国字(こくじ)

こくじ
noun
kokuji; kanji created in Japan
1. kokuji; a kanji invented in Japan
A character made in Japan in the style of Chinese characters but not found in Chinese, such as 峠(とうげ) or 畑(はたけ). Many have only a kun'yomi and no on'yomi.
峠(とうげ)は国字(こくじ)の一(ひと)つだ。
Tōge is one of the kokuji.
国字(こくじ)には音読(おんよ)みがないものが多(おお)い。
Many kokuji have no on'yomi reading.
畑(はたけ)や峠(とうげ)など、日常(にちじょう)でよく目(め)にする漢字(かんじ)の中(なか)にも国字(こくじ)がある。
Among the kanji we see every day, such as hatake and tōge, there are also kokuji.

A character made in Japan in the style of Chinese characters but not found in Chinese — for example 峠(とうげ), 畑(はたけ), and 働(はたら)く. Many 国字(こくじ) have only a kun'yomi (native reading) and no on'yomi.

Common examples

Usage

国字(こくじ) can also mean a nation's own writing system, but the 'Japanese-made kanji' sense is the usual one.

Related Words

Compare: 和字(わじ) (Japanese-made characters)
general
Added 2026.5.25 13:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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