What are some good study methods for Kanji?

Question

Studying Japanese Kanji can be difficult at times, so what are some various effective study methods?

Answer 1

I have 3 suggestions:

1. Flashcards, flashcards, flashcards! Flashcards are a lifesaver when it comes to Kanji and actually helped me learn throughout the years. You can use an app like Quizlet to make them, as well as on your own with small papers. I may even suggest that you make them on your own because while writing Kanji on one side and reading to the other, you actually find yourself studying the kanji while you're writing them.
2. Writing! Go buy yourself a beautiful notebook and get to writing! Writing will help you so much. I mean just give yourself a daily "15-minute writing exercise" and just write the Kanji over and over. It'll be even better if you write the kanji with the words that it's used with. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing yourself finishing a whole notebook filled with kanji, believe me!
3. Be mindful of the stroke order! Be sure to teach yourself the stroke order first. Mainly because stroke order can actually help you memorize the Kanji. In my experience, if you learn it without the stroke order you may have some issues in remembering them later on.

Answer 2

Japanese kanji studying can be really challenging but there has been some recent research to make it easier depending on where you are in your learning experience. Even as a beginner it is important to know that Kanji is made up of many parts and is not just one thing to study. Breaking the kanji into these parts you will find that there are various similarities between kanji. For example, you can group all the kanji by their Chinese readings and see that there are some similarities in the way it is written. You can also group them by the parts they are composed of (radicals). Also the Heisig method of making stories to go along with your kanji as you write them helps immensely.

Answer 3

https://edusup.jp/kd/#A012.html

Please access the site which is called:'akaneko kanji sapota

It is a great tool for practicing how to write and how to read it.

If you learn hiragana and can type Japanese, you are ready to use the site.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I personally use words to study kanji. As long as you have the hiragana down pat, I use this form of flashcard:

平和 (へい•わ) Peace

And use something called 'cloze deletion' to make multiple cards like so:

平和 ([...]•わ) Peace <-- here is where you learn pronunciation for 平 in the word 平和. Do the same for pronunciation for each kanji, and the english meaning. If you wish to practice writing, hide ONE kanji at a time. I'd suggest a separate deck for that.

Keep your hidden clozes as short as possible, dealing with only one aspect at a time. Pronunciation of one kanji each time and you can cloze the whole english definitions that come up and make sure you guess the 'essence' of the definition. I think it's unnecessary to remember every single possible english definition because context will reveal itself as you keep reading/listening.

Answer 5

There are many different ways to study Kanji!

1. Make flashcards either with actual notecards or on Quizlet.
2. Use these with the kanji on one side, and the Japanese reading and the English translation.
3. Can be used for writing and reading practice.
4. Write the kanji needed to memorize as much as you can to help solidify stroke order and kanji recognition.
5. If you have access, study with friends (or a tutor here on Wyzant) and have them quiz you, to practice kanji recognition and memory.