i finally went over and gave up the romanji completely, it really does make my lessons so much easier that i have to kick myself for not just sitting there and putting more time into learning the characters sooner, but now i find myself really thirsting for the kanji study that i was always putting off
i remember being recommended a website, i don’t think that they had an app at the time, but it actually went through and pointed out connections in the pictogram aspect of the kanji to build off of which made things a lot more interactive and memorable for me than some of the apps that i’ve been trying out recently that all seem pretty “memorize these flashcards” and i sit there feeling like dennis on that family feud ep of always sunny and it’s like, they’re stealing my thirst and i just want to feel good learning kanji again like i did that time, does anyone know what site i’m talking about? or any apps that actually try and teach you before just endlessly quizzing you?
ty in advance for sharing your knowledge, or if there is another community that you’d recommend that i crosspost, feel welcome in sharing, ty
I think you’re thinking of Wanikani? It doesn’t have an official app but it has some good third party apps. I’ve been using Flaming Durtles.
Flaming Durtles.
That’s the old version that’s no longer maintained and broke somewhat when kana-only stuff was released. Smouldering Durtles is the new app.
That reads like a rick and Morty dialog.
Ah I didn’t know that, thank you! I’ve been using it for a long time and didn’t know.
I honestly can’t imagine that approach taking you very far. Most kanji are very abstract and I’d be surprised if you wouldn’t sooner memorise 2000 of them as they are than 2000 mnemonics that are effectively more abstractions.
Just don’t try to memorise individual kanji with no context.
Bad flashcard: 日 （ニチ ジツ ひ び か） day, sun, Japan, counter for days
Good flashcards:
日 ひ day
日記 にっき diary, journal
日本 にほん Japan
日曜日 にちようび Sunday
本日 ほんじつ this day/today
日焼け ひやけ sunburn
Basically, learn words, not kanji. You’ll actually recognise words in the wild much faster this way, making the whole process more enjoyable.
Edit: oh and you should write them. Don’t just look at the card, write the kanji, over and over, while repeating the reading and meaning in your head. It really helps retention.
Just don’t try to memorise individual kanji with no context.
This is good advice but I wouldn’t learn individual words on their own since learning the words in context should be more effective. Even better if the context sentence is meaningful to the learner somehow.
This also requires work and isn’t just an app you can just download.
isn’t just an app
There is migaku a paid app that streamlines creating flash cards from sentences in YT and other videos. With ability to record audio + screenshots from relevant stuff that you watched.
I don’t use it but I heard good stuff about it.
I do agree that complete sentences are even better but I don’t think it’s going to be much help to someone who’s just stopped using romaji. They need to build a repertoire of basic words and understanding of Japanese sentence structure first - これは猫です doesn’t seem more helpful than just 猫.
Also, this may be me yelling at kids to get off my lawn, but I think creating your own flashcards is preferable to premade ones for the immediate effect on your memory.
True. I kinda took OP as someone who has studied for some time already but yeah it very much depends on the level of the said learner.
Also, this may be me yelling at kids to get off my lawn, but I think creating your own flashcards is preferable to premade ones for the immediate effect on your memory.
NEVER! You can’t make me put in the effort! /s Seriously though I pretty much needed the ready made solutions to get pushed over the edge and I totally get why people might want that. Making your own cards is most likely much better option but that would’ve taken effort that I couldn’t spare myself when I started.
We didn’t have those newfangled upps and and DeppLs and whatever the kids are using, back when I started. We used handwritten paper flashcards and clunky monolingual electronic dictionaries and we liked it! (Disclaimer: No we didn’t, I would’ve killed for something like Anki on my phone lol)
You do need a basic level of vocabulary to do that, though.
Can you explain a bit more on what level are you on?
Do you know katakana + hirigana?
How many kanji do you know?
I also tried flashcards but the lack daily consistency was killing me and I switched to coprehensive input/immersion with very easy material.
Sounds like Wanikani. The first 3 levels are free but later 57 are not. I’d recommend getting the feel for them and then deciding if you are willing to pay for the 1-3+ year journey that’s ahead of you since they have the lifetime sale in December.
I’d also recommend learning at least the first 100 常用(じょうよう) kanji on Ringotan (free). You will probably forget how to write them but it will make you understand them better.
This is the best one on the market:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindtwisted.kanjistudy
