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Looking for somewhere (site etc) that offers reliable translations into kanji for my EotBS fleet. Iv googled around, find one example, then find the same word in a different way. So kind of a problem >< Thanks in advance

http://www.saiga-jp.com/kanji_dictionary.html

Much appreciated

You are finding different Kanji cause there are multiple types. there is traditional (closely resembles Chinese), Hirakana and katakana. The 2 later were introduced more recently as a way to make Japanese more accessible to the the rest of the world and is usually reserved for children and foreigners trying to learn the language. Most signage and books will be in traditional.

You're probably finding multiple kanji for the same meaning/multiple meanings for the same kanji because kanji is complex and its meanings and slight nuances changes depending on context and the presence of other kanji.

If you know anyone that's familiar with the language, always ask for an opnion, otherwise I would stick to singular concepts or nouns, as that's usually easiest.

Indeed, context of the word matters a ton.

Today I was helping my sister with her kanji memorization and while reading a single symbol the book shows 3 or more meanings of the symbol quite often, referring to it's context in each situation.

An example is the Kanji for "temple". That symbol also means office, and I think two others as well. All with the same symbol and pronunciation. What makes it matter is the context in which the symbol is used.

Hirigana and Katakana are not kanji, they are kana, the phonetic alphabet of the Japanese language.

Kanji are non-phonetic written language speard throughout asia by "Chinese" monks. ("Chinese" because "Chinese" refers to several different ethnic groups whose line have often become blurred over the years.) Kanji are used in may different languages, the varying Chinese dialects, Japanese, Korean, and more. As the monks spread them as a written language, different cultures adapted their usage to fit their language.

Kanji is representational based, instead of phonetically, each character or combination of characters is a concept, or an idea in it's own right.

Kanji is also, as previously mentioned, VERY contextual.

If you are looking to put some kanji on your models, first you need to decide which language you want your kanji to be from. The same character can have separate meaning in different languages. You are also better off sticking with simple kanji, simple concepts, like "red" or "water". Otherwise you end up getting the kanji for "fire" and "person/soul" put together, intending it to mean "person with a fiery soul" and instead getting "flaming man". There are also major cultural considerations to take into account. In at least one dialect of Chinese, only Chinese people are referred to as people, are others are "ghosts".

Which language, and usage context will GREATLY change what you are intending to write.

That said, done properly, it's a wonderful aesthetic.

maceria wrote:Hirigana and Katakana are not kanji, they are kana, the phonetic alphabet of the Japanese language.

Kanji are non-phonetic written language speard throughout asia by "Chinese" monks. ("Chinese" because "Chinese" refers to several different ethnic groups whose line have often become blurred over the years.) Kanji are used in may different languages, the varying Chinese dialects, Japanese, Korean, and more. As the monks spread them as a written language, different cultures adapted their usage to fit their language.

Kanji is representational based, instead of phonetically, each character or combination of characters is a concept, or an idea in it's own right.

Kanji is also, as previously mentioned, VERY contextual.

If you are looking to put some kanji on your models, first you need to decide which language you want your kanji to be from. The same character can have separate meaning in different languages. You are also better off sticking with simple kanji, simple concepts, like "red" or "water". Otherwise you end up getting the kanji for "fire" and "person/soul" put together, intending it to mean "person with a fiery soul" and instead getting "flaming man". There are also major cultural considerations to take into account. In at least one dialect of Chinese, only Chinese people are referred to as people, are others are "ghosts".

Which language, and usage context will GREATLY change what you are intending to write.

That said, done properly, it's a wonderful aesthetic.

Having spent more than 5 years in japan i understand that Hirigana and Katakana are not kanji, they are kana, the phonetic alphabet of the Japanese language however to someone unfamilier and using simple google searches they are interchanged (many people unknowingly will call them kanji) with each other (however wrong that might be) quit regularly so i wanted the OP to be aware of there existance. My wording may have been a little off so for that i appoligize.

Haha in the end i dumbed down and went on google translate, now have what im told translates as "susenoo" on the side of my battleship (name wise seemed fitting for a ship like that)