Kanji of the Year 2024

 

This year the kanji 金  (Gold)  was chosen as the kanji of the year. The character symbolizes the gold medals Japan won at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, in addition LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's golden year. In Kyoto on Thursday December 12th, Chief Buddhist priest at Kiyomizu temple, Seihan Mori, drew the character with a giant calligraphy brush on Japanese paper measuring 1.5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide at the famous temple.  The event was televised live.  This is the fifth time gold was chosen as the kanji of the year in the thirty year history of the poll. 

I read there are 2136 daily use kanji. It seems strange to me that one kanji has won five times in 30 years when there are so many possible choices.

Kanji of the Year 2023

 

Every year since 1995, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation hasorganized the annual contest to name the Kanji Character of the Year.  This year, the kanji 税 was chosen, meaning tax. Chief Priest Mori Seihan announced the kanji by writing it on a large sheet of Japanese washi paper at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. 

The character received 5,976 votes, the most among the 147,878 entries. Officials said the character was chosen because of discussion on income tax cuts and the tightening of rules of the "furusato nozei" tax donation system.  This kanji was also chosen in 2014 when the national consumption tax was raised.

2022 Kanji of the Year

 

Every year, the general public votes in a poll run by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation for the kanji of the year.  Based on international conflicts, especially Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it was no surprise that the character (戦), meaning war was chosen this year. Out of the 223,700 votes, this character, sen, received the highest number with 10,804. Second place was yasu, (安), meaning weak, in reference to the weak yen, getting 10,616 votes.  

In Kyoto, chief Buddhist priest Seihan Mori of Kiyomizu temple made the announcement by writing the character with a giant calligraphy brush on Japanese paper at the temple. This is the second time sen was chosen.  It was also chosen in 2001, when terrorist attacks in the United States and domestic job cuts were the reasons stated.

2021 Kanji of the Year - 金

Every year, the "kanji of the year" is voted on, then announced at Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple in mid-December. This year the character 

金  - pronounced kin, meaning gold, was chosen. This is the fourth time it was chosen, after being selected in 2000, 2012, and 2016. This year it barely won over the second place finisher,  輪 which means ring. Both have connections to the Olympic games held this year. 

Here are the top ten picks for 2021:

Kanji of the Year 2020 - 密

 

It was announced yesterday that Mitsu 密 was the kanji character chosen as the character that best represents the sentiment and events of 2020.  Mitsu means close or crowded and was chosen because of the three mitsu of closed and crowded settings that experts said should be avoided to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

This year everyone in Japan has learned you must avoid: 

1. Closed spaces, 

2. Crowded places, and 

3. Close contact settings. 

The Kanji of the Year character was written in calligraphy at Kiyomizu-dera, a famous Buddhist temple in Kyoto, by chief monk Seihan Mori. The calligraphy character will remain on display at the temple until December 23rd.

Last year, 2019,the kanji character 令 (rei), meaning beautiful was chosen.

In 2018,  災 (sai), meaning disaster or misfortune was chosen.

The Kanji for 2017 was 北, meaning north. 

The 2016 Kanji of the Year was 金, meaning gold. 

In 2015, the chosen Kanji was 安, meaning safety or peace.  

The Kanji for 2014 was 税, meaning tax. 

The 2013 Kanji of the Year was  輪, meaning ring or circle.