can someone please explain me what exactly are ateji and how they differ from on'yomi? I have been told already, but I can't get my head around it.
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5What exactly were you “told already”?– Igor SkochinskyCommented Sep 20, 2021 at 20:52
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1@IgorSkochinsky If I may make a guess, something to the effect of: "on'yomi is reading kanji by sound, ateji is reading kanji only by their sound value, regardless of meaning". Add to this, "kun'yomi is reading kanji by their meaning".– dROOOzeCommented Sep 20, 2021 at 21:41
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2Have you read wikipedia?– Skye-ATCommented Sep 21, 2021 at 1:15
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1@Skye-AT I think that wikipedia page might not be particularly helpful. I know what ateji are, but, if I were unfamiliar with the concept or Japanese writing in general and already confused about ateji, I don't think that page would have helped me. It's perhaps a bit too much information absorb and take in (if that makes sense).– A.EllettCommented Sep 21, 2021 at 2:09
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2@A.Ellett Right? The English version feels like reading through a treatise or something, while Japanese version is straight to the point and easier to understand it because of nice examples(as you mentioned).– Skye-ATCommented Sep 21, 2021 at 3:03
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1 Answer
In simplest form, on'yomi and kun'yomi are ways of reading kanji that relate to the meaning of the character. So, for example, if 独 is referring to something being alone, then you're using either an on'yomi (e.g. doku) or a kun'yomi (e.g. hitori).
If you take a kanji's reading and use it to write another word, then that's ateji. For example, if you use 独 as the "do" in "doitsu", meaning Germany, then that's an ateji.
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There are also ateji like お[土産]{みやげ} that bare little to resemblance to any standard reading.– A.EllettCommented Sep 21, 2021 at 15:48
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So, on'yomi and kun'yomi are like "fixed" readings. A kanji has it's on'yomi and kun'yomi (or only one of the two categories) and if you give a kanji a reading that is not among them then that reading is an ateji?– vaeCommented Sep 21, 2021 at 16:51