Glossary

Kanji - Character Terms

• Component

  A part of a kanji that historically could appear separately from the kanji it is taken from. Components are often further classified as either kanji roots or other compound kanji.

• Compound kanji

  A kanji character comprised of more than one root.

• Pictograph

  A symbol that resembles an object and means the object it resembles. Though some kanji were originally pictographs because they were images of objects, through heavy stylization most kanji cannot be understood outside of the context of a Chinese character-using language, making them logographs.

• Logographs

  A symbol that means a word within the context of a specific language. Kanji characters are generally considered logographic.

Kanji - Reading and Meaning Terms

• Rebus Principle

  A technique for expanding the meaning of a symbol or character by using it to represent a different word that sounds similar. For example, using a picture of a soup can to convey the meaning of “can” as in “is possible” would be an application of the Rebus Principle. In the context of kanji characters, this is referred to as kasha (仮借).

• Kasha (仮借)

  The use of a kanji character for another meaning because of a similar pronunciation. This is a kanji-specific term for the Rebus Principle and a form of ateji (当て字).

• On-reading (音読み)

  A kanji pronunciation phonetically borrowed from a Chinese language.

• Kun-reading (訓読み)

  A kanji pronunciation that is a native Japanese word (wago, 和語).

• Ateji (当て字・充て字)

  A reading for a kanji word set/assigned (充てた) based on either a similar pronunciation or meaning to another word. Two examples are sushi (寿司) and otona (大人). The kanji used in sushi are used purely for phonetic borrowing while the kanji for otona are chosen for the meaning of “adult” but are given a native Japanese reading. Ateji words chosen for kanji meaning with native Japanese readings are also called jukujikun (熟字訓). More generally, readings assigned to kanji borrowed for meaning are called gikun (義訓).

• Jukujikun (熟字訓)

  A kun-reading for a kanji compound word (word made of multiple kanji). An example of jukujikun is otona (大人). The kanji chosen for this word are borrowed semantically to represent the native Japanese word for “adult,” and neither character is phonetically linked to the compound word’s pronunciation. Jukujikun is a form of ateji (当て字) based on meaning.

• Gikun (義訓)

  A reading assigned to a kanji word based on an associated meaning (義). For example, the word shintai (身体) is sometimes pronounced karada (体) because both have the meaning of “body.” The term also applies to kanji compound words given foreign loan word (gairaigo, 外来語) readings, for example when pronouncing gyūnyū (牛乳) as miruku (ミルク). When gikun are popularized and become codified, they become jukujikun (熟字訓). Gikun is a form of ateji (当て字).

Root Terms

• Proper root

  A root that exists in the modern kanji and has historically existed.

• Phonetic root

  A root that exists in the modern kanji and lends it a similar reading.

• Emergent root

  A root that exists in the modern kanji but has not historically existed.

• Historical root

  A root that does not exist in the modern kanji but has historically existed.

• False root

  A root that does not exist in the modern kanji but may appear to be part of the kanji.

• Pseudo-root

  A “root” that has no historical meaning but visually appears to be part of the kanji. Pseudo-roots are often formed by the corruption of one or more roots.

Word Terms

• Wago (和語)

  Native Japanese words, also called Yamato words (yamato-kotoba, 大和言葉) after the native Yamato (Japanese) people.

• Gairaigo (外来語)

  Japanese words that originate from foreign loan words.

• Kango (漢語)

  Japanese words that originate from Chinese loan words.