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Hiragana and Katakana

Standard Japanese: The Unified Language

Language is any means of communication, whether spoken or written. Hyojungo is the Standard Japanese officially taught as a foreign language, and it is used in Tokyo. This came about in the latter half of the Meiji era, 1868-1912, when written and spoken language was being unified during the Genbun itchi movement.

Since Japan is an archipelago of over six thousand islands, various dialects have developed. These dialects are generally categorized as Western, Eastern, and Kyushu (Japan’s third-largest island), but there are more variations. Homogenization’s goal was to show the world that Japan was a unified, civilized country. Schools were made to use Standard Japanese as a move to regulate the language in all classrooms.

The Japanese language works in the order of Subject-Object-Verb, so most of the time, sentences end with a verb. Most of the time, subject pronouns are not included in a sentence if they are already implied. There are only two types of verb tenses: present and past. Also, there are few irregular verbs. Nouns do not distinguish number and gender, nor do they go with article words such as “the” and “a.” Japanese includes five phonemes which are /a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, and /o/.  To differentiate Japanese words, it is important to stress the lengthened vowels.

Three Main Writing Systems

The Japanese writing system is a mix of three different types of usage—namely kanji, katakana, and hiragana (the latter two are under the Kana system.)

Kanji collection

Kanji collection.

Kanji – derived from the Chinese writing system. Every character in kanji holds its own specific meaning. Two thousand characters are used regularly in Japan.

Kana – composed of katakana and hiragana. This system is ideally comprised of syllabic characters and follows a similar structure to the sequence of speech. Katakana is more angular and is primarily used for the purpose of transcribing foreign words. Hiragana is more cursive and is used for words that are not found in kanji, or for grammatical intonations.

Japanese is the sixth most popular language studied in the U.S. The interest to learn Standard Japanese has increased over the years because Japan has much to offer in culture and the arts, as well as business resources that entice foreign investors.

The government and the media are promoting the use of the Standard Japanese language. Aside from it being taught in Japanese schools, it is also practiced in public communication such as radio, television, and print.

KCP, located in Tokyo, teaches Standard Japanese. You can learn more about Standard Japanese by visiting these sites.

 

NEW! Online Course: The Japanese Writing System: An Introduction to Hiragana and Katakana

Enroll in our self-paced hiragana and katakana course by our partner, Japan Fuji, and dive into the world of kana syllabaries. Learn how to read, write, pronounce, and memorize hiragana and katakana, which is often a prerequisite when enrolling in a Japanese language program.

 

Subscribe to KCP NihonGO! and improve your kana and kanji knowledge!

Practice your Japanese language skills by watching learning videos over at KCP NihonGO! YouTube channel. Each video has been crafted to help you easily and quickly learn the hiragana and katakana charts, expand your Japanese vocabulary, and includes a travelogue offering insights into several exciting Japanese destinations.

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!