Kyujitai
Encyclopedia
Kyūjitai, literally "old character forms" (Shinjitai
: ; Kyūjitai: ), are the traditional forms of kanji
, Chinese written characters used in Japanese
. Their simplified counterparts are shinjitai
, "new character forms". Some of the simplified characters arose centuries ago and were in everyday use in both China
and Japan
, but they were considered inelegant, even uncouth. After World War II
, simplified characters were made official in both these countries. However in Japan fewer and less drastic simplifications were made: e.g. "electric" is still written as 電 in Japan, but has been simplified to 电 in mainland China. Prior to the promulgation of the Tōyō kanji
list in 1947, kyūjitai were known as seiji or seijitai . Even after kyūjitai were officially marked for discontinuation with the promulgation of the Tōyō kanji list, they were used in print frequently into the 1950s due to logistical delays in changing over typesetting
equipment. Kyūjitai continue in use to the present day because when the government adopted the simplified forms, it did not ban the traditional forms. Thus traditional forms are used when an author wishes to use traditional forms and the publisher consents.
Unlike in the People's Republic of China
, where all personal names are consistently simplified
, (as opposed to Taiwan and Hong Kong, where the traditional forms are still used), kyūjitai are still tolerated in personal names in Japan (see List of the traditional kanji tolerated in names). Based upon this principle, the kyūjitai and shinjitai spellings of historical figures can be interchangeable in modern Japanese.
Shinjitai
Shinjitai are the forms of kanji used in Japan since the promulgation of the Tōyō Kanji List in 1946. Some of the new forms found in shinjitai are also found in simplified Chinese, but shinjitai is generally not as extensive in the scope of its modification...
: ; Kyūjitai: ), are the traditional forms of kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
, Chinese written characters used in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. Their simplified counterparts are shinjitai
Shinjitai
Shinjitai are the forms of kanji used in Japan since the promulgation of the Tōyō Kanji List in 1946. Some of the new forms found in shinjitai are also found in simplified Chinese, but shinjitai is generally not as extensive in the scope of its modification...
, "new character forms". Some of the simplified characters arose centuries ago and were in everyday use in both China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but they were considered inelegant, even uncouth. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, simplified characters were made official in both these countries. However in Japan fewer and less drastic simplifications were made: e.g. "electric" is still written as 電 in Japan, but has been simplified to 电 in mainland China. Prior to the promulgation of the Tōyō kanji
Toyo kanji
The tōyō kanji, also known as the Tōyō kanjihyō are the result of a reform of the Kanji characters of Chinese origin in the Japanese written language. They were the kanji declared "official" by the Japanese on November 16, 1946...
list in 1947, kyūjitai were known as seiji or seijitai . Even after kyūjitai were officially marked for discontinuation with the promulgation of the Tōyō kanji list, they were used in print frequently into the 1950s due to logistical delays in changing over typesetting
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
equipment. Kyūjitai continue in use to the present day because when the government adopted the simplified forms, it did not ban the traditional forms. Thus traditional forms are used when an author wishes to use traditional forms and the publisher consents.
Unlike in the People's Republic of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where all personal names are consistently simplified
Simplified Chinese character
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language...
, (as opposed to Taiwan and Hong Kong, where the traditional forms are still used), kyūjitai are still tolerated in personal names in Japan (see List of the traditional kanji tolerated in names). Based upon this principle, the kyūjitai and shinjitai spellings of historical figures can be interchangeable in modern Japanese.