Did You Know?

Taken From Yookoso! An Invitation To Contemporary Japanese.

Introduction To Kanji (漢字)

Japan's Ministry of Education requires Japanese grade schools to teach 1006 kanji (!) from grades one through six. These kanji are called kyooiku kanji (educational Chinese characters). By the time they graduate from high school, Japanese are expected to know a total of 1945 kanji. (!!!) These 1945 kanji are called jooyoo kanji (Chinese characters for everyday use). Not only must students learn these kanji, but the Ministry of Education also recommends that newspapers and magazines use only jooyoo kanji plus about 280 other characters used in people's names (or else provide the pronunciation for the unsanctioned kanji). Generally, educated Japanese know more than these required kanji. (!!!!!)


So what does dat make me then? I think i'm worse than grade one! Ok maybe not.. maybe grade 3.. Alright make it grade 2! I'm like twice as old as a 6 grader but i can't write 1/4 of what they are supposed to be able to..

Anyway, yeah no problem. Once i start my quest of memorising my stuff, i'll be up there in no time! Have no fear, underdog is here! Okk.. i'm crapping.. must be influence from jennifer... anyway thanks for the good textbook!

I'm trying to recall how we learned to write Chinese in school... I can't.. As you can probably guess, i wasnt a very avid fan of my own mother tongue. Kinda regret it though.. Anyway, nothing's ever too late :D