Learning Kanji
May 25, 2021 — Tatsumoto Ren
Unlike kana which you can learn in a matter of few days no matter what method you pick, learning kanji is apparently more difficult, and there are many methods of doing it.
Ankidrone Foundation
August 11, 2024 — Tatsumoto Ren
The most important part of learning Japanese with the AJATT method is to enjoy native content and be able to grow your understanding of the language entirely through immersion by picking up new words from the media you read, watch or listen to. To transition towards learning directly from Japanese media, first you need to level up your comprehension.
Ankidrone Foundation is an Anki Deck for newcomers to Japanese based on the JP1K method. If you want to learn the theory behind this deck, please read this article.
Thoughts on books that teach kanji by breaking down kanji into radicals
May 23, 2026 — Tatsumoto Ren
Tatsumoto, what are your thoughts on more specific books claiming to teach kanji, like ones that break down kanji into radicals, or ones that teach through illustrations? Are all of them inherently bad?
Kanji books help you develop kanji fluency initially. You learn to recognize kanji and tell them apart. But you outgrow them quickly. They help when you first start learning to read, but as your brain starts to recognize characters as whole units, you forget what those books teach.
Learning Kanji Radicals
May 01, 2024 — Tatsumoto Ren
In my previous article on Learning Kanji, I mentioned that beginners do not need to learn kanji radicals. However, radicals play a significant role in the Japanese language. Understanding the proper Japanese names for common radicals aids in grasping spoken conversations about kanji.
The advice provided in this article is tailored for people who already understand Japanese. If you are still a beginner, I recommend focusing on more essential aspects of Japanese learning.
Kanji composition in relation to reading Japanese
February 23, 2021 — Bundou Makoto
As mentioned briefly in Learning Kanji,
kanji are formed from radicals or from other kanji.
There are six classes of kanji characters.
Altogether they are called 六書.