The Kodansha Kanji Usage Guide 1.1

The Kodansha Kanji Usage Guide stands out as a pioneering Japanese-English reference dedicated solely to kun homophones—words that share the same kun reading but are encoded with different kanji and often have distinct meanings.

Kun homophones present a significant challenge for intermediate-level students navigating written Japanese. For instance, terms such as /noboru/ (登る, 上る, 昇る) and /kaeru/ (変える, 替える, 換える, 代える) can be represented by multiple kanji, with each contributing a unique nuance. The subtleties of meaning conveyed by kanji can be perplexing, even for native speakers, and many dictionaries fall short in providing adequate guidance on kanji applications.

The Kodansha Kanji Usage Guide emerges as an indispensable tool for learners seeking to enhance their comprehension of kun homophones in contemporary Japanese. This resource includes detailed usage articles that delineate the distinctions and similarities among approximately 670 homophone groups and around 1,600 kanji headings, covering the great majority of single-character kun homophones currently in use.

• Examples illustrate how words function independently or when combined with other terms or components.
• Over 675 usage articles consolidate etymologically-related kun homophones under single entries.
• Thousands of compound words and contextual examples clarify the utilization of each homophone.
• Facilitates navigation to corresponding entries in The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary: Revised and Expanded app, if available.
• Covers Jōyō Kanji, Jinmei Kanji, and prevalent non-Jōyō Kanji character sets.
• Indices allow for quick searches by On-Kun readings and English meanings.
• No Internet connection is necessary for operation.
• Includes history tracking and bookmarking features.

Organized by the Japanese a-i-u-e-o order and replete with numerous examples of kanji in context, the Usage Guide serves as both a dictionary and a manual—a comprehensive resource for clarity regarding kanji usage in native-Japanese vocabulary. Learners utilizing this unique text will uncover new, previously unrecognized meanings within kanji and will develop greater articulation in their written Japanese.

About CJKI: The CJK Dictionary Institute, under the direction of Jack Halpern—editor of the New Japanese-English Character Dictionary and The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary—produces authoritative reference works that are widely accepted in the field.