Two　二 If one dash is the number one, guess what the number two is? Two dashes!! 3. Three　三 Three dashes! 4. River　川 If you chose this one as the number three, I can definitely...

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A Japan Guy 15 Kanji Quiz

May 13, 2012
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A Japan Guy 15 Kanji Quiz

I remember eating out with my friend Abasa in the early part of my Japan stay and was so impressed by this guy. I knew so little Japanese, but he was speaking fluently, effortlessly. We talked about life in Japan and how he didn’t follow the normal teaching route. Abasa went the business route, instead. He’d lived in Japan for quite some time, and life seemed so good for him. Running into people like him who were so positive about being here, really had a big influence on me. I wanted to be able to experience Japan the way Abasa was. I wanted to be able to converse easily with the people around me....

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Learning Kanji: My Five Kanji Teachers

May 10, 2012
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Learning Kanji: My Five Kanji Teachers

“BING, BONG, BING, BONG, BING, BONG, BING, BONG.” That grandfather clock-like tone means that cleaning time is over, and it’s time for the noon break. For the last four days my noon break has been a little different than normal. Every day after lunch & shouji I’ve been getting schooled in the ways of Japanese kanji by five, fifth grade girls. Learning kanji isn’t always easy, but hearing it from a Japanese kid’s perspective was really interesting. These five students were some of my best fourth graders last year, and the first day back, immediately after souji (cleaning time) they all came to my classroom, and were pretending like they were having an English...

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My First Elementary School Kanji Class

October 20, 2011
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My First Elementary School Kanji Class

I sat in on the last 20 minutes of 2nd grade, Japanese elementary school kanji class today and it was amazing! I feel like such an idiot for not going sooner. I honestly don’t know why I’ve avoided attending class, but I haven’t been going. Maybe I thought I would feel a bit stupid being this big guy sitting in a class of 2nd graders who know so much more Japanese than I do. Today was just one of those days where everything lined up. I got to school a lot earlier than normal, had more the enough time to make sure all of the day’s lessons were ready to go. The day was...

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My Journey to 1000 Kanji: #61-75 (Week 5)

December 19, 2010
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My Journey to 1000 Kanji: #61-75 (Week 5)

Here is the next set of kanji, numbers sixty-one to seventy-five. I did the best I could making the sentences, they may not be completely natural, but we all have to start somewhere, right? I’ve also decided to start adding some video to these so I can practice writing the kanji in the correct stroke order. I hope it helps you to learn more about the Japanese writing system, and helps me remember more in the process. 61.聞- The kanji for listen. On-yomi:ブん、モン Kun-yomi:きく、きこえる Sentence:聞いてください。Kiite kudasai. Please listen. 62.新- The kanji for new. On-yomi:シン Kun-yomi:あたらしい、あらた、にい Sentence:新しいじてんしゃをかいました。Atarashii jitensha wo kaimashita. I bought a new bike. 63.員- The symbol for member. On-yomi: イン Kun-yomi: N/A Sentence:...

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My Journey to 1000 Kanji: #46-60 (Week 4)

December 3, 2010
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Okay, so it’s on the the next set. ENJOY! 46.子- The Japanese symbol for child. Also the rat in the Chinese zodiac. On-yomi: シ shi、スsu Kun-yomi:　こ ko Sentence:　子どものとこ、たくさんえいがいをみました。Kodomo no toki, takusan eiga wo mimashita. When I was a child, I watched a lot of movies. 47.京- The kanji for capital. On-yomi: N/A Kun-yomi: キョウ kyou、ケイkei Sentence: いっしょうに東京にいきましょう。Isshou ni Tokyo ni ikimashou. Let’s go to Tokyo together. 48.国- This symbol means country. On-yomi:コク koku Kun-yomi:くに kuni Sentence: 外国にすみましたか？Gaikoku ni sumimashitaka? Have you lived in a foreign country. 49.外- Outside. On-yomi:ガイ gai、ゲ ge Kun-yomi:外、ほか、外す、はずれる Sentence:わたしは外人です。Watashi wa gaikokujin desu. I am a foreigner. 50.学- This symbol can mean study, science, or learning. On-yomi:ガク gaku Kun-yomi:まなぶ manabu. Sentence:だいがくでか学をべんきょうしていました。Daigaku...

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100 Japanese Verbs You Should Know (Part 5)

November 27, 2010
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100 Japanese Verbs You Should Know (Part 5)

100JapaneseVerbs5.mp3 Okay, this is it! Here are numbers 81-100 of the “100 Japanese Verbs You Should Know” series. I hope you have enjoyed learning these verbs as much as I’ve enjoyed providing them. If you can quickly and easily recall these verbs, it’ll be the start of a strong Japanese foundation. Please be sure to review Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and this final component of the series. Here we go! 81. Suwaru- すわる　座る- To sit 82. Tatsu- たつ　立つ- To stand 83. Kenkasuru- けんかする　喧嘩する- To fight/ To quarrel 84. Tetsudau- てつだう　手伝う- To help 85. Kimeru- きめる　決める- To decide 86. Machigau- まちがう　間違う- To make a mistake 87. Denwawokakeru- でんわをかえる　電話をかける- To make a...

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Six Factors for Good Japanese

November 14, 2010
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In many respects, Japanese can be a difficult language to learn. Especially to the western newbie who hasn’t taken the hiragana/katana plunge just yet. I like to think that a person’s language abilities are based around six key factors: 1) speaking, 2) listening/listening comprehension, 3) reading/reading comprehension, 4) writing, 5) vocabulary, and 6) grammar. If a person has a solid foundation in these six things, I thing their Japanese will be quite sound as well. 1. SPEAKING I am teaching Enlglish at an Eikaiwa えいかいわ*, and the emphasis is primarily on speaking English. Many Japanese students learn the basics of English grammar and reading in school, so many of them can read. However, when...

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My Journey to 1000 Kanji: #31-45 (Week 3)

November 4, 2010
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(updating…) Still going strong. I know it’s only week three, but I’ve been really inspired lately. The Student Halloween Party and the trip to Disney, really have me on a Japanese high to say the least. It’s not easy to learn these sometimes. About a week ago, a Japanese friend glanced at some of my sentences on my kanji page, and had a bit of a confused look on some of them. I don’t know if my sentences sounded like awkward Japanese or not, but please keep in mind that I am an American living in Japan. There may be some incorrect usage from time to time. Please know that it’s not on purpose....

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My Journey to 1000 Kanji: #16-30 (Week 2)

October 27, 2010
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It’s KANJI TIME!! Today I’m looking at kanji numbers 16-30. Last time we worked primarily on numbers. I think I’ve got the hang of those (even though I’m not sure if the sentences I created were 100% natural…but bear with me…I’m learning). This week’s kanji seem pretty cool, because they include fire, water, wood cool, ninja-sounding-type stuff. Without any further ado, let’s get right to it. KANJI # 16-30 16.日- This Japanese symbol for sun, day, or Japan. On-yomi: Nichi　ニチ, Jitsu　ジツ Kun-yomi: Hi　ひ, Ka　か Sentence: その日、すごくさむかった。Sono hi, sugoku samukata. It was really cold that day. 17.本- This kanji means book, present, main, or serves as a counter for long, cylindrical objects. On-yomi: Hon　ホン Kun-yomi:...

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