The Japanese language is written with three distinct scripts. The kana are phonetic syllabaries. Hirgana have rounded shapes and are used for certain Japanese words like the ko-so-a-do words. Katakana are used primarily for foreign loanwords.
Kanji are Chinese characters used in Japanese writing. Kanji is by far the most difficult to learn of the three Japanese scripts. Each kanji symbol has multiple phoenetic on and kun readings. The symbols are also ideograms.
Multiple kanji symbols together make up compounds. For example, the characters that make up the compound for Nippon are the kanji symbols for "Sun" and "origin" giving Japan its nickname "Land of the Rising Sun." When studying Japanese vocabulary it may be best to focus on learning compounds.
In time, kanji becomes easier to learn as the student becomes familiar with radicals that link related kanji. For instance, the kanji for "bank" also contains the kanji for "money" as an element. Paying attention to these details can be helpful when studying Kanji, just as studying latin roots is helpful for a systematic study of English vocabulary. A Japanese to English Kanji dictionary with a radical index is a powerful tool for students studying the kanji.
How to Use a Japanese English Kanji Dictionary
A paper dictionary is a worthwhile investment for a student studying kanji. Special care should be paid to how the index is organized.
Traditional paper kanji dictionaries are often organized by radical. Each character may contain more then one radical and each radical may be comprised of multiple strokes itself. Indexing by radical can take some getting used to. One popular dictionary designed with the Western user in mind indexes its entries by stroke count.
One advantage online dictionaries have over the traditional bound book form is the relative ease of using a search field. For those practicing to write the Kanji the Yamasa Online Kanji Dictionary is a particularly good choice. Animations demonstrating the correct stroke order for each entry save time. Many dictionaries omit this critical information.
Kanji Flashcards: Free Language Flashcard Decks
Flashcards are a useful tool to drill kanji. Index cards or printed decks from companies like White Rabbit and Tuttle are great low-tech ways to drill kanji on the go. Flashcard software offers important benefits paper cards can not. Software is able to make use of spaced repetition learning systems (SRS) to maximize learning productivity.
Spacing algorithms used in high-quality flashcard software make sure to test the weakest cards more often. These programs are designed to help the user memorize and retain large amounts of new information as efficiently as possible.
Anki is a freeware cross-platform flashcard program with PC and Mac support. It also offers mobile versions including one for the iPhone. One of its most powerful features is its online flashcard deck library, offering tons of free downloadable decks. The flashcard deck library currently includes JLPT study decks, Heisig's Remembering the Kanji Volumes 1-3, Minna No Nihongo, the Kana and many more.
Despite the availability of quality free online decks, its best for students to make decks from material encountered during study. Making flashcard decks for Anki is a wonderful way to study. Decks can be made on a spreadsheet program and imported into Anki. Students can also find online tutorials for making their own decks.
How to Use Online Tools Effectively to Learn Japanese
Its important to make a point of practicing writing even when using electronic tools to study kanji. When first learning to write kanji, its important to look up how to write each character by hand, because handwritten characters can differ significantly from typewritten characters. A Japanese English Kanji dictionary that provides this information along with Japanese to English meanings for the symbols will save the student time.
There are literally thousands of Kanji to learn. Basic literacy calls for 1,945 characters. Flashcard software can be very helpful for Japanese language students. Its good practice to take the time to construct personal decks.
These online tools are freely available to any student of the Japanese language frustrated with difficult radical indexes and hard to manage index cards. They will help develop practical everyday use of the Japanese language.
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