A few questions about WakiKani

Can someone walk me through Wanikani? Like what has it taught you after a while? How advanced does it go.

I learned how to read the kanji for 鰐蟹

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Wanikani teaches the common readings of each kanji, provides vocabulary using the kanji, and example sentences showing it is used.

After learning enough kanji and vocabulary, you’ll be able to read Japanese much more easily. The maximum level is 60, and according to the WK stats you should at least be JLPT N2 level by the end.

Note though, that Wanikani should be paired with reading practice and grammar studies for it to really reach its highest benefits imo.

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To be more precise, it provides vocabulary as examples of the kanji in use. It’s not a vocabulary-teaching website, and is far from exhausive in what it teaches, even when it comes to common vocab which uses only kanji taught by WaniKani.

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To clarify, you’ll have been exposed to all the N2 kanji by then. There’s really no guarantee you’ll do well on the N2 kanji section or vocab section from just WK.

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WaniKani is a journey that lasts (if you complete all 60 levels) a year or more. For many Japanese learners, it’s the best way to learn kanji. It teaches 2000 kanji which is an excellent beginning, though that number is less than what a literate Japanese adult would be able to read.

It won’t teach you 1) how to draw kanji. 2) very much about Japanese grammar 3) the 10,000 (or whatever) most common Japanese words. The vocabulary taught in WaniKani is often extremely useful and relevant, though some of it is there more to reinforce the readings or meaning of the kanji taught than because they are essential words.

I started WaniKani at the very beginning of this year, after many years of exposure to and learning Japanese but without having been able to learn much in the way of kanji despite my best efforts. It really has made all the difference, and has increased my Japanese vocabulary significantly in a way that I think wouldn’t have been possible without it.

I am capable of reading much more than I was previously because I don’t have to stop and look up words nearly as often. There is much more work for me to do with regards to learning Japanese. But WaniKani has been an essential tool.

I highly recommend it.

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I was really, really expecting that to be “faq” when I looked it up.

But seriously, WaniKani teaches you about 2000 of the most “useful” (of which, there are many definitions and disagreements) kanji. You might think that’s not enough to read or speak Japanese, and you’d be right, but you kind of have this chicken-and-egg problem with having a hard time studying grammar or vocabulary if you don’t know any kanji, and the kanji just won’t stick unless you study it. It’s a start to help you get your foot in the door, so to speak, and learn to teach yourself (if that makes any sense).

Plus, it’s fun. Welcome!

That one isn’t as interesting to write in kanji. It’s よくある質問

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I was half expecting you to have helpfully written 脇蟹 (or 沸き蟹, or 和気蟹, or…) after the title of the thread but no I was wrong. XP

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True! Should’ve have added that in, my bad. WaniKani should definitely be used as a supplement and not as the sole source of learning vocab/Kanji.

That’s true, the rest will depend on how well they do their other studies before they can be ready for N2.

@JuliannaG Check out this thread: Unofficial FAQ

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