Jinmeiyō kanji

The jinmeiyō kanji (人名用漢字, Chinese characters for use in personal names) are a set of 983 Chinese characters known as the "name kanji" in English. They are a supplementary set of characters which can be legally used in registered personal names in Japan, despite not being in that country's set of "commonly used characters" (jōyō kanji). As a rule, registered personal names may contain only jōyō kanji, jinmeiyō kanji, katakana and hiragana.

A ministerial decree of 1946 limited the number of officially sanctioned kanji for public use to the 1850 tōyō kanji. Only kanji on this list were acceptable as registered names, despite the fact that the list excluded many kanji frequently used in names up to that point. However, on May 25, 1951, the cabinet extended the set of characters usable in names by specifying the first 90 jinmeiyō kanji.

Over the years, the Minister of Justice has increased the number of name kanji, and has a plan for further addition in response to requests from parents. As of September 27, 2004, there were 983 jinmeiyō kanji.

In Japan, name kanji are taught at the junior-high level, and mastery of the name kanji is required to achieve Level 2 of the Kanji kentei, a Chinese-character proficiency test.

Before September 27, 2004, there were 2232 government-designated jinmeiyō kanji used in personal and geographical names, with plans to increase this list by 578 kanji in the near future. This was the largest increase since World War II. The plan had not been without controversy, however. For example, the Chinese characters for "cancer", "hemorrhoids", "corpse" and "excrement", as well as parts of compound words (words created from two or more Chinese characters) meaning "curse", "prostitute", and "rape", are among the proposed additions to the list. This is because no measures were taken to determine the appropriateness of the kanji proposed, with the committee deciding that parents could make such decisions themselves. However, the government will seek input from the public before approving the list. Some of these kanji have led to speculation that the "odd" kanji being added to the names list are being done so in an attempt to make a de-facto expansion of the Jōyō Kanji List, rather than with the serious idea that anyone will use them in names. The idea of reducing the number of kanji in use has been a politically contentious issue, with many conservatives believing that kanji are culturally Japanese and that people should use them frequently.

List of the jinmeiyō kanji (人名用漢字別表)

Separated by year of introduction.

May 25, 1951

First 92 characters of jinmeiyō kanji were published:

丑 丞 乃 之 也 亘 亥 亦 亨 亮 伊 匡 卯 只 吾 呂 哉 嘉 圭 奈 宏 寅 巌 巳 庄 弘 弥 彦 悌 敦 昌 晃 晋 智 暢 朋 桂 桐 楠 橘 欣 欽 毅 浩 淳 熊 爾 猪 玲 琢 瑞 睦 磯 祐 禄 禎 稔 穣 綾 惣 聡 肇 胤 艶 蔦 藤 蘭 虎 蝶 輔 辰 郁 酉 錦 鎌 靖 須 馨 駒 鯉 鯛 鶴 鹿 麿 亀

Seven of them were later transferred to the jōyō kanji: 仙 尚 杉 甚 磨 斉 龍, the last one becoming 竜 (dragon).

July 30, 1976

28 kanji were added, for a total of 120 characters.

佑 允 冴 喬 怜 旭 杏 梓 梢 梨 沙 渚 瑠 瞳 紗 紘 絢 翠 耶 芙 茜 藍 那 阿 隼 鮎 葵

One was later transferred to the jōyō kanji: 悠.

October 1, 1981

Introduction of the jōyō kanji list, which includes the 8 characters mentioned above; those 8 are thus deleted from the jinmeyō kanji list. 54 other characters are added for a total of 166 name characters.

伍 伶 侑 尭 孟 峻 嵩 嶺 巴 彬 惇 惟 慧 斐 旦 昂 李 栗 楓 槙 汐 洵 洸 渥 瑛 瑶 璃 甫 皓 眸 矩 碧 笹 緋 翔 脩 苑 茉 莉 萌 萩 蓉 蕗 虹 諒 赳 迪 遥 遼 霞 頌 駿 鳩 鷹

March 1, 1990

118 kanji were added for a total of 284 characters.

伎 伽 侃 倖 倭 偲 冶 凌 凜 凪 捺 於 旺 昴 晏 晟 晨 暉 曙 朔 凱 勁 叡 叶 唄 啄 奎 媛 嬉 宥 崚 嵐 嵯 巽 彗 彪 恕 憧 拳 捷 杜 柊 柚 柾 栞 梧 椋 椎 椰 椿 楊 榛 槻 樺 檀 毬 汀 汰 洲 湧 滉 漱 澪 熙 燎 燦 燿 爽 玖 琳 瑚 瑳 皐 眉 瞭 碩 秦 稀 稜 竣 笙 紬 絃 綜 綸 綺 耀 胡 舜 芹 茄 茅 莞 菖 菫 蒔 蒼 蓮 蕉 衿 袈 裟 詢 誼 諄 邑 醇 采 雛 鞠 颯 魁 鳳 鴻 鵬 麟 黎 黛

December 3, 1997

1 kanji was added, for a total of 285 characters.

琉

February 23, 2004

1 kanji was added, for a total of 286 characters.

