Seven Lines of Kanji For Translation, Please...

[J7W22007]

During per-war era and till immediate post war, Japanes were taught to use traditional Japanese.

So No.4 was also used by Japanese. They still use that but not as always as

No.3.

One of my favorite examples is the word 戦闘 (Sen Tou) - Combat

Old Japanese style: 戰闘

Chinese Tradition：　戰鬥

Chinese Simplified: 战斗

I would think the best sites to answer Stu' s question are:

Traditional Chinese --- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditi...ese_characters

Simplified Chinese ---- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplif...ese_characters

Best Regards,
Taka

[J7W22007]

Just some of my brief history.

My first language is in fact Cantonese (Chinese dialects use in Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau). I was taught to write in Traditional Chinese. I was in Hong Kong till Grade 6. ( Went to Canada for 11 years). I always deal with Traditional Chinese, they are beautiful, indeed. Wait till I started to see some simplified Chinese, I honestly don't like them at all. The strokes are lot less and I have to guess all the time. I found out that it is hard to learn Simplified Chinese after you have Traditional Chinese skills.
On the other hand my 2nd language was Japanese. I carry a Japanese last name, but I didn't go to any Japanese school at all. I learned to speak and read Japanese almost by myself. Reading books and watching Japanese TV and videos. But no writings. I actually started writing Japanese in 2009! When I went to Canada, I was afraid to loose my Japanese skill (down grade to 3rd language) so I read and listen but without anybody to speak with. I started to use Japanese completely in 2009, this time Chiba, Japan. Man that was tough. I can't use much English and Cantonese at all. Then last year started my life in China, (transferred) here I have to use all my 3 language + another Chinese (Mandarin). Pretty much have to speak, read and write in all. Wow, this is like a campaign for Island Hopping. Drives myself crazy sometimes. Don' t know what's gonna happen up next.....

So basically: Hong Kong (0~11 years old)
Canada (11~22)
Japan (22~25)
Shanghai (25~ Don't know when)

Regards,
Taka

[chen]

Taka,
So which places you like most ( Hong Kong, Canada, Japan or Shanghai)?
I agree with your view about traditional Chinese vs. simplified Chinese. I also face same guessing problem too.
Since you know old master Q comic, then do you know this old time comic?

[J7W22007]

Taka,
So which places you like most ( Hong Kong, Canada, Japan or Shanghai)?
I agree with your view about traditional Chinese vs. simplified Chinese. I also face same guessing problem too.
Since you know old master Q comic, then do you know this old time comic?

Mr. Chen,

That's a tough decision.

IMO, I used to like Hong Kong when she was still part of the British colony. Everything gone pretty bad after returned to China. A little better recently, from what I heard.

I like Canada, it's a pretty calm and beautiful place. A great place to live. Only thing that bothers me the most is the freezin' weather. Plus this is the place that I started my military collecting, around 2006/2007.

Japan, freaking awesome! Food, entertainments, clean, top class service, but quite stressful to live. Especially at work. It took me a year to recover or use to Japanese environment when I came from Canada. And of course lots of militaria, especially the V-show!

Shanghai......no comment.

By the way that's an old H.K. comic. I've never seen and heard of it. Seems like the 60's.

Interesting history there.

Thank you for showing!

Best regards,
Taka

[GHP]

Just for further clarification to American and European audiences:

The Japanese term "kanji" literally means "Chinese Characters/Letters"

漢Chinese
字Letters

The same term "kanji" 漢字 is used in Korea, but pronounced "Hanja."

Many "older" Japanese (in their 60s) can communicate somewhat better in Chinese because they studied Kanbun 漢文 (Chinese classical literature) or Kanshi 漢詩 (Chinese poetry) in high school and/or university. Chinese is largely different from Japanese because of the grammatical structure of Subject-Verb-Object (like in English). Japanese uses "Subject-Object-Verb".

Example:
English: I am going to the store.
Japanese: 私は店に行きます (I am, store to, go.) [Watashi wa mise ni ikimasu]
Chinese: 我去商店 (I go store) ... sorry, I'm using GoogleTranslate for this one

Adding to the difficulty, the Japanese VERY OFTEN use an implied subject. In the above case, they drop "I" and just say "店に行きます" (go to store) [mise ni ikimasu]; the listener must know by context who the subject is. And the sentence can be so long, you do not really know what is happening until the end, where the verb is!

Uggh!

--Guy

[chen]

Just for further clarification to American and European audiences:

The Japanese term "kanji" literally means "Chinese Characters/Letters"

漢Chinese
字Letters

The same term "kanji" 漢字 is used in Korea, but pronounced "Hanja."

Many "older" Japanese (in their 60s) can communicate somewhat better in Chinese because they studied Kanbun 漢文 (Chinese classical literature) or Kanshi 漢詩 (Chinese poetry) in high school and/or university. Chinese is largely different from Japanese because of the grammatical structure of Subject-Verb-Object (like in English). Japanese uses "Subject-Object-Verb".

