Apparently the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation decides one of these every year.

This year, 熊 (kuma) was selected, meaning bear. For whatever reason, Japan has had a bunch of bear issues lately.

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[–] 14 points 11 months ago (5 children)

I love how the drawing of the kanji with the brush stroke looks NOTHING LIKE THE ACTUAL KANJI. GAH!

Kanjis are hard, yo. Even the Japanese say so.

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  • [–] 12 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    It's not so much the medium, but the style he writes in. And don't worry, it can be hard for even Japanese people. This one is pretty easy for me because I'm adult with lots of experience, but my kid in 3rd grade probably wouldn't be able to tell.

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  • [–] 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    A mixture of urbanization and climate change pushes bears into human habitats. At the same time, it's a nation of retirees with 60-somethings hiking or farming plots in bear habitats, and thus becoming fodder themselves. And at the same time still they cannot come up with good legislation and a ranger service that can regulate the population of bears by shooting them if they have to without falling fowl of the strict gun laws. It's a clusterfuck.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago

    All countries dedicated on improving their literacy standards do this, including BASIC.

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