How you write - How you read?

Jericho Desu · 18 Mar 2008

I know that when you write Japanese you read it from right to left/up and down, however alot of places including these forums the Japanese writing is done so it's read from left to right. So I'm abit confused, I'm still a beginner and don't know much about kanji, so is it sometimes its written from left to right for the benefit of those just learning and for the people with 'better skill' when they are using kanji they go right to left? Or...is it you just write from right to left and then just read left to right?
Sorry if I've confused some of you...

undrentide · 18 Mar 2008

When writing vertically, it goes from top to down, and next line comes on the left.

When writing horizontally, it is the same as English, it goes from left to right, and the next line comes under the first line.

Most books and newspapers are printed vertically.
Some text books at school (usually subject which has many numbers like science, math and history) are printed horizontally. Also on internet, because of the system of html Japanese language is shown horizontally though there are some special webpages showing the language written vertically.
Example:
http://bobodori.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Hope the above clarifies your confusion a bit.

Jericho Desu · 18 Mar 2008

Ah, so like in mangas, you read it from the far right page to the left, but the writing is still in the english fashion except the top to bottom?

undrentide · 18 Mar 2008

Jericho Desu said:
Ah, so like in mangas, you read it from the far right page to the left, but the writing is still in the english fashion except the top to bottom?

No.

Actually, Japanese manga is also printed vertically. (English translation is special, because it is impossible to change the binding.)
Vertically printed books are bound same as manga (from right page to the left), while those horizontally printed are bound in the same way as English one.

shikyo · 18 Mar 2008

I got a question on this too:
When you write do you usually use the horizontal way of writing (like English) or the vertical too, and with write I mean daily writing like taking notes in a class, etc.
Also, I saw a kind of paper which had a number of blanked spots and there was color outside of them (green in this case) to make it easier writing vertical (I guess one blank was for one character). So my question about it was: was it a correct observation, and do people use it? or is it for special writings?

Jericho Desu · 19 Mar 2008

undrentide said:
No.

Actually, Japanese manga is also printed vertically. (English translation is special, because it is impossible to change the binding.)
Vertically printed books are bound same as manga (from right page to the left), while those horizontally printed are bound in the same way as English one.

Oooh I see. Thank you very much

nice gaijin · 19 Mar 2008

shikyo said:
I got a question on this too:
When you write do you usually use the horizontal way of writing (like English) or the vertical too, and with write I mean daily writing like taking notes in a class, etc.
Also, I saw a kind of paper which had a number of blanked spots and there was color outside of them (green in this case) to make it easier writing vertical (I guess one blank was for one character). So my question about it was: was it a correct observation, and do people use it? or is it for special writings?

For general daily purposes, horizontal writing is far more common. The paper you're referring to is called 原稿用紙 (genkouyoushi), and for students, it's only really used for writing assignments like essays, in my experience.

shikyo · 19 Mar 2008

I see. Thank you. Makes sense that horizontal writing would be more common for daily writings when you think about it.

How you write - How you read?

Jericho Desu

七転八起

undrentide

Japa'n vagyok

Jericho Desu

七転八起

undrentide

Japa'n vagyok

shikyo

先輩

Jericho Desu

七転八起

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

shikyo

先輩

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