Kanji () are logographic characters adopted from the Chinese writing system, used alongside hiragana and katakana in the Japanese language. Kanji are essential for understanding written Japanese as they represent nouns, verb stems, adjective stems, and more. There are over 50,000 kanji in existence, though only about 2,000-3,000 are commonly used in everyday communication. The Japanese Ministry of Education has designated 2,136 kanji, known as the "Jōyō kanji" ( ), as the most essential for daily use.
I hear you. But focusing solely on hiragana or romaji can limit the understanding of the Japanese language. Learning kanji is essential for the following reasons:
Comprehensive Understanding of Written Japanese: Kanji are indispensable in written Japanese. Japanese people rely heavily on kanji in their daily lives. A solid understanding of kanji is necessary for advanced language proficiency and access to various forms of written content, such as newspapers, books, signs, and websites in their original form.
Disambiguation and Contextual Clues: Kanji provide essential context and clarity by visually differentiating homophones, enabling you to understand the nuances of the language more effectively. For example, the words (kami) can mean "paper" (), "god" (), or "hair" (), depending on the kanji used.
Improved Vocabulary Acquisition: Learning the meaning and pronunciation of individual kanji helps you deduce the meaning of new compound words more easily, facilitating efficient vocabulary acquisition.
Consider the two kanji: (shoku, meaning "eat" or " food") and (dō, meaning "hall" or "place"). Getting a word like (shokudō) you can infer that (shokudō) refers to a place related to eating or food. In this case, (shokudō) means "cafeteria" or "dining hall."
Access to Japanese Culture and History: Learning kanji offers deeper insight into Japanese culture and history, as well as an appreciation for classical Japanese literature and historical texts.
Each kanji is composed of strokes following a specific order, and many kanji can be broken down into smaller components known as radicals (, bushu).
Radicals often carry a specific meaning or hint at the character's pronunciation. Identifying and understanding radicals can help remember and decipher the meaning of new kanji. For example, consider the radical , called "sanzui," which represents water. This radical appears in various kanji related to water, such as (kawa, meaning "river"), (umi, meaning "sea"), and (oyogu, meaning "to swim").
Kanji typically have multiple readings or pronunciations, which can be grouped into two main categories: on'yomi () and kun'yomi (). On'yomi are the Sino-Japanese readings, derived from the original Chinese pronunciation, whereas kun'yomi are the native Japanese readings. When a kanji appears as part of a compound word or with other kanji, it is usually read with its on'yomi. When a kanji appears alone or with hiragana, it is generally read with its kun'yomi. Some kanji have multiple on'yomi or kun'yomi, which adds to the complexity of learning kanji.
Let's consider the kanji , which has various meanings, including life, birth, and raw.
Examples of on'yomi () usage:
Examples of kun'yomi () usage:
Now that you understand the importance of learning kanji and the breadth of knowledge required to master them, including the study of stroke order, radicals, meaning, and multiple readings for each character, the question remains: how can you effectively retain all this information in your memory?
Master Radicals: To facilitate your journey in learning kanji, begin by acquainting yourself with radicals (, bushu). As mentioned earlier, these radicals serve as the foundation of kanji and often convey meaning or indicate the character's pronunciation. Acquiring knowledge of a few radicals will accelerate your familiarity with kanji by allowing you to identify their fundamental building blocks. This, in turn, will provide you with a solid foundation upon which to expand your understanding of kanji.
Master the Stroke Order: When learning kanji it is important to pay attention to the correct stroke order. You can use a dictionary such as the one featured in lingaku for reference. See for example the entry of .
Use Mnemonic Devices: Create mnemonic devices or stories to associate the meaning, shape, and pronunciation of a kanji. Let's take the kanji for "mountain" which is (, yama) and has the shape of three peaks. To create a mnemonic device to remember its meaning, shape, and pronunciation, you could imagine yourself standing on top of a mountain, looking out at three peaks in the distance, and saying "ya ma!" to yourself as a way of remembering the pronunciation.
Practice Writing and Repetition: Regularly practice writing kanji by hand to reinforce muscle memory and deepen understanding of each character's structure. Repetition is key for long-term retention, so use tools like flashcards or spaced repetition software (e.g., Anki) to review kanji consistently.
Learn Kanji in Context: Study kanji in context by reading sentences or passages containing the characters. This will help you understand how kanji function within sentences and will improve your ability to recognize and recall kanji when encountered in real-life situations.
Set Realistic Goals and Stay Consistent: Break down the learning process into manageable goals, such as mastering a specific number of kanji per week or month. Stay consistent with your study routine and track your progress to maintain motivation and ensure steady improvement.
Incorporate Multiple Learning Resources: Use a variety of learning resources to keep the learning process engaging and dynamic. Some popular resources include textbooks, apps, websites, and video lessons. Examples of widely-used resources for kanji learning are the Remembering the Kanji series by James Heisig, the Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course by Andrew Scott Conning, and the WaniKani web application.
Learn Kanji in Relation to Vocabulary and Grammar: Instead of learning kanji in isolation, study them in conjunction with vocabulary and grammar. This approach will help you understand the practical usage of kanji in the language and reinforce your overall language skills.
You can use my dictionary application for this purpose. Each kanji entry features an abundance of examples for each of its readings. See for example the entry of .
Join a Study Group or Seek Guidance: Engaging with fellow learners or seeking guidance from a tutor or teacher can provide invaluable support and motivation. Study groups or language exchange partners can offer different perspectives, learning tips, and feedback, all of which can enhance your kanji learning experience.
Learning kanji is a multifaceted process that requires a combination of strategies for effective and enjoyable study. By mastering stroke order and radicals, using mnemonic devices, practicing writing, learning kanji in context, setting realistic goals, utilizing various resources, and seeking support, you can progressively build your kanji knowledge and enhance your understanding of the Japanese language.