新常用漢字

The Japanese Ministry of Education announced last week that the number of Kanji for Common Use is to increase by 196 characters.

In 1981, the list of characters Japanese school children were expected to master by the end of high school topped out at 1,945.

As of 2012, it will jump to 2,136.

Among the new kanji are:

熊（くま） bear
挨拶（あいさつ）greetings
妖艶（ようえん）fascinating, bewitching
瑠璃（るり）lapis lazuli
腫瘍（しゅよう）tumor

All of the kanji on the Ministry's list may appear on university entrance exams, and the additional 196 may be added to the exams beginning in 2015.

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