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Mirror writing

Writing Japanese kanji in mirror writing.

Mirror writing is the ability to write letters the opposite direction to which they are written normally. It must be quite difficult to write Japanese using this form because of Japanese Kanji or Chinese characters. However, Imoto sensei has this rather rare skill !

Read this amusing blog and learn Japanese for free at JOI, Japanese online school. You can also watch the video and listen to natural Japanese.

鏡文字
Mirror writing

imoto

By IMOTO Rie

Mirror writing

みなさん、鏡文字って知っていますか。左右逆になっている文字のことで、鏡に映す正常な文字が見えます。これといって特技のない私ですが、鏡文字を書くことだけは得意です。私は左利きなのですが、左利きだと鏡文字が書きやすいようです。

manga

同じく左利きだった画家のレオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチも鏡文字でノートを書いていたとか。 でも、ダ・ヴィンチが書いていた鏡文字はアルファベットだけです。私の場合は、アルファベットはもちろん、ひらがなや漢字の鏡文字も書くので、「私のほうがダ・ヴィンチよりすごい!」と家族や友達に自慢するのですが、みんな、「あ、そう」と答えるだけで、誰も真剣に取り合ってくれません。さびしい特技です・・・。

manga

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

鏡文字(かがみもじ)

みなさん、鏡文字(かがみもじ)って知(し)っていますか。左右(さゆう)逆(ぎゃく)になっている文字(もじ)のことで、鏡(かがみ)に映(うつ)す正常(せいじょう)な文字(もじ)が見(み)えます。 これといって特技(とくぎ)のない私(わたし)ですが、鏡文字(かがみもじ)を書(か)くことだけは得意(とくい)です。私(わたし)は左(ひだり)利(き)きなのですが、左(ひだり)利(き)きだと鏡文字(かがみもじ)が書(か)きやすいようです。

同(おな)じく左(ひだり)利(き)きだった画家(がか)のレオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチも鏡文字(かがみもじ)でノートを書(か)いていたとか。 でも、ダ・ヴィンチが書(か)いていた鏡文字(かがみもじ)はアルファベットだけです。私(わたし)の場合(ばあい)は、アルファベットはもちろん、ひらがなや漢字(かんじ)の鏡文字(かがみもじ)も書(か)くので、「私(わたし)のほうがダ・ヴィンチよりすごい!」と家族(かぞく)や友達(ともだち)に自慢(じまん)するのですが、みんな、「あ、そう」と答(こた)えるだけで、誰(だれ)も真剣(しんけん)に取(と)り合(あ)ってくれません。さびしい特技(とくぎ)です・・・。

Mirror writing

Do you know what Kagami Moji are ? They are letters written in reverse from right to left and when reflected in a mirror, they appear normal. Yet for someone like myself, who doesn't have any particular skill at anything, I am actually good at writing in Kagami Moji. I am left-handed, so for people who are left-handed, writing in Kagami Moji is quite easy.

Leonardo da Vinci, who was also left-handed, wrote his notes in this mirror script as well. But in Leonardo da Vinci's case, he only wrote alphabet letters using mirror writing. But in my case, I can write alphabet letters in this way of course, but also hiragana and kanji, so I show off to my family and friends by telling them, “I'm greater than Leonardo da Vinci !” But they just respond with a flat “Is that right ?” and nobody really pays any attention to me. Its a sad, lonely skill...

鏡文字(かがみもじ) mirror writing

左右(さゆう) right and left

逆(ぎゃく)になっている be in reverse

鏡(かがみ)に映(うつ)す mirror

正常(せいじょう)な normal

これといって~ない not have anything particular

左(ひだり)利(き)き left-handedness

レオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチ Leonardo da Vinci

自慢(じまん)する show off

真剣(しんけん)に seriously

取(と)り合(あ)う listen to, pay attention to

imoto

Mina sama Konnichiwa ! My name is Rie Imoto. I live in Nara city with my husband and daughter. Nara city is the oldest capital of Japan and there still a lot of nature remaining from the old days.

I love photography, and always walk with my camera and enjoy taking pictures of flowers, the sky, mountains, and nature. I also like running. I often run around my neighborhood. I sometimes participate in marathons. When I run, it refreshes both my mind and body and I can spend the time energetically.

When I was a child, I was very interested in foreign cultures and so, because it was in the age before the Internet, I used to enjoy exchanging letters with many people from different countries. I am so glad that we can connect with people all over the world now using the Internet. I am really looking forward to teaching you Japanese and to hear about your stories in Japanese. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

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