Okinawa Japan Virtual Ginza | The Japanese script for Okinawa.

The Japanese script for Okinawa is made by combining characters.

The first character, Oki, is made by combining two separate pictographs. The left half is "water," which by itself looks like this.

When water is combined with another character to form one, it changes to this.

The right half of the first character is "center." When combined, it keeps its form but is reduced in size.

Oki. Meaning in the center of the water, or "open ocean."

The second character, nawa, is made from one pictograph. This character, called ito, means thread and forms the left half.

The right half of nawa does not exist by itself. Think of it as a noun modifier that means "heavy" or "thick."

Nawa. A thick or heavy thread, a "rope."

Okinawa, the "Open ocean rope."

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	The first character, Oki, is made by combining two separate pictographs. The left half is "water," which by itself looks like this.
	When water is combined with another character to form one, it changes to this.
	The right half of the first character is "center." When combined, it keeps its form but is reduced in size.
	Oki. Meaning in the center of the water, or "open ocean."

	The second character, nawa, is made from one pictograph. This character, called ito, means thread and forms the left half.
	The right half of nawa does not exist by itself. Think of it as a noun modifier that means "heavy" or "thick."
	Nawa. A thick or heavy thread, a "rope."