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Definition of kanji

kanji

/ˈkɑːn.dʒi/
kan · ji
Plural:kanji
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kanji Lexical Profile

kanji Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A system of Japanese writing using logographic characters adapted from Chinese characters, or any individual character belonging to this system.

Example

"Students of Japanese must memorize over two thousand common kanji to read a daily newspaper fluently."

Word Nuance & Usage

In the Japanese writing system, kanji (logographic characters representing words or morphemes) are used alongside the phonetic syllabaries hiragana and katakana.

• Rhymes for kanji

• Nearby Words

kangaroo paw
kangchenjunga
kangkong
kanji
kano
kanpur
kansas city

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese kanji (漢字), from Middle Chinese, literally meaning 'Han characters' in reference to the Han dynasty of China.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kanji. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kanji
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