The Selection of Kanji for Chinese Learners of Japanese

There are many studies pointing out that Chinese learners of Japanese have a problem with learning Kanji well. However, the teaching of Kanji is almost entirely neglected in China and no Kanji textbook for Chinese learners has been published. To solve the problem, an adequate Kanji textbook for Chinese learners should be created. In this paper, the author tried to select the Kanji appropriate for Chinese learners as the first step to creating such Kanji textbook. Firstly, the author reviewed the current situation of the selection of Kanji in Japanese language education in China and pointed out its problems. Then several different lists of Kanji for learners in general were discussed and the conclusion was that those lists couldn\u27t serve Chinese learners well. Thirdly, the author went over the present situation of the use of Kanji in Japan. Based on these analyses, the author tried to select the kanji appropriate for Chinese learners. As a result, 2187 Kanji were selected based on the \u22Joyo Kanji Hyo [Chinese Characters in Common Use Table]\u22 and \u22Nihongo Nooryokushiken Shutsudai Kijun [Japanese Language Proficiency Test: Test Content Specifications]\u22 as well as other Kanji data. Those Kanji were divided into two levels according to the frequency of use. The first level which includes 1086 Kanji should be learned by the end of the first semester of the second year, and the second level which includes 1101 Kanji should be learned by the ending of the first semester of the third year