My Nihongo Lessons

When I first started studying kanji, I was incredibly curious about the origins of these characters. I remember seeing simple textbook diagrams—like a picture of a sun that transformed into the kanji for sun—and I kept asking: How did it all begin?

Back then, research meant scouring through books and libraries, unlike today where everything is at your fingertips. If you were born after 2000, I’m a bit jealous of how easy it is for you to find information! About 10 years ago, my passion for understanding character origins was reignited when I came across bone oracles.

What Are Bone Oracles?

Bone oracles (kōkotsubun 甲骨文 in Japanese) are the earliest form of Chinese writing, dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years to the Shang Dynasty. These ancient inscriptions were carved into animal bones or turtle shells as a way to communicate with deities. They were primarily used for divination—asking questions like, “What will the weather be like tomorrow?”—with the answers recorded on the bones. Once answered, these bones were discarded with countless other divination records, yet they laid the foundation for modern Chinese characters, later adopted as kanji in Japan.

How Bone Oracles Shaped Kanji

Many modern kanji still retain visual elements from their ancient origins. For example:

• 木 (tree): A pictograph of a tree with branches and roots.
• 田 (rice field): A grid symbolizing a divided rice field.
• 日 (sun): A round sun with a dot in the middle, representing the source of light.

Understanding these early pictographs can help Japanese learners visualize and memorize kanji, moving beyond rote memorization to a deeper appreciation of the language’s evolution.

Why Kanji Origins Matter for Japanese Learners

For beginners and independent learners, knowing the origins of kanji provides valuable context, making the study of these characters more meaningful. By connecting modern kanji to their ancient forms, learners can:
✅ Recognize patterns and radicals faster.
✅ Build stronger memory associations.
✅ Appreciate the rich history behind the language.

If you’re looking for a way to make kanji less intimidating and more engaging, exploring these historical roots is a powerful strategy.

Explore Kanji’s Origins: Visit Uncle Hanzi’s Website

If you’re curious about how ancient pictographs transformed into modern kanji, I highly recommend visiting Hanziyuan.net by Richard Sears, also known as Uncle Hanzi. Although Richard Sears did not discover the bone oracles himself, his extensive research has produced one of the most comprehensive English-language databases on the subject. His work offers detailed insights into the evolution from Oracle Bone Script to Bronze, Seal, Clerical, and modern scripts.

👉 Explore Hanziyuan.net and discover kanji’s ancient roots!

Apply What You Learn: Use My Class Worksheets

To make your learning process even more interactive, I created a class worksheet for my brush calligraphy course at the Kansas City Art Institute. We use this worksheet to analyze and compare modern kanji with their ancient pictographic origins. Simply copy and paste a character into Richard Sears’ database to view its complete evolution—from bone oracle to the standardized characters we use today.

📄 Access the Kanji Origins Worksheet here

A Personal Journey: From Textbook Diagrams to Ancient Artifacts

I still remember the excitement when I first encountered a bone oracle reference in a dusty old book at the Jannes Library. I was so focused on learning Japanese that I almost missed out on exploring the deeper history behind each character. Once I discovered these ancient inscriptions, my perspective on kanji transformed. My journey has taken me from library research to visiting museums like The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art—where my students and I see real bone oracles up close. Their Chinese Gallery, renowned as one of the top three outside China, even houses a small room with a few of these fascinating relics.

Start Your Own Exploration

Now, I challenge you to embark on your own journey into the origins of kanji. What characters will you look up first? Share your discoveries and thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear your story!

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Key Resources:

• Richard Sears’ Database (Hanziyuan.net): LINK
• Kanji Origins Worksheet: LINK
• The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – Chinese Gallery: LINK

For more strategies on how to learn Japanese effectively and deepen your understanding of kanji, check out My Nihongo Lessons on patreon for free Japanese language lessons and expert guidance.