This year, the kanji character 災 (sai), meaning disaster or misfortune, was chosen as the character that best represents the sentiment and events in Japan in 2018.
Sehihan Mori, the head priest at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, drew the character with a large calligraphy brush on a huge piece of Japanese paper. Every year since 1995, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, a Kyoto-based organization that promotes kanji, has conducted the nationwide survey. This year 193,214 submissions were received and 10.8% or 20,815 voted for 災 . The second most popular was 平 (hei), meaning peace, which received 16,117 votes. Many disasters hit Japan this year including earthquakes, typhoons, and a heatwave, with hundreds of lives lost.
That is really interesting! I have been trying to learn Japanese on the Duolingo app, but my vocabulary is still small, and it does not teach a lot of Kanji. However, I did actually recognize the Kanji for north!
The Japanese love selecting 'the word of the year', the 'character of the year', 'the best Mum of the year', the sweetest stuffed/dressed up character of each prefecture/city/organization...' etc Is it part of the thirst for competition and the 'gambatte' (do your best) spirit?
I thought this post was really interesting. Not that a Kanji is selected each year, but that the one for 2018 depicts disasters. I was surprised because I would have expected the Japanese to select a more uplifting word. But then it's really a look BACK at the past year and not a look forward so I guess it makes sense. xx, Carol
The Australian National Dictionary Centre just chose their word of the year. It is "Canberra bubble", which is a disaster of different kind. (It refers to politicians living in their own little world and not having a clue what is going on in the rest of the country).
That is really interesting! I have been trying to learn Japanese on the Duolingo app, but my vocabulary is still small, and it does not teach a lot of Kanji. However, I did actually recognize the Kanji for north!
ReplyDeleteSad it has been such a year of disasters.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese love selecting 'the word of the year', the 'character of the year', 'the best Mum of the year', the sweetest stuffed/dressed up character of each prefecture/city/organization...' etc
ReplyDeleteIs it part of the thirst for competition and the 'gambatte' (do your best) spirit?
Hi Pamela so sad with the disasters that have hit all over the world,i find the meanings for the Japanese symbols amazing ,thankyou for sharing .
ReplyDeleteI thought this post was really interesting. Not that a Kanji is selected each year, but that the one for 2018 depicts disasters. I was surprised because I would have expected the Japanese to select a more uplifting word. But then it's really a look BACK at the past year and not a look forward so I guess it makes sense.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
So very interesting
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that this year needed such a word.
ReplyDeleteThe Australian National Dictionary Centre just chose their word of the year. It is "Canberra bubble", which is a disaster of different kind. (It refers to politicians living in their own little world and not having a clue what is going on in the rest of the country).
This does not say good things about 2018...hopefully, 2019 will be better for Japan and the world as a whole!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Kanji of the year, but I suppose it is like a blogger's word of the year. Only prettier!
ReplyDelete