The 2024 Kanji of the Year has been announced
On December 12, 2024, the Kanji of the Year for 2024 was announced in Japan. The Kanji of the Year is "kin" (金), which means "gold" or "money".
The Kanji of the Year for 2024 is "Kin (金)". This Kanji was chosen from "Olympic gold medals", "New banknote topics", and "Bribery news". In fact, "kin" has also been chosen as the Kanji of the Year in 2000, 2012, 2016, and 2021.
The selection of the Kanji of the Year has been carried out by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation every year since 1995. It is announced every year on December 12 at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, and reflects the social situation and events of that year. This event, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, will announce the Kanji that received the most votes from across the country as the Kanji of the Year for that year.
In the 2024 vote, the second most popular kanji after "Kin" was "Sai" (disaster), which means "Disaster." Last year's "Kanji of the Year" for 2023 was "Zei" (tax), which comes from the changes to the tax system, such as the introduction of the invoice system, and the debate over tax increases.
The "Kanji of the Year" symbolizes the events of Japanese society and people's concerns in that year. This year's "Kin" reflects not only positive news, but also the dark side of society. "Olympic gold medals" are a source of national pride, and "new banknotes" are a symbol of the economy, but "news of bribery" indicates social problems.
The "Kanji of the Year" for 2024 is "Kin". This kanji symbolizes both the bright and dark sides of society and is deeply connected to the lives and consciousness of Japanese people. Through the annual "Kanji of the Year," we can look back on the events and social trends of the year.
