Kanji of the Year 2014

Each year there is a competition to chose the Kanji of the year.  On December 12th, the head monk at Kyoto’s famous Kiyomizu Temple announces the winner, which is meant to represent situations and events (both domestic and global) that took place that year. I told you about the Kanji of the year for 2013 here. 

This year the Kanji of the Year is 税 pronounced zei, which means “tax”.

 

This is in reference to the April tax hike in Japan, with the possibility of another next year.  Runners up in the contest were 熱 (netsu) meaning “heat” or “fever” maybe in reference to the Ebola outbreak, and 嘘 (uso) which means “lie” probably aimed at the disgraced scientists involved in the STAP cell scandal over the first half of the year.

 

Maybe next year, a happier sounding kanji will be chosen!