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Some Kanji characters are written slightly differently in the Mincho/Gothic
typefaces or handwriting. Ones that come to mind are 令、心, and these have been
discussed before [1]. This font-dependent variation is consistent when the
character occurs as a sub-element of another character (e.g. as in 冷).

Today, I encountered the character 賭 (as in 賭け, 賭博) that looks like it's
consists of the sub-elements 貝 and 者. Interestingly, the Mincho font on my
machine puts one extra stroke on the top right of the 日 on the right hand
side.

I was puzzled because the character 者 by itself doesn't show this variation.
Thoughts?

[1] [Why are there two versions of the kanji for
冷?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3191/why-are-there-two-
versions-of-the-kanji-for-tsumetai/3193#3193)
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kanji
Meaning of font variation in the case of the character 賭
There are many reasons that could explain why there are some differences of
shape in different type-faces.

  * Japanese and Chinese type-faces are slightly different. See for example the compounds of 糸.
  * The stroke order of character may vary from Chinese to Japanese writing. See, for example [必](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke_order#Stroke_order_per_polity)
  * The simplification of kanji over the time. See, for example [躇](http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E8%BA%87), and [者](http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E8%80%85).

This list is not exhaustive and if someone wants to add other reasons feel
free to edit.
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In fact, the 者 character has the dot in the [Kangxi
dictionary](http://www.kangxizidian.com/kangxi/1210.gif). This variant is
coded in Unicode as 者 and is etymologically the older one.

It is worth pointing out that 賭 was only added to the Jōyō kanji list in 2010.
Computer fonts usually use traditional (= Kangxi) shapes for characters not on
the list; cf [Asahi characters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_characters)
and [extended shinjitai](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_shinjitai).
Curiously, if you look at the [official
list](http://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/joho/kijun/naikaku/pdf/joyokanjihyo_20101130.pdf),
they explicitly say (p. 3) that this variation is permitted for 賭:

> 付
> 情報機器に搭載されている印刷文字字体の関係で、本表の通用字体とは異なる字体（通用字体の「頰・賭・剝」に対する「頬・賭・剥」など）を使用することは差し支えない。

See also p. 9.
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The variation on「者」(without the dot) and「{{ko:者}}」(with the dot) doesn't mean
anything.「者」is the older shape inherited from brush calligraphy,
while「{{ko:者}}」is the product of introducing
[_Shuowen_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi) [small seal
script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script) features into the
character.「{{ko:者}}」is now established as the Traditional print shape, and the
print forms of newly introduced _kanji_ into the
[_Jōyō_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji) list will contain
the dot (making no further efforts to bring the print shapes closer to the
handwritten shape).

「{{ko:者}}」is not _older_ than「者」! The bottom component of「者」was originally「口」,
which then changed to「甘」[through the addition of a
mark](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3635/whats-the-deal-with-
origin-of-the-character-%E6%9B%B0/61301#61301).

# `[商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty)  
[金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jjMPt.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jjMPt.png)  
者㚸爵  
[集成9090](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9090&jgwfl=)``[楚](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_\(state\))  
[帛](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_Silk_Manuscript)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JTInr.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JTInr.png)  
[帛丙](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/ChuwenziReference)11.3  
``[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty)  
[簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MnKSm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MnKSm.png)  
[睡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts)・[雜](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference)32  
``現代  
[楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/irN2W.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/irN2W.png)  
  
`

_Shuowen_ erroneously says that「{{ko:者}}」contains「・白」(自), but「・白」is just a
graphical corruption of「甘」. The dot in「{{ko:者}}」comes from the first stroke
of「白」.

> 「白」is not _white_ in this context, but a variant of「自」with only one
> horizontal line in the middle.

# `  
[篆](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RCU4s.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RCU4s.png)  
[說文解字](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi)  
``[清](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_dynasty)  
[宋明](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_\(typefaces\))  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6JGNS.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6JGNS.png)  
[康熙字典](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangxi_Dictionary)  
`

> For reference, the glyph evolution of「自」( _picture of a nose_ ):
>
> # `商  
> [甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aKlmR.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aKlmR.png)  
> [甲](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)392  
>
> [合集33314](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=33314&jgwfl=)``[西周](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou)  
> 金  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dE3EW.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dE3EW.png)  
> 沈子它簋蓋  
> [集成4330](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4330&jgwfl=)``  
> 篆  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BTKHM.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BTKHM.png)  
> 說文解字  
>  ``  
> 篆  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BfGVr.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BfGVr.png)  
> 說文[異體](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variant_Chinese_character)  
>  ``現代  
> 楷  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RMory.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RMory.png)  
>  
>  `

* * *

**References:**

  * 季旭昇《說文新證》
  * [小學堂](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/)
  * [國學大師](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/)
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