Japanese Kanji & Kana Revised Edition: A Guide to the Japanese Writing System (Tuttle Language Library) [Paperback]

Wolfgang Hadamitzky (Author), Mark Spahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0804820775 | ISBN-13: 978-0804820776 | Edition: Rev Sub

Since 1981, Japanese Kanji & Kana by Wolfgang Hadamitzky and Mark Spahn has been one of the most trusted and popular study guides for beginning and intermediate students of Japanese. This revised edition not only covers the current 1,945 joyo kanji, it also provides a comprehensive overview of the Japanese kanji and kana writing system, including writing, usage, punctuation, and how to use kanji dictionaries. Indexes allow for kanji look-up by pronunciation, radical, and stroke order. A unique feature is a jinmeiyo kanji list covering characters frequently used in personal names but seldom taught in class. Each entry includes on and kun readings, English translations, stroke order, and example vocabulary.

Editorial Reviews

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About the Author

Wolfgang Hadamitzky is a librarian of the East Asia section of the Berlin State Library. He has worked in Oslo and Tokyo on the staff of the German Cultural Institute (Goethe Institute).

Mark Spahn has a background in mathematics, engineering, and computer science. He has worked in Japan as a teacher, computer magazine writer, programmer, and translator. He presently resides in the United States, where he is active as a translator and consultant. Other titles by the same authors include A Guide to Writing Kanji and Kana (Tuttle) and The Kanji Dictionary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Rev Sub edition (June 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804820775
• ISBN-13: 978-0804820776
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My most valuable book in seven years of Japanese study, August 6, 2000

By 

Svend (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Japanese Kanji & Kana Revised Edition: A Guide to the Japanese Writing System (Tuttle Language Library) (Paperback)

The challenge of learning Japanese has two parts: written and spoken. While the spoken part is relatively easy, the written part takes the most work. I am thankful for this book more than any other in my struggle to learn written Japanese.

I used this book like flashcards, hiding parts until I could prove to myself that I had it in my long-term memory. Once I had memorized one Kanji, I would highlight it. I made a goal of learning 10 or so each day, each week logging my progress. After two years with this book I had mastered 1500 Kanji. I continued using this book while in Japan to learn all 2000.

There are some characters that are in common use and are not included in the standard 2000. However, learning these basic 2000 will give you the boost you need to attain written fluency. The next challenge is learning the compound nouns, which are usually made up of two Kanji. This book provides a few common compounds, which are listed next to each entry.

While this book is great for learning the individual Kanji, you will need to learn your vocabulary from an additional source.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for students of Japanese with minor flaws, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Japanese Kanji & Kana Revised Edition: A Guide to the Japanese Writing System (Tuttle Language Library) (Paperback)

I purchased this book because of recommendation, and after doing so I can do nothing but congratulate the author and recommend it myself. The book contains all the 1945 Jou-you basic kanji plus and extra 284 kanji for official use in names. The 1945 basic kanji have uses, stoke order, different fonts (brush, pen and printed), pronounciation in both ON and KUN readings plus variations. Also included are a range on official examples in which the Kanji is used, which I find to be an essential feature. However, the 284 name kanji omit stroke order and a lot less detail and attention is payed to them. The book also contains 3 index systems by radical, stroke count and reading. However, I have found that some readings of a particular kanji are not shown, for example, the suffix '-tachi'. To solve this, you must look the kanji up in another index, proving that the multiple index's are essential. The book also provides a useful and helpful introduction that includes the background and origin of Japanese plus various uses of the kana; hiragana and katakana. In conclusion, a worthy purchase and if you haven't already done so, add it to your colleciton forthwith.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Beginner's Learning Tool, June 27, 2005

By 

Dreams Thunder - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Japanese Kanji & Kana Revised Edition: A Guide to the Japanese Writing System (Tuttle Language Library) (Paperback)

This book includes the entire Jouyou Kanji list (1,945 characters), as well as complete hiragana and katakana, all of which are required to be considered literate in Japanese. This alone makes the book an excellent learning tool for any beginner ready to tackle the written language. Each kanji symbol is followed with romanized readings, as well as several common compound words it may be found in. Every symbol even provides stroke order, to aid in proper writing techniques.

The book pushes beyond the basics, however, also including a list of nearly 300 kanji that can be found in names. The first section of the book provides comprehensive reading for any level student, featuring history, styles, rules, punctuation, and more, for the written language. The indexes in the back give the learner three methods of searching for kanji: by radical, by stroke count, or by reading.

While this book will not provide the reader with a complete list of the thousands of kanji that exist, it is an excellent tool with which to start at the basics and help you work your way towards fluency.