Learning kanji

[chachava]

practice, practice, practice

Kanji is a pain the arse but it is not impossible - I found that, once I had maybe 200 under my belt, I began to learn really quickly as I could start reading things (and, living in Japan, I have the opportunity to read LOTS of things in kanji haha)

[LearnAmazingJapanese]

Originally Posted by Eomer

The method that I advocate comes under a lot of scrutiny from some students of the language, mainly those who have attained a very high level with the Kanji using a different method. The main reason that it comes under such scrutiny is because... it doesn't teach you the readings straightaway (shock-horror!!), yes, you won't be learning how to read the kanji from the get go. So if we don't have a reading what do we link the kanji to? An English keyword.

Yeah, I would have to say I'm not a fan of this method, but if it works for you, more power to you. I'm not one to be militant about learning methods.

I do recommend staying away from kanji until you're more fluent in Japanese if your goal is overall fluency. I've just seen too many people give up when they try it the other way around, and I've seen too many people become very successful Japanese speakers very quickly when they go the roomaji route.

Learn hiragana and katakana, if you want. Not a big deal, but just remember:

ningen = person
にんげん = person

But in the end, you throw both versions out and learn the kanji:

人間 = person

So the reality is that kana or roomaji are both basically crutches (OK, you will get more use out of kana in the future, but you know what I'm sayin') until you learn the kanji anyway...

I rode this horse (i.e. learned Japanese and kanji this way) to pretty good language success. Passed the JLPT Level 1, did well in my Japanese degree, used/am using the language professionally, etc.

BUT (big but), I also understand that people can have different styles of learning, so just be aware...

Have a goal. If what you're doing doesn't seem fun or take you in a direct line to your goal, then change tactics (e.g. if flash cards don't work for you, try writing, if writing doesn't work, try a computer game, if that doesn't work try something else). Find what you like, and work it consistently...as long as it takes you toward your goal.

[KudoSan]

Thank you all for your great advice.

Arigotou tomo dachi.

[Danierux]

Originally Posted by LearnAmazingJapanese

Yeah, I would have to say I'm not a fan of this method, but if it works for you, more power to you. I'm not one to be militant about learning methods.

I do recommend staying away from kanji until you're more fluent in Japanese if your goal is overall fluency. I've just seen too many people give up when they try it the other way around, and I've seen too many people become very successful Japanese speakers very quickly when they go the roomaji route.

Learn hiragana and katakana, if you want. Not a big deal, but just remember:

ningen = person
にんげん = person

But in the end, you throw both versions out and learn the kanji:

人間 = person

So the reality is that kana or roomaji are both basically crutches (OK, you will get more use out of kana in the future, but you know what I'm sayin') until you learn the kanji anyway...

I rode this horse (i.e. learned Japanese and kanji this way) to pretty good language success. Passed the JLPT Level 1, did well in my Japanese degree, used/am using the language professionally, etc.

BUT (big but), I also understand that people can have different styles of learning, so just be aware...

Have a goal. If what you're doing doesn't seem fun or take you in a direct line to your goal, then change tactics (e.g. if flash cards don't work for you, try writing, if writing doesn't work, try a computer game, if that doesn't work try something else). Find what you like, and work it consistently...as long as it takes you toward your goal.

Domo arigatou, very good words of advice. Even I am not fluent, I do try and write as much kanji as I can consistantly so I can try to deeply root them in my memory. I just think if you try to learn TOO much kanji, in my case you just get frustrated and confused. So Taking it slow helps.

By the way LearnAmazingJapanese, I looked at your profile and saw there was a blog attached, is that your blog? If so its great!! Also I envy your JLPT1 rank. Kudos to you mate!

[LearnAmazingJapanese]

Originally Posted by Danierux

By the way LearnAmazingJapanese, I looked at your profile and saw there was a blog attached, is that your blog?

Yeah, that's my little corner of non-real space. Been too busy lately to update as much as I'd like, but I'll put something else up there in a day or so.

When I started learning Japanese, I was pretty much thrown into it by moving to the country with minimal language study beforehand. The hardest part at first was picking out the words from all of the sounds, so my blog is my little attempt to help people get an "ear" for the language.

Hope it helps.

[Danierux]

Originally Posted by LearnAmazingJapanese

Yeah, that's my little corner of non-real space. Been too busy lately to update as much as I'd like, but I'll put something else up there in a day or so.

When I started learning Japanese, I was pretty much thrown into it by moving to the country with minimal language study beforehand. The hardest part at first was picking out the words from all of the sounds, so my blog is my little attempt to help people get an "ear" for the language.

Hope it helps.

It sure does help mate. Hope other JF people use this valuable and enjoyable resource cheers mate

[Gorotsuki]

I agree. Learn kana and then go on from there. I started with romaji and I spent a month trying to learn kana and it just didn't work for me. It just went horrible. Until I found this flash site for kana and it took me like 2 days to learn it. I havn't done katakana though.

[KudoSan]

Ive learned　ひらがな and カタカナ and all the ろまじ　for them. If Im fluent in both of them, do I need to be fluent in the whole Japanese language to learn kanji efficiatly?

[Cyclamen]

Well, if you are fluent in Japanese it will be easier for you to connect in your mind the words you already know to their writing in kanji.
But you can also learn kanji, its meaning and its pronounciation without being fluent in Japanese.
It's the same, some people prefer the first method, some like the second.

But I think that learning first romaji then the two alphabets, is a terribile way to learn japanese (this is true also for every language which doesn't use roman alphabet, such as russian, arabic, thai, etc.).

[Danierux]

Originally Posted by Cyclamen

Well, if you are fluent in Japanese it will be easier for you to connect in your mind the words you already know to their writing in kanji.
But you can also learn kanji, its meaning and its pronounciation without being fluent in Japanese.
It's the same, some people prefer the first method, some like the second.

But I think that learning first romaji then the two alphabets, is a terribile way to learn japanese (this is true also for every language which doesn't use roman alphabet, such as russian, arabic, thai, etc.).

I think you learn alot from learning the kana first because you learn which consonants the Japanese use and which sounds they do not use. Makes it easy to spell out westerner katakana words too. I.e. BUS - ブス (BASU)