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Advice on learning Kanji

Ryuk

スパ外国人
25 Dec 2007
122
1
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こにちわ and メリークリスマス!

I am wondering what would be the best way for me to learn Kanji? I already know Hiragana & Katakana but obviously they are a lot easier to learn than Kanji. I have downloded Anki, but how often should I be using this to learn and should I also practice writing them from memory as well? I have a book that says the Japanese Government recommends something like 1900-2000 for your average person O_O. :(

ありがと ございます!
 
It's absolutely a very good idea to use a flash card program such as Anki to study Kanji, if you are a frequent computer user that is. I also started using Anki for Kanji study recently, but I feel that the standard 'Heisig' deck comprising all Joyo Kanji (about 2000) is very incomplete. Having an english keyword as question and the Kanji as answer is good in my opinion, but there are no readings nor useful compounds added.

I suggest you get yourself a Kanji dictionnary first. I recently bought 'Kodansha's essential kanji dictionnary' comprising all Joyo Kanji. What I especially love about this book is that with every Kanji a list with common compounds is given. This is very useful, especially when the english keywords given to a Kanji aren't very clear. When you have the book, you can start making your own deck (or just editing the Heisig deck from Anki).

I know this is going to take a lot of time but this is the most effective way to study Kanji in my opinion. So basically after you have completed your deck, you can start studying. You still get the English keyword(s) as question and out of your memory you draw the Kanji on a piece of paper and write the ON and KUN readings.
 
Thanks for the advice. I got a Berlitz Japanese-English dictionary for christmas which has a whole bunch of kanji in it and also has the list of 2000 that you should know.

Is it better to learn actual words and phrases in kanji or just learn the symbols and what they sound like?
 
I realise the flash cards do not really show you the stroke order in which to write Kanji (and I also feel like I am not learning them properly by only using flash cards).

Can anyone recommend a good Kanji book for learning? (I already have a Japanese-English dictionary so I don't just want a second).

ありがと
 
Don't underestimate flashcards, sure they don't show you the order, but while you're learning you will have to read loads and loads of kanji, and differentiate between loads and loads of readings, so, if you can read it, thats enough for now, as you reached the main goal.
I somehow came across a kanji list that can be easily be printed and cut into flashcards, I use it myself, If anyone's interested, I'll put it on megauploads as its not copyrighted as far as I know.
There was another Kodansha kanji dic. with roughly 2300 kanji if I remember correctly, the price was almost the same on amazon.
 
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