Enhance Your Japanese Script: Ki-Sho-Ten-Ketsu

*The target readers are those who will make a speech or a presentation in Japanese.

起 (Ki), 承 (Sho), 転 (Ten), 結 (Ketsu) is a well-known method of structuring Japanese scripts. One of the strengths of this structure is that you are able to narratively express what you want to convey to your audience. You may also have the benefit of making your script sound familiar with your audience because every Japanese person learns this method in school. In this article, you will learn how you can utilize the 起 (Ki), 承 (Sho), 転 (Ten), 結 (Ketsu) Structure for your Japanese script.

Well-known Method of Structuring Japanese Script: Ki-Sho-Ten-Ketsu

起 (Ki)

The Chinese character, 起 (Ki) means to rise, raise, get up, set out, start, appear, launch, etc. In this part, you are going to set up an introduction, such as, main characters, their backgrounds, their relationships, the world they live in and hints for the climax. If you give surprising differences between the 起 (Ki); introduction and the 結 (Ketsu); conclusion, it will work effectively.

Example

私わたしは日に本ほんの富と山やま県けんで生うまれました。

I was born in Toyama prefecture, Japan.

両りょう親しんは学校がっこうの先生せんせいでとても厳きびしい教きょう育いくをされでした。

My parents were school teachers and gave me a strict education.

私わたしは素す直なおで真面目まじめな子こ供どもに育そだちました。

I grew up to be an honest and obedient child.

承 (Sho)

The Chinese character, 承 (Sho) means bear, carry, hold, continue, undertake, take charge, receive, etc. In this part, you are going to continue on from the introduction and lead into some twists. However, major changes do not ha ppen yet. This is the process of leading up to the climax. It is said that the 承 (Sho) part can occupy 60% to 70% of Japanese scripts in order to make them consistent. In other words, in order to explain why the 転 (Ten); climax happens.

Example

中ちゅう学生がくせいになった頃ころ、学校がっこうの勉強べんきょうがわからなくなりました。

When I was in junior high school, the material became too difficult for me to understand.

両親りょうしんからたくさん怒おこられました。

My parents got angry with me a lot.

学校がっこう、親おや、先生せんせい、勉強べんきょうが大嫌だいきらいになりました。

I came to dislike my school, parents, teachers and studying.

ある日ひ、学校がっこうに新あたしい先生せんせいが来きました。

One day, a new teacher came to my school.

先生せんせいは私わたしに勉強べんきょうでなくテニスをするように薦すすめました。

The teacher suggested that I start playing tennis, not study.

私わたしはテニス部ぶに入はいることにしました。

I decided to join the tennis club.

転 (Ten)

The Chinese character, 転 (Ten) means turn, twist, suddenly, abruptly, quickly, etc. In this part, you are going to turn or twist your story to another, new or unknown topic. Once 転 (Ten) has arrived, new characters should not appear. Also, the change should be the biggest twist leading to the climax.

Example

私わたしにはスポーツの才能さいのうがあるみたいでした。

It seemed that I was a talented player.

初はじめて出場しゅつじょうした大会たいかいで私わたしはいきなり優勝ゆうしょうしました。

I won the champion tennis match even though it was my first time.

そして、私わたしはプロのチームにスカウトされました。

Then, I was scouted by a professional team.

私わたしはまだ勉強べんきょうが苦にが手てです。ですが、今いまはプロのテニス選手せんしゅとして世せ界かい中じゅうで活躍かつやくしています

I am still not good at studying, but I am participating actively as a professional tennis player all over the world.

結 (Ketsu)

The Chinese character, 結 (Ketsu) means to tie, bind, contract, join, organize, do up hair, fasten, etc. In this part, you are going to wrap up your story and make your conclusion.

Example

その先生せんせいのような、子こ供どもの才能さいのうを引ひき出だしてあげられる体育たいいくの先生せんせいになること、それが私わたしの夢ゆめです。

My dream is to become a PE teacher who can discover unknown talents from children like the teacher who helped me.

Pros and Cons

起 (Ki), 承 (Sho), 転 (Ten), 結 (Ketsu) Structure is generally used in movies, comics, games and fairy tales. It is appropriate for making a narrative story. Your audience would be interested and say to themselves, “What will happen next?” and “Tell us more”. On the other hand, it is not appropriate for telling something logically, that is to say, for papers, essays and business documents. In such documents the conclusion should be apparent at the beginning as opposed to the起 (Ki), 承 (Sho), 転 (Ten), 結 (Ketsu) Structure. If you try to use this structure, for example, in a business document, people would get irritated and frustrated and ask you “What are you trying to say?”

Conclusion

In regards to making a Japanese script for a speech, it can be used effectively, yet you need to be good at presentation skills, such as intonation, volume, eye contact and movement because that is the only way of attracting audiences without logical devices. However, even if you aren’t, you can still use this structure by giving a short guide as shown below at the beginning. That way, your audience can understand why you are going back to say, when you were born, and may be interested in your story.

Example

私わたしの夢ゆめは学校がっこうの先生せんせいになることです。この話はなしをするには、まず私わたしの生おい立たちから話はなさないといけません。

My dream is to become a teacher. In order to tell you this story, firstly, I need to tell you my background.

Recommended Link

Distinguish Your Japanese Script Jo-Ha-Kyu Structure

Apply the Essay Structure to Your Japanese Script

Imitate Great Speaker: How to Write Your Japanese Script

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For Your Japanese Speech; Imitate Great Speakers II

Author and English Editor

Author - Takuya Tokiwa