曽

June 7, 2004

1 kanji was added, for a total of 287 characters.

獅

July 12, 2004

3 kanji were added, for a total of 290 characters.

毘 瀧 駕

June 11, 2004

No addition to the jinmeiyō kanji was made on this date. However, a plan for 578 additions was put forward to the council on jinmeiyō kanji of the legislative council of the Ministry of Justice. The list included certain characters in strong demand by parents for use in their children's names, such as:

• 苺 (Ichigo, "strawberry")
• 遙 (Haruka, "distant", traditional variant)
• 煌 (Akira, "scintillating")
• 牙 (Kiba, "fang")

Many others were included not for their potential uses in names (as is noted), but rather because of their frequent use and are easy to read and write. Examples include:

• 糞 (Kuso, "excrement")
• 呪 (Noroi, "curse")
• 屍 (Shikabane, "corpse")
• 癌 (Gan, "cancer")

At this same council, the decision was made to call for suggestions on characters to be included or excluded via the Ministry of Justice website, until July 9 2004.

July 23, 2004

No additions were made. After sharp protests, the council decided to withdraw nine characters from the 489 whose withdrawal had been requested. These nine characters were:

• 糞 (see above)
• 呪 (see above)
• 屍 (see above)
• 癌 (see above)
• 姦 (kashimashii, "rape, seduction")
• 淫 (midara, "obscene")
• 怨 (urami, "resentment")
• 痔 (ji, "hemorrhoids")
• 妾 (mekake, "concubine")

The 480 other characters still remained under consideration for withdrawal. One additional character was included, namely 掬 (kiku, "to draw up water with one's hands").

September 27, 2004

484 characters and 209 variant forms were added, bringing the total number of the jinmeiyō kanji to 983.

List of the traditional kanji tolerated in names

List of characters tolerated in names. The majority are versions that are not simplified (thus antiquated) from those which are officially authorized.

Traditional variants of jōyō kanji (192 out of the 209)

亞（亜） 惡（悪） 爲（為） 逸（逸） 衞（衛） 谒（謁） 緣（縁） 應（応） 櫻（桜） 奧（奥） 橫（横） 溫（温） 價（価） 祸（禍） 海（海） 壞（壊） 懷（懐） 樂（楽） 渴（渇） 卷（巻） 陷（陥） 寬（寛） 漢（漢） 氣（気） 祈（祈） 器（器） 僞（偽） 戲（戯） 虛（虚） 峽（峡） 狹（狭） 響（響） 曉（暁） 勤（勤） 謹（謹） 勳（勲） 薰（薫） 惠（恵） 揭（掲） 鷄（鶏） 藝（芸） 擊（撃） 縣（県） 儉（倹） 劍（剣） 險（険） 圈（圏） 檢（検） 顯（顕） 驗（験） 嚴（厳） 廣（広） 恆（恒） 黃（黄） 國（国） 黑（黒） 穀（穀） 碎（砕） 雜（雑） 祉（祉） 視（視） 兒（児） 濕（湿） 社（社） 者（者） 煮（煮） 壽（寿） 收（収） 臭（臭） 從（従） 澁（渋） 獸（獣） 縱（縦） 祝（祝） 暑（暑） 署（署） 緖（緒） 諸（諸） 敍（叙） 將（将） 祥（祥） 涉（渉） 燒（焼） 獎（奨） 條（条） 狀（状） 乘（乗） 淨（浄） 剩（剰） 疊（畳） 孃（嬢） 讓（譲） 釀（醸） 神（神） 眞（真） 寢（寝） 愼（慎） 盡（尽） 粹（粋） 醉（酔） 穗（穂） 瀨（瀬） 齊（斉） 靜（静） 攝（摂） 節（節） 專（専） 戰（戦） 纖（繊） 禪（禅） 祖（祖） 壯（壮） 爭（争） 莊（荘） 搜（捜） 巢（巣） 裝（装） 僧（僧） 層（層） 騷（騒） 增（増） 憎（憎） 藏（蔵） 贈（贈） 臟（臓） 卽（即） 帶（帯） 滯（滞） 單（単） 嘆（嘆） 團（団） 彈（弾） 晝（昼） 鑄（鋳） 節（著） 廳（庁） 徵（徴） 聽（聴） 懲（懲） 鎭（鎮） 轉（転） 傳（伝） 都（都） 燈（灯） 盜（盗） 稻（稲） 德（徳） 突（突） 難（難） 拜（拝） 賣（売） 梅（梅） 髮（髪） 拔（抜） 繁（繁） 晚（晩） 卑（卑） 祕（秘） 碑（碑） 賓（賓） 敏（敏） 侮（侮） 福（福） 拂（払） 佛（仏） 勉（勉） 步（歩） 墨（墨） 飜（翻） 每（毎） 默（黙） 藥（薬） 與（与） 搖（揺） 樣（様） 謠（謡） 來（来） 賴（頼） 覽（覧） 欄（欄） 龍（竜） 虜（虜） 綠（緑） 淚（涙） 壘（塁） 類（類） 曆（暦） 歷（歴） 練（練） 鍊（錬） 郞（郎） 朗（朗） 廊（廊） 錄（録）

Traditional variants of jinmeiyō kanji (19)

亙（亘） 巖（巌） 彌（弥） 渚*（渚） 猪*（猪） 琢*（琢） 祐*（祐） 祿（禄） 禎*（禎） 穰（穣）凛 (凜) 堯 (尭) 晄 (晃) 曾 (曽) 檜 (桧) 槇 (槙) 禰 (祢) 萠 (萌) 遙 (遥)

(The kanji marked "*" need to be replaced by the actual variant glyphs.)

