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One of the best Japanese Kanji dictionary.
The kanji most commonly used for "Language" are 語、言、舌.
語
語 is the character for language in the sense of a named tongue. Every language name uses it — 日本語, 英語, 中国語 — and the general term 言語 is built on it. Its other life is as a verb: 語る means to tell or relate, which gives 物語, a tale. At smaller scale it also means word: 単語 (a vocabulary item), 語彙 (vocabulary).
言 is the character of speech and of words as such. 言葉 (kotoba) is the ordinary Japanese word for word or language, and 発言 is a statement or remark. 言 is the first half of 言語 and is the character most people are reaching for when they want ‘words’.
舌 is the tongue as the organ in your mouth. It reaches language only through the same metaphor English uses in ‘a sharp tongue’, which is precisely 毒舌 in Japanese. Written alone it is anatomical, not linguistic.
語 is the safe character for language, though alone it reads slightly incomplete — Japanese readers expect it attached, as in 日本語. 舌 will simply be read as the body part. If you want words themselves rather than a language, 言葉 is the plain choice.
What is Onyomi?
Onyomi, also known as the "Sino-Japanese reading," is one of the two main reading systems for kanji characters in Japanese. It refers to the reading of a kanji character that is derived from the original Chinese pronunciation.
What is Kunyomi?
Kunyomi, also known as the "native Japanese reading," is one of the two main reading systems for kanji characters in Japanese. It refers to the reading of a kanji character that is based on the native Japanese pronunciation. Kunyomi readings are often used when a kanji character stands alone or is followed by hiragana, as in verbs and adjectives. Mastering both kunyomi and onyomi is crucial for understanding and using kanji effectively in the Japanese language.
What is Radical?
A radical, also known as "bushu" in Japanese, is a fundamental component of kanji characters. Radicals are the building blocks of kanji and are used to categorize and organize them in dictionaries. There are 214 traditional radicals, each with its own meaning, which often provides a clue to the meaning of the kanji character it forms.
What is strokes?
Stroke count, or "kakusuu" in Japanese, refers to the number of individual brushstrokes required to write a kanji character. Each kanji has a specific stroke order and stroke count, which are essential for writing the character correctly and legibly. Understanding and following the correct stroke order not only ensures proper balance and aesthetics but also makes writing more efficient and fluid.