“ON” and “KUN” in Kanji
Here is an easy introduction to Kanji. Kanji is a set of characters that originated in China and was introduced to Japan a long time ago. These characters are used in the Japanese writing system alongside Hiragana and Katakana. Due to their Chinese origins, Kanji characters in Japanese often have pronunciations that are derived from Chinese. However, these pronunciations have evolved over time and are now somewhat different from modern Chinese pronunciations.
The differences in pronunciation could be due to various factors. Over centuries, linguistic changes in both Chinese and Japanese have naturally led to these variations. Additionally, the people who initially introduced Kanji to Japan may not have had perfect pronunciation, leading to some discrepancies. These Chinese-derived pronunciations are referred to as “ON” readings in Japanese.
Kanji characters are not only pronounced differently but are also used in unique ways in Japanese. They often carry specific meanings and are used to convey various concepts, ideas, and objects. Learning Kanji can be challenging due to the sheer number of characters and their complex usage, but it is essential for mastering the Japanese language. Understanding the historical context and evolution of Kanji helps in appreciating its role in Japanese writing and communication.
Japanese people also used Kanji to represent native Japanese words, assigning them Japanese pronunciations instead of the Chinese-derived ones. This is called “KUN”readings. For example, the Kanji “山” can be read as “san” (ON reading) or “yama” (KUN reading).
As a result, Kanji in Japanese has two ways of pronunciation: “ON” and “KUN”. This is one of the reasons that makes Japanese complicated. Not all Kanji have “KUN” readings, but they always have “ON” readings. Here are some examples of the pronunciations of Kanji in several languages.
| Kanji | Cantonese | Mandarin | Korean | Vietnamese | Japanese (ON, KUN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 風 | fung | feng | phung | phong | fuu, kaze |
| 春 | chun | chun | chun | xuân | shun, haru |
| 人 | yan | ren | in | nhân | nin/jin, hito |
| 車 | che | che | cha | xa | sha, kuruma |
| 里 | lei | li | ri | lí | ri, sato |
| 物 | mat | wu | mul | vật | butsu, mono |
| 学 | hok | xue | hak | học | gaku, manabi |
| 今 | gam | jin | geum | kim | kin/kon, ima |
| 業 | yip | ye | eop | nghiệp | gyou/waza |
| 虫 | chong | chong | chung | trùng | chuu, mushi |
| 正 | jing | zheng | jeong | chinh | sei/shou, tadashi/masa |
As you can see, the “ON” pronunciation of Kanji in Japanese has undergone significant changes over time due to the geographical distance from ancient China. This distance, coupled with cultural and linguistic evolution, has shaped how Kanji characters are pronounced in Japanese today.
It’s important to note that there are two primary types of pronunciation for Kanji in Japanese: the “ON” readings, which are derived from Chinese pronunciations, and the “KUN” readings, which represent native Japanese pronunciations assigned to Kanji characters.
This dual system of pronunciation adds complexity to learning Kanji in Japanese. While not all Kanji characters have “KUN” readings, they all have “ON” readings that reflect their Chinese origins. Understanding these two types of readings is essential for grasping the full depth and usage of Kanji in the Japanese language.