Example:
English: I am going to the store.
Japanese: 私は店に行きます (I am, store to, go.) [Watashi wa mise ni ikimasu]
Chinese: 我去商店 (I go store) ... sorry, I'm using GoogleTranslate for this one

Adding to the difficulty, the Japanese VERY OFTEN use an implied subject. In the above case, they drop "I" and just say "店に行きます" (go to store) [mise ni ikimasu]; the listener must know by context who the subject is. And the sentence can be so long, you do not really know what is happening until the end, where the verb is!

Uggh!

--Guy

That " go to the store" is a classic grammar example between Chinese vs. Japanese.
Nevertheless, I feel more "homey" when I visited Japan because I can see the Kanji and guess what the item about. However, I do not see a single Kanji in Korea during my last visit unless at the airport.

[GHP]

...I feel more "homey" when I visited Japan because I can see the Kanji and guess what the item about. ...

Same with my wife at a Chinese restaurant. When her "shrimp" noodles came out with chunks of deep fried fish, she called the waitress over. The waitress pointed to the Chinese-language photo menu and said, "蛯 means fish in Chinese." Well, of course my wife knew better.

Japanese: 海老 [ebi]
Chinese: 蛯

What the waitress didn't know, was that the older Japanese terms for shrimp are 桜蝦, 鰕 and 蛯.

I've always thought of shrimp as the "cockroach of the ocean". In Chinese, the ideogram for "shrimp" is a compound of 虫 [bug] & 老 [elder]: 蛯

At least in Japanese it has a more palatible name: Sea Elder.

Cheers!
--Guy

[chen]

Any problem , use this.

[Stu W]

I'll just slip my Thank You in here to those of you who contributed to answering my question about the variations in kanji etc. Much appreciated.

Regards,
Stu

[hc8mm]

Stu,
Kanji is a term of the usual writing character used by the Chinese today. Of course, in ancient China, it also has many other styles of writing. So I just limit the discussion to modern era.
Japanese also use Kanji but not as extensive as Chinese.

Kanji is a term to describe the Chinese characters used in Japanese writing. Therefore, the Japanese use Kanji and the Chinese use Hanzi. Kanji should not describe the Chinese writing itself!

[J7W22007]

Same with my wife at a Chinese restaurant. When her "shrimp" noodles came out with chunks of deep fried fish, she called the waitress over. The waitress pointed to the Chinese-language photo menu and said, "蛯 means fish in Chinese." Well, of course my wife knew better.

Japanese: 海老 [ebi]
Chinese: 蛯

What the waitress didn't know, was that the older Japanese terms for shrimp are 桜蝦, 鰕 and 蛯.

I've always thought of shrimp as the "cockroach of the ocean". In Chinese, the ideogram for "shrimp" is a compound of 虫 [bug] & 老 [elder]: 蛯

At least in Japanese it has a more palatible name: Sea Elder.

Cheers!
--Guy

Intersting story, Guy-San.

The word 蛯 was made in Japan. There is one family name 蛯原 (Ebi Hara) for example.

Historically 海老 exists way longer than 蛯.

In Japan normally:
海老is referred to large species. Ex: Lobsters or Tiger prawns

蝦 is referred to small species.

However it' s really case by case.

Hanji and Kanji are very differnt and confusing sometimes.

Best regards,
Taka

[GHP]

...The word 蛯 was made in Japan.

Oops ... my mistake. I think I copied the wrong Hanji! As you say, it should have been 蝦or something similar ... my head must have been spinning when I copied the Japanese word. kuru-kuru-kuru-kuru .....

Anyway, it was definitely hanji/kanji that I did NOT recognize ... wifie did, and whispered to me "the shopkeeper is just making excuses ... the menu definitely says "shrimp", not "fish".

Cheers!
--Guy

[chen]

Taka and Guy,
Let clear this shrimp matter.
Two famous Chinese shrimp recipes:
1. Steam shrimp
2. Shrimp dumpling( Har Gao)

[J7W22007]

Oops ... my mistake. I think I copied the wrong Hanji! As you say, it should have been 蝦or something similar ... my head must have been spinning when I copied the Japanese word. kuru-kuru-kuru-kuru .....

Anyway, it was definitely hanji/kanji that I did NOT recognize ... wifie did, and whispered to me "the shopkeeper is just making excuses ... the menu definitely says "shrimp", not "fish".

Cheers!
--Guy

It's alright Guy-San, I understand.

By the way, what a good excuse for being mistaken from fish and shrimp.

Best regards,
Taka

[J7W22007]

Taka and Guy,
Let clear this shrimp matter.
Two famous Chinese shrimp recipes:
1. Steam shrimp
2. Shrimp dumpling( Har Gao)

Mr. Chen, please don't get me start with food. Especially Kanton style. My favorite is 燒賣(Shrimp Shumai).

Awwwww! Those big and juicy shrimps.

Man, I'm hungry!

Taka