Kanji are symbols that represent words in Japanese. They can stand alone, or they can combine with other kanji or kana to create more words and ideas. They are descended from Chinese characters, which ...

Emoji, karaoke, futon, ramen: Words we wouldn't have if it weren't for the Japanese language, which is on full display at Tokyo's summer Olympics.

In the late 1990s, Japanese computer programmer Shigetaku Kurita invented “emoji”* -- images, icons and symbols that express meaning without words, not unlike Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Did Japanese workers really get their symbols mixed up and display Santa on a crucifix? Tim Willis reports on the urban myth that refuses to die. Tim Willis. Wednesday 17 December 2014 22:45 GMT.

The Japanese word "kizuna", meaning bonds or connections between people, has been chosen as Japan's kanji of 2011. The kanji, or Chinese pictorial script, ...

As the use of foreign words was quite popular during the early 20th century, the switch from English and katakana to kanji characters was not entirely easy, as proven by many cumbersome creations such ...