Why "Four" Instead of Four Horizontal Lines? -- Book "The Great Questions of Kanji" by Kanji Experts to Thoroughly Answer "Simple Doubts" to be Released July 30th!

Magazine House Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Shuichi Tetsuo) will release the new book "The Great Questions of Kanji," edited by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, in bookstores nationwide and online on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Pre-orders started today, Friday, June 12.

*We are currently seeking articles and interviews based on the content of this book.

A Book That Updates Your Awareness of "Kanji Used Casually" and Cultivates Japanese Literacy

Why are there so many kanji characters when there are only 26 letters in the alphabet?

Who decided the stroke order and for what reason?

Why don't "beast radicals" (ケモノヘン) appear in characters like "horse" (馬) or "tiger" (虎)?

Why do "yankees" (delinquents) favor kanji like "Yoroshiku" (夜露死苦) as phonetic equivalents?

Why is "four" written as "四" and not four horizontal lines?

... In this book, researchers from the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, a group of kanji experts, and specialists and researchers involved in Japanese language and kanji vividly answer these kinds of simple questions about "kanji."

The book also includes questions from Yamamoto Yoshiaki, the "Kanji King" from QuizKnock. It's a book that will update your awareness of "kanji used casually" and cultivate your Japanese literacy.

Editor's Comment

This book compiles answers to questions and doubts about kanji, solicited from the general public, in a question-and-answer format by specialists and researchers in Japanese language and kanji. In producing this book, we strived for explanations that are as simple and accurate as possible, with the cooperation of researchers possessing specialized knowledge.

When you wonder "Why?" or "How does this happen?" about kanji, pausing to think about it instead of leaving the question unanswered makes kanji a more familiar and interesting subject.

We hope this book will deepen readers' understanding of kanji and serve as an aid to lifelong learning, where one confronts and learns about kanji in daily life. Furthermore, we would be delighted if it serves as an opportunity for you to challenge the "Kanji Kentei" (Kanji Aptitude Test) to confirm and maintain your own kanji proficiency.

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation

Nobuo Yamazaki, Representative Director and Chairman

Contents of the Book

Chapter 1: The History of Kanji You Don't Know Much About

Q: How were kanji born?

Q: Why are there kanji with different forms but the same pronunciation and meaning?

Q: Why are there so many kanji when there are only 26 letters in the alphabet?

Question from Yoshiaki Yamamoto of QuizKnock:

Q: With the spread of PCs and smartphones, how we interact with kanji has changed, but how will our relationship with kanji and kanji itself further change in the future? ...etc.

Chapter 2: Why This Shape? The Mystery of Their Formation

Q: Why is the number 4 written as "四" in kanji and not four horizontal lines?

Q: Most kanji with the "fish radical" (魚偏) relate to fish, but why do kanji with the "insect radical" (虫偏) like "rainbow" (虹), "octopus" (蛸), and "clam" (蛤) also appear for things that are not insects?

Q: Why don't "horse" (馬) and "tiger" (虎) have the "beast radical" (ケモノヘン)?

Q: The bottom part of "smell" (臭) is "大" (dai), but why is the bottom part of "to smell" (嗅) "犬" (inu)?

Q: Why is "pufferfish" written with "river" (河) and "pig" (豚) instead of "sea" (海)? ...etc.

Chapter 3: Can You Explain It? The Rules of Kanji

Q: Why do the names differ when 阝 appears on the left side versus the right side?

Q: Why is there a stroke order? And who decided it?

Q: English and Chinese have a fixed reading direction, but why does Japanese have both vertical and horizontal writing?

Q: Do the kanji used in children's names increase or decrease?

Q: I can't read the characters on seals. What is this typeface? ...etc.

Chapter 4: Confusing but Interesting Reading Doubts

Q: Some compound words have both on'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading) and kun'yomi (native Japanese reading). Why did this happen?

Q: Can incorrect readings become established as correct?

Q: Is it true that the longest kun'yomi in kanji is "閄," read as "a voice uttered when suddenly jumping out from behind something to surprise someone"?

Q: There are various kanji read as "hoshi mama ni" (to one's heart's content), such as "放," "恣," and "旋." Why are there multiple kanji with the same reading and meaning?

Q: Why are there readings that can only be used for names? ...etc.

Chapter 5: Various Kanji Not Taught in School

Q: Why do "yankees" favor phonetic equivalents like "Yoroshiku" (夜露死苦)?

Q: Are there kanji that have never been used?

Q: Do countries other than Japan also write the Olympics as "Five Rings" (五輪)?

Q: I learned there's a created kanji written "命" with the "thread radical" (糸偏) read as "idenshi." What is the difference between such characters and general kanji? ...etc.

【Author Profile】

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation

Founded in 1975. A public interest incorporated foundation working to promote and disseminate Japanese language and kanji culture. In 1975, it launched the "Kanji Kentei" (Kanji Aptitude Test), which is now widely known as one of Japan's largest kanji testing businesses. It aims to foster the ability to read, write, and communicate through improved kanji proficiency, developing programs for a wide range of generations, from children to working adults.

The "Kanji Kentei" it hosts has had over 55 million cumulative examinees and is taken by people of all ages, from 3 to 103 years old. It is also utilized in school education and corporate training.

The foundation is also known for annually announcing the "Kanji of the Year" at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, an event that has become a year-end tradition reflecting the state of Japanese society. Furthermore, it works to preserve and transmit Japanese culture through research and studies on Japanese language and kanji, development of educational materials, operation of a museum, and holding events.

【Book Overview】

Title: The Great Questions of Kanji

Author: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation

Release Date: July 30, 2026

Price: 1,000 yen (1,100 yen including tax)

Format: Shinsho (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-4-8387-7534-7

Publisher: Magazine House Co., Ltd.

URL: https://magazineworld.jp/books/paper/7534/