Explore the impact of one language on the other language(s) at different levels The impact of the Chinese language on the Japanese language Introduction

At the time, traditional Japanese had very few written forms so the characters were adopted from Chinese and used to express the traditional Japanese language. Since then, these borrowed characters, known as Kanji, have been used to write Japanese. In addition to Kanji, the Japanese language is written primarily using two phonetic syllabaries: hiragana and katakana. Due to the introduction of Kanji, Japanese vocabulary became far more nuanced and complex, leading to non-Chinese words being incorporated into the language as well.

Examples of Chinese-derived words found in Japanese today can include everyday words and phrases such as 'nihon (日本) meaning 'Japan,' 'moukin (毛針) meaning 'needle,' and 'doki (時) meaning 'time.' Other words with Chinese etymologies can be more specialized such as 'kyôji (教授) which means 'professor.' As the Japanese language became increasingly complicated and nuanced due to the introduction of Chinese, many Chinese words also underwent semantic shifts. An example of this is the Chinese word 'kiken (危険) which originally meant danger but was later used to describe something as 'impractical and awkward' in Japanese.

Chinese has provided most of the basic vocabulary pertaining to organizations, government, public life, and religion in Japan. This is usually known as the ‘literary register’ and includes such words as: teikoku (emperor), kokka (country), kyōtei (constitution), kanryō (official minister), seiji (politics), kōdō (public action), and shūkyō (religion). Chinese has also provided a large number of words in daily Japanese, such as gyōza (Chinese dumpling), yakitori (grilled chicken), and ramen (Chinese noodles).

A large number of technical and scientific terms in Japanese have been adapted from archaic Korean and Chinese terms. These terms are often recognizable because of their ancient appearance. Examples include: gensei (atom), kadensho (causality), kensei (camera), tenrin (telescope), suishō (nebula), and daime (gauge). In addition, a large number of Chinese loanwords have been adopted for such abstract concepts as: ide (idea), jōtai (condition), hyō (criteria), and jōkaku (enlightenment). Even Japanese place names often contain Chinese loanwords. Examples include Nakano (middle grove) and Nakano (Japanese grove).

In summary, Chinese has had an immense impact on the Japanese language on a lexical level throughout history. Chinese has provided much of the basic vocabulary for government, organizations, religion, and daily life, as well as a large number of technical and scientific terms. Furthermore, a large number of Chinese loanwords have been adopted for such abstract concepts as idea, condition, criteria, and enlightenment. This demonstrates how Chinese has become deeply embedded in the lexicon of the Japanese language in both a practical and a philosophical way. The impact and influence of Chinese on the Japanese language can still be seen today, with most books and magazines still made up of both Chinese characters and phonetic syllabaries.