Complete list of the 774 jinmeiyō kanji (with variant forms)

1-500

丑丞串乃之乎也云亘亙 些亦亥亨亮仔伊伎伍伽 佃佑伶侃侑俄俠俣俐侶 倭俺俱倦倖偲僅傭儲允 兎兜其冥冴冶凄凌凜凛 凧凪凰凱函刹劉劫勁勃 勾匂勿匡廿卜卯卿厨厩 叉叡叢叶只吾吞吻呂哉 哨啄唄哩喬喧喰喋嘩嘉 嘗噌噂圃圭坐尭堯坦埼 埴堆堰堺堵塙塞塡壕壬 夷奄奈奎套妖娃姪姥娩 媛嬉孟宏宋宛宕宥寅寓 寵尖尤屑岡峨峻崖崚嵐 嵯嵩嶺巌巖已巳巴巷巽 巾帖幌幡庄庇庚庵廟廻 弘弛弥彌彗彦彪彬徠忽 怜恢恰恕悌惟惚悉惇惹 惺惣慧憧憐戊或戚戟戴 托按拶拭挨拳捉挺挽掬 捲捷捺捻捧掠揃摑摺撒 撰撞播撫擢孜敦斑斐斡 斧斯於旦旭旺昂昊昏昌 昧昴晏晃晄晒晋晟晦晨 智暉暢曖曙曝曳曽曾朋 朔杏杖杜李杭杵枕杷枇 柑柴柵柿柘柊栃柏柾柚 桧檜栞桔桂桁栖桐栗梧 梗梓梢梛梯桶梶椛梨梁 椅棲椎椋椀楯楚楕椿楠 楓椰楢楊榎樺榊榛槙槇 槍槌樫槻樟樋橘樽橙檎 檀櫂櫛櫓欣欽歎此殆毅 毘毬汀汝汐汎汲沙汰沌 沓沫洸洲洵洛浩浬淵淳 渚渚淀淋渥湘湊湛湧溢 滉溜漱漕漣澪濡瀕灘灸 灼烏焰焚煌煎煤煉熙熊 燕燎燦燭燿爪爽爾牒牙 牟牡牽犀狼猪猪獅玖玩 珂珈珊珀玲琢琢琉瑛琥 琶琵琳瑚瑞瑶瑳瑠璃瓜 瓢瓦甥甫畏畠畢畿疋疏 瘦皐皓眉眸睦瞳瞥瞭矩 砦砥砧硯碓碗碩碧磐磯 祇祢禰祐祐禄祿禎禎禱 禽禾秦秤稀稔稟稜稽穣 穰穿窄窟窪窺竣竪竺竿 笈笹笙笠筈筑箕箔箸篇 篠簞簾籾粥粟糊紘紗紐

501-600

絃紬絆絢綺綜綴緋綾綸 縞徽繫繡纂纏羚羨翔翠 耀而耶耽聡肇肋肘肴胤 胡脇脩腔腎膏膳臆臥臼 舜舷舵艶芥芹芯芭芙芦 苑茄苔苺茅茉茨茸茜莞 荻莫莉菅菫菖萄菩萌萠 萊菱葦葛葵萱葺萩董葡 蓋蓑蒔蒐蒼蒲蒙蓉蓮蔭 蔣蔦蓬蔓蕎蕨蕉蕃蕪蔽

601-700

薙蕾蕗藁薩藤藍蘇蘭虎 虹蜂蜜蝦蝶螺蟬蟹蠟衿 袖袈袴裡裾裟裳襖訊訣 註詣詢詮詫誼諏諄誰諒 謂諺諦謎讃豹貌貰貼賑 赳跨蹄蹟蹴輔輯輿轟辰 辻迂迄辿迪迦這逞逗逢 遥遙遁遡遜遼邑那祁郁 鄭酉酎醇醐醒醍醬采釉 釘釜釧鋒鋸錦錐錆錫鍋

701-750

鍵鍬鎧鎌閃閏閤闇阜阪 阿陀隈隙隼雀雁雛雫霞 靖鞄鞍鞘鞠鞭韓頁頃須 頌頓頗頰顚颯餅饗馨馴 馳駕駒駿驍魁魯鮎鯉鯛

751-760

鰯鱒鱗鳩鳶鳳鴨鴻鵜鵬

761-770

鶴鷗鷲鷺鷹鹿麒麓麟麿

771-774

黎黛鼎亀

See also

• Inmyongyong chuga hanjapyo