Comparative Studies On Chinese And Japanese Characters

Since 1980, many articles on comparing Chinese characters with Japanese kanji have come into appearance in and abroad, but most of these just centered their subjects on Japanese kanji either in current use or in common use. Up to now, one can find no study achievements on comparing Japanese standardized computer-used kanji with Chinese standardized characters comprehensively, let alone achievements on pursuing reasons for similarities and differences between Chinese characters and Japanese kanji systematically.This thesis, based on Chinese current characters' standards such as "Contemporary Chinese Universal Character list", "The General List for Simplified Characters", and "The First Series of Standardized Forms of Words With Non-standardized Variant Forms" , makes a comprehensive and systematical form comparison between our current standardized Chinese characters with the 6355 Japanese kanji in the "JISX0208-1990 Kanji Symbols Series for Information Exchange", i.e. Japanese Computer-used kanji Standard. Besides, this thesis still makes a tentative inquiry about for similarities and differences between Chinese characters' forms and that of Japanese kanji. The purpose of it is to provide an aid for Chinese-Japanese language learning and teaching and a reference not only for Chinese-Japanese characters standardization but also for "Standardization of Chinese character" study in Chinese character culture circle.The thesis consists of 4 parts:Part 1 is introduction. In this part, it gives a brief introduction about the spread and use of Chinese characters in Japan. The thesis' subjects, guiding theories, studying methods, theory significance, application value and main innovation points are all put forward in this part.Part 2 is textual research of similarities and difference between Japanese kanji and standardized Chinese characters. With the connection of quantitative and qualitative methods, it provides a systematical description and comparison of similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese characters' forms. Based on the comprehensive comparison, it divides Japanese standardized computer-used kanji into 5 types: 1. those of the same forms with standardized Chinese characters; 2.those from complex forms of standardized Chinese characters; 3.those of the variant forms of standardized Chinese characters; 4.those of the former forms of standardized Chinese characters; 5.those which cannot be found in standardized Chinese characters. Each type has been specifically illustrated and all the examples of each type have been demonstrated with no left.Part 3 is tentative probe into reasons for similarities and differences between Japanese kanji and Chinese standardized characters. In this part, by using the methods of inducement and comparison, it sets forth the reasons for similarities and differences between them. The reasons for similarities can be explored from the two aspects of historical tradition and same linguistic policies, while the reasons for differences can be explored from their different linguistic systems, different character standards as well as different influences from politics and geographical positions.Part 4 is conclusion. In it, study conclusions and some deficiency of this study work have been stated.