2012 Kanji of the Year

Every December (for the past seventeen years or so), a 漢字 (Japanese (Chinese) written character) is chosen which has a meaning that best summarizes the passing year.

Last year the character 「絆」 (bonding) was chosen because of the way the world came together to help Japan after the March 11th earthquake.

Well, this year, for the first time since this tradition began, the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“) will be a repeat.

In the year 2000, the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“) was 「金」 (“gold”) because Japan won gold medals at that year’s Olympics and also because “Kin-san” of the famous elderly Japanese twins “Kin-san and Gin-san died that year—and her name meant “gold”.

This year too, 「金」 (“gold”) was chosen again to be the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“).
And once again the reason for this choice was because of the gold medals that Japan won at the Olympics. Other reasons cited were the opening of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the Nobel Prize won by a Japanese professor, and the solar eclipse last spring.

The character 「金」 for “gold”.

Writing the Kanji of the Year for 2012 in the official ceremony.

Paralympics

I wonder why the Olympics is continuously in the news and shown on television during the Games…but the Paralympics goes by hardly noticed.

The Paralympics is the Olympics games for handicapped athletes. In my opinion, these athletes overcame greater obstacles to get to the Games.

They should be supported more.

This year’s Paralympics Games go from September 6-17, 2008.

As of today, China has 37 Gold medals (109 total), Great Britian has 33 Gold medal (69 total), and America has 23 Gold medals (56 total).
Japan is currently in 20th place with 3 Gold medals (12 total).

All of these athletes are stars!