原稿用紙 げんこうようし Genkō yōshi How to use 原稿用紙 げんこうようし Genkō yōshi

What is げんこうようし(genkōyōshi)? Genkō yōshi is a type of Japanese paper used for formal writing. It is printed with squares, typically 200 or 400 per sheet, each square takes one single Japanese character or punctuation mark. Genkō yōshi can be used horizontally or vertically, as shown. Horizontal writing: Read from top to bottom Vertical writing: Read from right to left

Why use げんこうようし？ Japanese primary and secondary students are required to hand in assignments, such as letters, essays and so on, written on genkō yōshi. Essays and school entrance examinations are also written on genkō yōshi paper. There are special rules how to write on genkō yōshi. Knowing these rules is essential.

BASIC RULES FOR Vertical writing

Japanese is written from top to bottom And, right to left

One square per Japanese character kanji Write only 1 Japanese character (hiragana, katakana or kanji) in each square Small kana such as ゃ、ゅ、ょ、っ take 1 square each but are written in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square Long katakana sounds ie ジュース　are written as one vertical line (not horizontally) katakana long sound katakana hiragana small hiragana small katakana

One square for Japanese punctuation Full stops and commas 。、take 1 square each and are written in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square Opening quotation mark (speech marks) 「 go in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square Closing quotation mark (speech marks) 」 go in the bottom left quarter of a genkō yōshi square full stop opening speech mark closing speech mark comma

End of the line punctuation When a sentence ends in the last box of a line, put the punctuation mark: on the right bottom quarter in the same box along with the character, OR outside the genkō yōshi boxes on the right. outside inside

New paragraph – indent one box Start each new paragraph with one empty box Leave empty for a new paragraph new paragraph

ESSAY WRITING

Essay title and author’s name Write the title of the essay on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper. Indent 3 boxes, start writing in the fourth box. Write your name on the next line, leave 1 box blank at the bottom of the line. Put a dot in the centre of the box between your first and last name Leave 3 empty boxes title author’s name dot Leave 1 empty box

Start the essay Start of the essay (leave a blank box at the start of a paragraph) Start the essay on the 3rd line of the genkō yōshi page Leave an empty box (it is a new paragraph)

Summary

Look at this essay. Can you spot the errors?

Did you find all the errors? Why are they errors?

LETTER WRITING

Dear~ Start the letter on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper. Leave 3 empty boxes Start the letter on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper. Leave 3 genkō yōshi boxes empty Start writing in the 4th box Put the name of the person you are writing to followed by さん、ちゃん、 くん、せんせい then へ and comma へ and comma

Content Usually start the first paragraph with a greeting and by talking about the season or weather Write in the main body of the letter details such events, directions, thoughts, feelings, responses to any questions etc The last paragraph has any final greetings/goodbyes

From ~ Leave 2 empty boxes On the next line, leave 2 genkō yōshi squares empty then write the date (year, month, day) On the next line, at the bottom of the page, write your name followed by より (putting a dot between your first and last name), leave no empty squares date より then leave no boxes empty name

Look at this letter. Can you spot the errors?

Did you find all the errors? Why are they errors?