Every year in December 12th, the year's Kanji is announced.
The year's Kanji is the one Kanji (Chinese character) that expresses that particular year. This event began in 1995. The picture shows Kiyomizu Temple which is where the year's Kanji is announced.
For example, the Kanji for 2006 was 命 (inochi), which means life. In this year, a baby was born to the Imperial family, and there were a lot of incidents that happened which reminded us all of the importance of life. so this Kanji was chosen as the year's Kanji.
Then in 2008, the Kanji chosen for that year was 変 (hen) which means change. There were a lot of changes seen within politics, economics, climate, lifestyles as well in other fields.
So now 2009, the Kanji chosen for this year was 新(shin) which means new. There was a changeover of administration, a new government was inaugurated, and a lot of new policies were begun. There were also a number of new records set by sporting athletes. The new type of influenza became quite prevalent, and there was also the introduction of new drugs as well. Whether good or bad, this was a year where a good deal of new things happened.
Since this event of choosing a year's Kanji began, my family and I have also been choosing our own Kanji of the year every year. It provides us an opportunity to think back over our year. Celebrities also announce their own year's Kanji on TV.
Our family also choses a Kanji for the next year. This becomes our goal for the coming year.
What is your Kanji for this year ?
What is your Kanji for next year ?
今週の語彙 This week's vocabulary
■今年の漢字 a Kanji for the year ■毎年 every year ■発表する to announce ■表す to express ■行事 an event ■写真 picture ■命 life ■天皇家 the imperial family ■生まれた to be born ■大切さ importance ■感じる to feel ■悲しい sad ■事件 a case ■選ぶ to choose ■変 Kanji which means 'change' ■政治 politics ■経済 economy ■気候 climate ■生活 life ■分野 a field ■変化 change ■新 new ■政権 administration; political power ■交代 change; relief; relay ■政府 government; administration ■発足 starting; inauguration; launch; founding; establishment ■制度 system; institution; organization ■選手 player ■新記録 new record ■新型 new style; new model ■流行 to be prevalent; to spread widely ■新薬 a new medicine ■登場 entrance; introduction (into a market); ■以来 since then ■振り返る to think back to ■機会 opportunity ■有名人 celebrity ■発表する to announce ■目標 a goal
コメントのご投稿は、