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Category kanji

Kanji etymology

Kanji etymology means the origins of the kanji. Kanji originated in China in the Yin period from about 1500 to 1100 B.C. Kanji are thought to have originally been signs used for divination. The earliest form of kanji are the oracle-bone and tortoise-shell inscriptions known as kōkotsubun (甲骨文) in Japanese, {{chi|chia ku wen}} in Chinese.

From these developed the bronze-vessel and bell inscriptions, shōteibun (鐘鼎文) in Japanese, {{chi|chung ting wen}} in Chinese, in the Chou period from 1100 to 221 B.C.

Links

  • Kanji Networks contains origins of 1950 Jōyō kanji as well as pictures of the seal script and oracle forms of several kanji.

    • Books

    The following books focus on kanji learning via etymologies:

  • The Complete Guide to Everyday Kanji
  • A Guide to Remembering Japanese characters