These Uncommon Kanji May Surprise You!

Japan maintains an “official” list of kanji. But some “unofficial” kanji are also in common use — and chances are you know a few.

By Nyri Bakkalian

The Japanese government sets policy for what kanji are jōyō– in standard use. These have evolved over the past century, starting from the institution of tōyō kanji and shinjitai (new character form) in 1946, and continue to evolve over time.

But there are many more hyōgai kanji — that is, kanji outside the list. What is the history of this? And what are some interesting and salient examples of hyōgai kanji?

Historical Evolution

The Dai Kan-Wa Jiten — Great Dictionary of Sino-Japanese Characters — in all its glory. (Picture: Amazon.jp)

In order to understand hyōgai kanji, we need to back up and understand the origins of modern jōyō kanji.

Shinjitai, the simplified modern form of kanji, dates to 1946, by authority of the Japanese Ministry of Education on 16 November 1946. Then Minister of Education Abe Yoshishige oversaw the promulgation of the 1946 era Tōyō kanji — Kanji in Current Use. This was the origin of what grew into the current list of jōyō…