Katachi ∪ Symmetry pp 101-108 | Cite as
Katachi versus Form — from the Viewpoint of Language
Abstract
KATACHI in Japanese is usually thought to be equivalent to ‘form’ in English, and they are used for translating each other. Their meanings are however contrastive each other looking at from some viewpoint. While form has meant the human outer shape, KATACHI has originally meant the human outer shape and the inner sense too. This offers the key to understanding the conflicting characteristics of Western culture with Japanese culture. For instance, script written in Japanese have been usually regarded as the expression of the inner spirit of the writers. Even in the traditional sciences, Japanese have given weight to the expression of the human inner spirit.
Keyword
Katachi form Kei (形) Chinese characters On-Kun readingsPreview
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