Free Japanese resources
Kanji
Learn to recognize patterns, compare similar characters and organize kanji in a way that makes them easier to understand and remember.
Why organization matters
How some textbooks make kanji learning difficult
Have you ever tried learning kanji and found it difficult? The way characters are introduced can make a big difference. Here is one example from the textbook GENKI:
| Lesson # | 3 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanji | 時 | 持 | 特 | 寺 | 待 |
| ON reading | JI | JI | TOKU | JI | TAI |
These characters share a component, and three of them even share the same pronunciation, yet they are introduced in different lessons. The simplest one, 寺, does not come first either.
The KANJI-Link method
Learn related kanji together
KANJI-Link groups this kind of character together so you can compare them directly. This helps you:
- focus on the component that changes;
- get used to breaking kanji into smaller units;
- differentiate look-alike characters;
- save more attention for readings and vocabulary.
Learning kanji is still a long journey, but a clearer organization can make that journey much more efficient.
Before you start
Understand how kanji work
The introduction explains why kanji have different readings, suggests learning strategies and introduces the most frequent radicals.