Page 17 - Japanese Character Writing for Dummies

There are a few reasons why kanji is convenient and useful. Kanji is often used for “content words”
such as nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. By using kanji, we don’t get confused with hom-
onyms. For example, dento can refer to either electric lights or tradition. Kanji can clarify this
instantly. In any case, certain aspects of Japanese grammar are expressed in hiragana.

When you speak, the context and pitch (high or low) in the word can also give someone cues
regarding what word you are using.

Kanji can also economize a sentence and provide the meaning of the word without you completely
sounding it out. Let’s compare the following two sentences. The first is in kanji, while the second
uses all hiragana.

新幹線を使うと、東京から京都まで2時間半で行けます。
しんかんせんをつかうと、とうきょうからきょうとまでにじかんはんでいけます。

Both sentences translate as, “If you use a bullet train, you can get to Kyoto from Tokyo in 2.5
hours.” But the all-hiragana version is quite lengthy, and you need to sound it out to process the
meaning of the sentence. The kanji version is more concise. The longer a sentence gets, the more
kanji becomes helpful.

Kanji is aesthetically ingrained in Japanese culture. One of the most notable art forms is calligra-
phy. Beautiful writing with a brush and ink has been appreciated for many centuries since being
introduced from China. Nowadays, you can get a fudepen, which is a brush-type pen that allows
you to write calligraphy without the hassle of a traditional brush. You can try brush strokes with
it and experience the feel of brush writing. But there is nothing like real brush writing, of course!

CHAPTER 1 Wrapping Your Head around Japanese Writing and Pronunciation 11