I’m only on level 3 (closing in on completing it), but when I get reviews of some vocab I’ve done a few weeks ago and not since, I just can’t recall it correctly (usually struggling with the reading), so I drop in level.
I understand this is somewhat intentional - if you don’t really remember it, it will go back to the more frequent review queue - but it is also immensely frustrating, because I know some of them are more difficult (and not all mnemonics provided are great), and I just want to practice them more!
I am making ‘offline’ review bits but they don’t work quite as well I’m finding. I’m just saying I would like more practice on things like counting days rather than counting machines or saying ‘american person’
Has anyone else struggled with this? And how did you overcome it?
Thanks!
What are you doing outside of wanikani? Wanikani’s purpose is specifically to learn the kanji, not the language as a whole.
I didn’t really have this problem as I started wanikani after taking a Japanese class. But for days of the month and stuff I read the list in my grammar book on the train once a week every week.
There’s probably a better method, but the point is it’s easier to learn them together and wanikani won’t teach them together because kanji. You’ll need something else to actually learn the rest of the language.
Getting started is hard, everything is foreign and new and weird. I remember that, while I was going through the first few levels of WaniKani and learning my first hundred kanji, the idea of scaling this to thousands of characters and arbitrary readings felt completely overwhelming, bordering on implausible.
But eventually things start clicking in place, you start to notice more and more patterns, adding more kanji to the pile gets (relatively) easier.
Doing things outside of WaniKani at this point can be beneficial but not completely necessary. If you prefer to focus purely on kanji until level 10 or so I think it’s fine too.
Feeling frustrated and worrying too much about it will only make things worse. I suggest you to relax, have fun with the mnemonics and then try to diversify a bit your daily routine (watching some vlogs or some podcast in slow Japanese will help). Make the SRS and daily practice take their course. Trust the crabigator.
Oh I completely feel your frustration. There are certain kanji and vocab that are for some odd reason - more slippery - as in they don’t stick and they don’t recall easily. I bet everyone has some of these.
I find two things useful in situations like these:
Reducing new lessons and going slower with adding new things to the review pile. Its harder to learn many new things as opposed to fewer. I have also accepted that language learning will be a lifelong thing so I am in no rush personally.
When the provided mnemonics aren’t working for me, I make my own. I find that to be really helpful. For example, in level seven the kanji 弱 has a WK provided mnemonic that tried to relate the reading じゃく to a car jack. This does not work for me at all. So I changed it and created a character called “Jack” thats a bully and is way more memorable for me. WK even provides a space for you to add your own notes or mnemonics.
The SRS is designed for you when you forget something. It’s okay to forget and relearn things. I recommend other beginner resources like Genki, Minna no Nihongo, or things like BunPro to help re-enforce what you’re currently learning. Regardless of what you do, you will forget things. The more exposure you have the less likely you are to forget.
Ngl, this is my third go at Wanikani so take me with a grain of salt, but I found this time around to be easier. The reason? I just said “I’m allowed to make mistakes” eventually it will stick in my head.
I don’t focus on the ones I get wrong, I focus on what I get right. Eventually that pesky level 3 vocab that I keep forgetting will stick and go away.
The higher you go the more practical the words/vocab become. Right now lvl 1-5 is learning the motions and gaining memory muscle. Or at least that’s my approach here.
