"Inochi", meaning life, has been chosen as the character of the year in Japan.

"命"字当选日本年度汉字

"Inochi," meaning "life," has been chosen in a poll for the kanji character of 2006, the year marked by the birth of the first grandson for the emperor, a series of reported student suicides after being bullied, and a number of child abuses, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announced Tuesday.

日本汉字能力鉴定协会本周二公布，"命"字当选为日本今年的年度汉字。"命"字之所以当选，主要是因为日本王室今年迎来天皇长孙，以及日本国内发生了一系列学生受辱自杀事件和虐待儿童事件。

The Kyoto-based foundation said many people in the public poll said they selected the character because it was a year they were made painfully aware of the gravity and value of the unique gift of life given to an individual.

据这个位于京都的协会介绍，很多参加调查的民众说，这些事情使他们深刻体会到生命的可贵。

The annual announcement was made at Kiyomizu Temple in the Japanese ancient capital.

这一年度评选结果在京都的清水寺被公布。

The foundation has been conducting a poll on the year's kanji --Chinese characters used in Japanese writing -- each year since 1995.

日本汉字能力鉴定协会从1995年开始，每年都会评选日语中的年度汉字。

Prince Hisahito was born in Tokyo on Sept. 6 to Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko and the first heir to the Japanese imperial throne born in 41 years.

 今年9月6日，文仁秋筱宫亲王和纪子王妃的小皇子悠仁在东京出生，这是41年来日本皇室首次迎来男性继承人。

A total of 92,509 entries were made this year with 8,363 for "inochi," also read "myo" and "mei," followed by 3,793 for "yu," read also "hisa" as used in the first of the two kanji of the newborn prince's name. The third-ranked character, drawing 3,303 votes, was "sei," read also "sei," "ikiru," also denoting life, or to live.

 在今年的评选中，日本汉字能力鉴定协会共收到92509张选票，其中"命"字的得票数为8363张，位居其后的是小皇子名字中的"悠"字，得票数为3793张。排在第三位的是表示"生命；生活"的"生"字，共得到选票3303张。

The character meaning to kill, read "satsu," "korosu" ranked sixth and one denoting death, read "shi" came in 12th.

 此外，"杀"字位居第六位，"死"字位居第十二位。

Last year's top choice was "ai," meaning love.

去年，"爱"当选为日本的年度汉字。