what is the best way to learn (japanese) kanji?

Question

Kanji is not new to me, I know approx. 200-300 kanji (writing that is, as for reading I probably know 500 or so). I consider myself to be somewhere in the lower-intermediate level. I'm learning new kanji right now and I try to remember the two or three examples of kanji combinations that come with every new kanji I learn....but I've been wondering lately, is that really the right way to learn them? I'm going to Japan soon for 1 year, and I'd like to make most out of my stay, so I want to know what I can do to best learn kanji. If I keep doing it my way and just memorize each kanji individually and a few examples, will I be able to read a Japanese news paper without a problem, or is there really another better way to do this on?

Answer 1

I have a great respect for you, lullemans72. You already know 500 kanji, and I think you are more than a lower-intermediate level. You are really a patient and hard working guy!

There are about 2000 kanji used in the Japanese newpaper, so you will be fine.

I'm Japanese and do not know how many English words I know. I do not use flash cards to memorize English words because they are not going to do anything but bore me.

I like to read academic books and journals and learn new English words from them. Memorizing new words and phrases in the context definitely works for me. So, I recommend you to read the Japanese books in which you are interested.

応援してます！頑張ってね！

Answer 2

Been there and you are in a good but tricky place. Would suggest some of the following beside just the pure memorization:

* Matching kanji to spoken Japanese: with your comprehension of kanji, one of the most frustrating things is not getting the immediate feedback - you know that you have seen the character but cannot quite connect it. NHK Kyoiku (channel 3 in Tokyo) has a nightly news program at 8:45p for the deaf - though it is only 15 minutes long. So besides just sign language, they have text right below it so you can hear what is being said and connect it to the characters. What is great is that even the kanji have subtitles or hiragana above them. And you do this all in the context of current events.

* Try picking up a manga or 2 that you think might interest you. Even Doraimon (for kids) will help you see kanji in a context beyond what you would get out of a text book. Additionally if you get one that is current, you can get a taste of the latest slang.

Good luck

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Brian is absolutely right and gives the best answer. I would only amend it to say that his note on stroke order should be at the top of his answer. It is absolutely important. And pay close attention to learning radicals because they have the root meaning of the kanji. Kanji are Chinese characters used in the Japanese language, and I have had experience with Chinese. Practice on regular paper with lines so that you can get it looking straight. When you become fairly comfortable, then get graph paper or print your own with the computer. Start maybe with half-inch squares and only use that from that point on. Don't fool around with a brush and ink until your kanji are really looking decent and you can easily control the shape, size, and direction of the strokes of a pencil or pen. Then you can start to fool around with a brush and ink.

Answer 5

"I know approx 200-300 Kanji"
"But I could probably read 500 or so."

I'm jealous. I'm serious, I really mean that lol. I've been studying Japanese for 3 years now and I probably know less than 30 lol. I want to learn Kanji but I'm focusing on just my speech.

Anyways, my friends have the Kanji books. That's all the help I can give. Just find the one that's appropriate for your level and step right on it.

Answer 6

Well...you can buy a book called Guide to Reading and Writing Japanese it is about the 常用漢字(jouyou Kanji) It is very helpful and It has each individual Kanji, it also will have the kunyomi and the onyomi...
This book has the kanji in order starting from grade 1 to 6(all pluse more)in total about 1006 kanji.
It will teach you in the right order and really all you have to do is sit down and study them...learn the chinese reading because most of the time those readings are used for when you join 2 or more kanji together...

This book is extrodinary...It also has a "find a kanji" section...It will divide them up by stroke orders and when you come across a unknowen kanji you can look it up.

This book is written by Tuttle Language Library. Compiled by Florence Sakade, Revised by Kenneth Henshall, Christopher Seeley, & Henk de Groot

www.tuttlepublishing.com
I hope this helps...The book makes it sooo easy.

Answer 7

ask a Japanese friend to teach you how to read and write kanji. that would be the perfect way to make sure you are not reading wrong kanji. sometimes in one Kanji their are 2-3 or more way on how to read it. there are lots of kanji to learn. first you should be fluent in Japanese. most of the foreigner in japan do not intend to read and write Japanese they just make sure they have perfect Japanese to communicate. about the news paper mostly the kanji they use is the simpler one to help others to read it easily.

Answer 8

In my experience, you're doing fine and you'll get along well there, especially if you'll be in Tokyo (or pretty much anywhere in the Kanto Plain). I lived there for three years and barely learned any Kanji. You'll also learn so much while immersed that even stuff you think you know now you'll only really understand once you're there. The learning curve goes WAY up when it's all around you. And hiragana and katakana really get you pretty far all by themselves.

SO I'd say it certainly doesn't hurt to get as many kanji under your belt as possible, but I promise, you'll do fine. I found flash cards to be the best way to learn them, though.

Answer 9

Learn them in context. Get a hold of materials intended for Japanese children(Kenji Miyazawa comes to mind), or texts intended for language learners. Learning to read Kanji by "the each" is not going to give you reading fluency.

Answer 10

Best Way To Learn Kanji