1.
old-form kanji; traditional character form
The older, more complex forms of kanji that were in standard use before the postwar script reform of 1946. These were replaced by simplified 新字体 (new-form kanji) for everyday use.
「國」は「国」の旧字体だ。
國 is the old-form kanji for 国.
古い本には旧字体が使われている。
Old books use old-form kanji.
人名や地名には今でも旧字体が使われることがある。
Old-form kanji are still sometimes used in personal names and place names.
Composed of 旧 (old, former), 字 (character), and 体 (form, style). The simplification of kanji was part of Japan's postwar education reforms in 1946, when the 当用漢字 (characters for everyday use) list was established. Examples include 學→学, 國→国, 會→会う.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 旧字体で書く — to write in old-form kanji
- 旧字体と新字体 — old-form and new-form kanji
- 旧字体の漢字 — old-form kanji characters
RELATED WORDS:
- 新字体 — new-form kanji; the simplified forms in current standard use
- 常用漢字 — kanji for common use; the official list of kanji for everyday use
- 異体字 — variant character; any alternative written form of a character
- 繁体字 — traditional Chinese characters; similar concept in Chinese writing