ateji

Noun

Meaning

ateji (countable and uncountable, plural ateji)

(linguistics) The use of kanji chosen primarily for their phonetic (narrow sense) or semantic (broad sense) value to represent foreign or native Japanese words, or the kanji so used.

Examples

However, this does not apply when kanji are used phonetically to write words that do not relate directly to the meaning of the kanji (see also ateji ). Source: Internet

For example, the United States is usually referred to as アメリカ main Amerika, rather than in its ateji kanji spelling of 亜米利加 main main Amerika. Source: Internet

Spelled in this way, the particular kanji are used for their phonetic values only, known as ateji (sound, not meaning – opposite of gikun). Source: Internet

The underlying word for jukujikun is a native Japanese word or foreign borrowing, which either does not have an existing kanji spelling (either kun'yomi or ateji) or for which a new kanji spelling is produced. Source: Internet

Close letter words and terms