hanjacharacters

Hanja are Korean characters derived from Chinese characters. They are also known as Hanja-eo (한자어), meaning Hanja words, which refers to Korean words composed of Hanja. While the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, is the primary writing system in both North and South Korea today, Hanja played a significant role in Korean history and literature for centuries.

Historically, Hanja were the main form of written communication in Korea, used for official documents, scholarly works, and literature. The adoption of Hangeul in the 15th century gradually led to its increased use, especially for everyday communication due to its phonetic nature and ease of learning. However, Hanja continued to be used alongside Hangeul, particularly by the educated elite, well into the 20th century.

In modern South Korea, Hanja are not commonly used in everyday writing. Hangeul is the dominant script. Nevertheless, Hanja still hold cultural and linguistic significance. They are sometimes used in names, legal documents, academic papers, and historical texts to provide clarity, especially when Hangeul words have multiple meanings that can be distinguished by their corresponding Hanja. Knowledge of Hanja can also aid in understanding the etymology and meaning of many Korean words, as a large portion of the Korean vocabulary is derived from Hanja. Educational institutions in South Korea may offer Hanja classes, and some newspapers occasionally use Hanja to supplement Hangeul. In North Korea, the use of Hanja has been almost entirely abolished since the mid-20th century.