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Modern Japanese: Uses 3 Main Writing Systems (+ 1!)

Modern Japanese uses four writing systems: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana (for native words), katakana (for foreign words), and the Latin alphabet. An example text uses all four scripts, with kanji providing meaning, hiragana marking grammar, katakana writing loanwords, and Latin characters used in abbreviations. The International Atomic Energy Agency supported Japan's analysis that the Fukushima nuclear disaster released less radiation than Chernobyl, rated at the same level 7.

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23 views

Modern Japanese: Uses 3 Main Writing Systems (+ 1!)

Modern Japanese uses four writing systems: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana (for native words), katakana (for foreign words), and the Latin alphabet. An example text uses all four scripts, with kanji providing meaning, hiragana marking grammar, katakana writing loanwords, and Latin characters used in abbreviations. The International Atomic Energy Agency supported Japan's analysis that the Fukushima nuclear disaster released less radiation than Chernobyl, rated at the same level 7.

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gozappari
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MODERN JAPANESE

uses 3 main writing systems (+ 1!) 1. KANJI ()


Kanji are logographs (characters of meaning) imported/derived from Chinese. Japanese uses a pair of syllabaries (alphabet-like symbols representing syllables instead of single letters/sounds)

2. HIRAGANA ()
Hiragana is used to spell out native Japanese words, mark grammatical elements, etc.

3. KATAKANA ()
Katakana is used for foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia and sometimes for emphasis. This means katakana functions a lot like italics in English. In addition, sometimes the Latin (English) alphabet is used, such as in abbreviations like CD or DVD.

4. ALPHABET
Heres an example of all four scripts in use from yesterdays news:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20110413/k10015275041000.html

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