日本語日本語

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Speaking JapaneseSpeaking Japanese

　　♦♦ PronunciationPronunciation 　　　♦　♦ VowelsVowels

　♦　♦ ConsonantsConsonants 　　 Writing JapaneseWriting Japanese

♦ ♦HiraganaHiragana 　　平仮名　　平仮名　　♦♦KatakanaKatakana 　　カタカナ　　カタカナ♦♦Kanji Kanji 　漢字　　漢字　

Speaking Japanese Speaking Japanese

日本語　日本語　 (nihongo)(nihongo)

Each region has its own dialect, but a standard Each region has its own dialect, but a standard version of Japanese is taught in schools and version of Japanese is taught in schools and understood by people all over Japan. understood by people all over Japan.

http://japanese.about.com/library/blhiraganaaudio.htm

http://japanese.about.com/library/blkatakanaaudio.htm

PronunciationPronunciation

When speaking Japanese, it’s important to When speaking Japanese, it’s important to make each syllable the same length and say it make each syllable the same length and say it clearly. clearly.

Vowels Consonant

Vowels Vowels Vowel sounds are Vowel sounds are

shorter than their shorter than their English equivalents.English equivalents.

1.1. a as in a as in rraatherther

2.2. i as ini as in b beaeatt

3.3. u as in u as in bbooookk

4.4. ee as as inin g geett

5.5. oo as as in in hhoot t

When i and u follow a When i and u follow a consonant, they are not consonant, they are not always sounded clearly. always sounded clearly.

e.g. desu => dess e.g. desu => dess suki => sskisuki => sski Two vowels together should

be pronounced as separate sounds and not combined.

e.g. kouen (park) => koh en Some syllables can be

combined to form one. e.g. kya is a combination of ki

and ya.

ConsonantsConsonants

The pronunciation of The pronunciation of consonants is not as consonants is not as strong as English. R is strong as English. R is between an r and l between an r and l sound. V is sound. V is pronounced the same pronounced the same as b. as b.

If there is a double If there is a double consonant, pause consonant, pause slightly before saying slightly before saying the consonant.the consonant.

The sound of The sound of borrowed words has to borrowed words has to be changed to fit with be changed to fit with Japanese Japanese pronunciation. In pronunciation. In most cases, consonants most cases, consonants must be followed by a must be followed by a vowel. vowel.

e.g. hot doge.g. hot dog => hotto => hotto doggu doggu

Japanese WritingJapanese Writing

ひらがなひらがな : Hiragana -- Curving, flowing look.: Hiragana -- Curving, flowing look. カタカナカタカナ : Katakana – Straight, angular look. : Katakana – Straight, angular look. 漢字漢字 : kanji – Characters adapted from Chinese : kanji – Characters adapted from Chinese

writing. writing. Horizontal and Vertical Writing: Japanese can Horizontal and Vertical Writing: Japanese can

be written both horizontally and vertically. be written both horizontally and vertically.

What is What is ひらがな？ひらがな？

All Japanese words can be written in hiragana, All Japanese words can be written in hiragana,

a writing system with 46 syllables. a writing system with 46 syllables. http://japanese.about.com/od/hiragan1/Hiragana.htmhttp://japanese.about.com/od/hiragan1/Hiragana.htm

ImuImu

NekoNeko

UchiUchi

HanaHana

dogdog

catcat

househouse

flowerflower

いぬいぬねこねこうちうちはなはな

HiraganaHiragana

What is What is カタカナ？カタカナ？ Foreign words are written in katakana which Foreign words are written in katakana which

also has 46 syllables.also has 46 syllables. http://japanese.about.com/od/kataka2/Katakana.htmhttp://japanese.about.com/od/kataka2/Katakana.htm

koohiikoohii

keekikeeki

chiizuchiizu

panpan

coffeecoffee

cakecake

cheesecheese

breadbread

コーヒーコーヒーケーキケーキチーズチーズパンパン

KatakanaKatakana

Hiragana and KatakanaHiragana and Katakana

Hiragana and Katakana syllables are derived Hiragana and Katakana syllables are derived from the kanji Chinese characters: from the kanji Chinese characters: katakana katakana from the radical or component part of kanji, from the radical or component part of kanji, and and hiragana hiragana from the characters themselves. from the characters themselves.

In addition to being used to transcribe the In addition to being used to transcribe the foreign words, the foreign words, the katakanakatakana are also used for are also used for sending Japanese language telegrams. sending Japanese language telegrams.

　 http://japanese.about.com/library/blbeginkanji.htm

WhatWhat 　ｉｓ　漢字？　ｉｓ　漢字？

漢字 漢字 (kanji)(kanji) are characters of symbols that are are characters of symbols that are borrowed from the Chinese about 2000 years borrowed from the Chinese about 2000 years ago. ago.

There are about 50,000 of the Chinese There are about 50,000 of the Chinese characters, but in Japan only about 3,000 are characters, but in Japan only about 3,000 are common, and of this number, 1945 have been common, and of this number, 1945 have been designated by the government for daily use.designated by the government for daily use.

KanjiKanji

The Japanese gradually The Japanese gradually assimilated kanji to meet assimilated kanji to meet their own need for a script – their own need for a script – but without changing the but without changing the pronunciation of their own pronunciation of their own language. language.

Most kanji can be read in Most kanji can be read in two or more different ways two or more different ways with the meaning depending with the meaning depending on which way the kanji is on which way the kanji is read. read.

Example:Example:

白鳥 白鳥 means “swan” when means “swan” when pronounced hakuchou, but pronounced hakuchou, but “white bird” when read as “white bird” when read as shiratori.shiratori.

kanjikanji

To read newspaper or To read newspaper or magazine, it is necessary to magazine, it is necessary to know all hiragana, katakana, know all hiragana, katakana, and about 2000 kanji.and about 2000 kanji.

Kanji were originally Kanji were originally formed from simple formed from simple pictures, mostly taken from pictures, mostly taken from nature. These were later nature. These were later standardized and additional standardized and additional words were formed by words were formed by combinations of kanji. combinations of kanji.

Original Picture Modern Kanji Meaning

  火 Fire

  手 Hand

  川 River

  田 Rice paddy-field

  木 Tree

  口 Mouth

More More 漢字 漢字 ……

富士山 富士山 (Mt. Fuji)(Mt. Fuji) 日本桜日本桜 ((Japanese Cherry BlossomJapanese Cherry Blossom))

寿司寿司sushisushi

Can you read Can you read these hiragana, these hiragana, katakana and katakana and

kanji?kanji?

ReferencesReferences

http://japanesei.wikispaces.com/file/view/bowing2.gifhttp://japanesei.wikispaces.com/file/view/bowing2.gif http://japanesei.wikispaces.com/file/view/hiragana_symbols.gifhttp://japanesei.wikispaces.com/file/view/hiragana_symbols.gif http://japanese.about.com/library/blbeginkanji.htmhttp://japanese.about.com/library/blbeginkanji.htm www.google.comwww.google.com www.japan.about.comwww.japan.about.com www.clipart.comwww.clipart.com Zen meditation Retreat www.deltaentertainment.comZen meditation Retreat www.deltaentertainment.com In Japan EMC Publishing 1992In Japan EMC Publishing 1992 Everything Japanese by Boye DeMente Passport Books 1975Everything Japanese by Boye DeMente Passport Books 1975

The EndThe End

　　　　　　　　

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