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RE: Top 3 Meanings of “Koorin” When Written in Kanji (Notes from Under the Tatami Mats–81 … My Adventures in Japan)
Hahaha Koorin really sounds funny without considering the Japanese meanings. I find it difficult to understand what you meant below:
When I finally did register an official Japanese “hanko,” the bureaucrats did not allow me to use any kanji pictograms such as those in the above list. (Those kanji are reserved for native Japanese and a few naturalized citizens.)
In Japan, an official "hanko" name stamp is usually used instead of a signature. As a foreigner, I did not need an official one, so I went for 10 years or so without one.
Then, one of my students wanted to give me his old car (since it was cheaper to give it to me than to pay to dispose of it.) In order to take official ownership of the car, I needed not just my signature, but an officially registered "hanko" stamp.
I wanted to use one of those kanji pictograms as my official hanko stamp, but the officials at the ward office would not allow me to use any kanji for my name – since my actual name did not have any of those kanji, right?
So, I had to use characters from the rather boring phonetic script. (The phonetics, naturally, do NOT have any meanings, as the pictograms do.)
Thanks for taking the time to explain in great details. I now understand everything that played out perfectly. I guess this is one of the the queerness associated with the Japanese society. The good thing is that you don't have to deal with all that now.
Japan is really a strange place. I will like to see more notes from under the Tatami mat.
PS: Please, I will like to see your reaction to my recent post about Olumo rock.