| dc.description.abstract | Kanji is one of the three main writing systems used in Japanese, alongside hiragana and katakana. Kanji is used to write most nouns, verbs, and adjectives in Japanese. Many words can only be expressed with kanji because these characters convey deeper or more specific concepts than hiragana or katakana. For example, the word 愛 (ai, “love”) or 平和 (heiwa, “peace”) can only be written in kanji. The existence of kanji helps avoid confusion between similarly sounding words with different meanings. Mastery of kanji is a vital part of education in Japan. Without understanding kanji, one would struggle to interact with Japanese society. Therefore, learners or students who wish to study Japanese must begin by learning kanji, with the goal of reading and writing fluently. In formal situations—such as writing letters, reports, or professional documents—the use of kanji is essential. The correct use of kanji can reflect the writer’s level of education, language ability, and politeness. Kanji are also used in the Japanese art of calligraphy, known as shodō. | en_US |
