Every December a 漢字 (Japanese kanji character) is chosen in Japan that best summarizes the year that is ending…and it becomes the official 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year”) in a ceremony in Kyoto with the temple monk writing the character in calligraphy brushstrokes on a large board.
The 2011 Kanji of the Year is 「絆」 ("Bond").
The official character for 2011 was announced today. It’s 「絆」 (Kizuna)…which means “(to) bond“.
This was chosen because of the way the people of Japan and the world came together to help the victims of the March 11 earthquake.
(Last year (2010), the Kanji of the Year meant “hot”. Click here to find out why.)
Tokyo Five 
>I can’t believe some of the kanji that were suggested.
For example?
I heard the kanji that got the second and third most votes (respectively) were the characters for “disaster” and “quake“. Not uplifting choices like “bonding“, but they seem relevant to events of 2011.
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I like 絆。 It was a good selection.
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Yes, it has a nice meaning…and it reminds us of the positive events that came out of the March 11 disaster.
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Especially compared to the other choices. I can’t believe some of the kanji that were suggested.
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Oh shucks! I thought you gave me a “heads up” that I could tell my mother something she might not know. Too late! When I asked her if she knew what this year’s kanji was she said, “Oh course, kizuna.” Dang! She’d heard it in this morning’s Japanese news.
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Your mother lives in America but keeps up with her homeland’s news. Great!
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