The document summarizes the three Japanese scripts of Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Hiragana uses curved shapes to represent sounds, with 46 basic characters. Katakana uses sharper angles mainly for foreign words. Kanji originated as pictographs and their meanings can sometimes be deduced from their components, with some examples given of nature-related kanji and their combined meanings in words.

1. The Japanese Scripts Hiragana / katakana / kanji ajJB2

2. Hiragana More of a curved shape Each hiragana represents 1 sound There are 46 basic hiragana

3. Flickr photo by: abuckingham

4. Flickr photo by: Ashitaka96

5. Katakana Sharper & more acute angles than hiragana Mainly used to write words that have originated in other languages Our names are written in katakana Examples of words: Aisukuriimu Rajio Oosutoraria

6. Flickr photo by: mctrent

7. ベン (Ben) トム (Tom) ジェームズ (James) サリー (Sally) マディソン (Maddison) スミス (Smith) ジェパセン (Jeppesen)

8. HIRAGANA, KATAKANA OR KANJI Which one is it?

9. Flickr storm link for scripts Flickr photo by: nofrills

10. Flickr photo by: nofrills

11. Flickr photo by: mctrent

12. Flickr photo by: nofrills

13. Flickr photo by: nofrills

14. Flickr photo by: wonder al

15. Flickr photo by: Totoro!

16. Flickr photo by: nofrills

17. Kanji Kanji originated as pictures or shapes to represent an object or an idea. For some kanji it is possible (just by looking at it) to work out what the original object may have been. FlickrStorm link

18. 耳

19. Flickr photo by: Pandiyan

20. 口

21. Flickr photo by: orangeacid

22. Flickr photo by: BombDog

23. 手

24. Flickr photo by: tochis

25. Flickr photo by: kiddharma

26. 目

27. Flickr photo by: orangeacid

28. Flickr photo by: cdw9

29. 足

30. Flickr photo by: rich115

31. 人

32. Flickr photo by: Cayusa

33. NATURE How about a new theme!

34. 木

35. Flickr photo by: ~Prescott

36. Flickr photo by: Iguana Jo

37. 川

38. Flickr photo by: tochis

39. Flickr photo by: moogs

40. 山

41. Flickr photo by: gigi62

42. 日

43. Flickr photo by: Thai Jasmine

44. Flickr photo by: Chris Gin

45. 月

46. Flickr photo by: una cierta mirada

47. Flickr photo by: machado17

48. 火

49. Flickr photo by: Ottoman42

50. Flickr photo by: cobalt123

51. Kanji are made up of parts Quite often you can work out the meaning by looking at the different parts of a kanji How about these …

52. 林

53. Flickr photo by: janusz l

54. 休

55. Flickr photo by: Grant MacDonald

56. 森

57. Flickr photo by: Elephi Pelephi

58. Words in Kanji Often words can also seem quite logical We learnt what the following kanji mean on their own … What do they mean together as a word?

59. 火山

60. Flickr photo by: wildphotons