I like WaniKani’s mnemonic way of learning Kanji and I’m using it to study Kanji I encounter in the wild that’s not included on here.
So far, all these Kanji have included the “radicals” WK teaches, so it’s easy to make mnemonics for them.
I’m just wondering if there are many Kanji out there which have “radicals” which aren’t taught on here?
(I keep saying “radicals” with the quotation mark as from what I understand some of them are made up by WK and aren’t actually proper radicals haha.)
Hm well if we’re talking about the WK notion of radical then those are often just previous kanji you’ve learned. So any kanji that finds itself within another kanji could be a “radical”. But there are certainly even official radicals that WK doesn’t teach.
This is a list of the 214 official radicals (部首): The 214 traditional kanji radicals and their meanings
These are mostly just used for organization. Each character gets one radical which is often used to order things like character dictionaries. (Although sometimes characters get radicals just so that they can be put into a category) There are quite a lot here that WaniKani doesn’t teach, although many of them are variations on other radicals. But there is for example ⾲ “leek” which seems to be used in about 15 kanji. Although none of them are 常用, or even very common. I’m sure there are more that are on that list and even components not on that list that get used in places. The question I guess is if the only notable thing about a character is that it uses a funny shape, how worth is it to know about that character.
EDIT: There’s also 瓦 “tile”. Which is used in joyo kanji and is on the 214 list but isn’t taught by WK
A curious question. There are two things about WaniKani’s take on the kanji component “radicals” is that firstly, many of them are elementary enough that you could probably assemble anything if you use enough of them, and secondly, they’re often treated rather flexibly - i.e. close enough is good enough. So even for the kanji which are made up of parts that aren’t quite the same as WaniKani’s radicals, WaniKani would probably go “eh, close enough”.
For example, 臼 is not the same as 日, but WaniKani’s radical would probably be something like… “Oh, somebody dropped a mortar on the sun, and now it’s got a big crack in it”.
Or 繭 has an assemblage in the middle that’s “forehead” with “stick” in the middle, but WaniKani would probably go "eh, that’s close enough to ‘towel’ ".
WaniKani includes that one in the 瓶 kanji as “ten thousand” plus “drop” plus “ground”.
鬱: Gloom
Mnemonic: 4 Grounds, 5 Sticks, 4 Barbs, 11 Slides, and 5 Drops walk into a bar…
There are tens of thousands of Chinese characters out there, if you include all the rare and ancient characters things get really messy really quick. Where does a kanji like 龜 (traditional variant of 亀) fit for instance?
Here I compiled (hopefully) all kyuujitai forms of WaniKani kanji as well as their phonosemantic components: kanji phonetic and semantic components - Google Drive
If you dig in there you’ll find some unfamiliar shapes. Consider something like 乘 which is a bit tricky to break down nicely using WK so-called radicals for instance.
But frankly the question is a bit moot, WK treats 綱 and 網 as identical radical assemblies for instance, and says that 垂 uses the 車 radical. It’s not systematic or based on any sort of proper decomposition of the characters.
That’s “north” with “grain” skewering it through the middle.
Oh good catch. How about 齊 then!
Well, this Y in the middle is a new one. Maybe we gotta invent a new radical that’s just the letter Y (in the same way as “lion” is just the letter L).
In the meantime, I’ma say it’s “lid” + “sword” + “horns” + “stick” + a modified “clan” + a modified “moon”
(WaniKani regards the bottom section of the “simultaneous” radical as “moon”, so there’s precedent.)
I think RTK does a reasonable job here of trying to guide the student into the idea that they should make their own “component” mnemonics when they encounter new kanji that have clear subcomponents that didn’t turn up in the set RTK covers – there’s a set of kanji near the back for that purpose and some comments on how to approach it. But then RTK in general wants the student to do a lot more of the making up stories part themselves.
For me the approach is always to look for phonosemantic composition. Even when the components don’t really work I still find that it makes it easier to break the kanji in two chunks and remember them that way.
Of course not every kanji is a phonosemantic compound, but over 70% of all WK kanji are, and as you get above level 40 or so it’s usually 80 to 90% of kanji.
1: 18 (+18) (形声 0 - 0%): 一二九七人入八力十三上下口大女山川工
2: 54 (+36) (形声 5 - 14%): 刀土千夕子小丁了丸才中五六円天手文日月木水火犬王出右四左本正玉田白目立々
3: 84 (+30) (形声 7 - 23%): 万今元内分切午友太少引心戸方牛父毛止冬北半古台外市広母用矢生
4: 122 (+38) (形声 13 - 34%): 石世主他写去号央平打氷申皿礼休先名字年早気百竹糸耳虫村男町花見貝赤足車不仕宝
5: 166 (+44) (形声 11 - 25%): 兄代皮交会光同回多当毎米羽考肉自色行西何体作図声弟形来社角言谷走近里麦学林空金雨青草音斤
6: 208 (+42) (形声 17 - 40%): 化地両全向安州曲有次死羊血京国夜妹姉店明東歩画直知長前南室後思星活海点科茶食首亡私取
7: 241 (+33) (形声 15 - 45%): 欠氏由札民辺付以失必未末校夏家弱時紙記通高強教理組船週雪魚鳥黄黒風
8: 273 (+32) (形声 19 - 59%): 池支住助医君対局役投決究身者研馬森場朝番答絵買道間雲数楽話電所反
9: 310 (+37) (形声 22 - 59%): 売事使具受和定実服泳物苦表部乗客屋度持界発相県美負送重談要勝仮予新返保試験
10: 349 (+39) (形声 25 - 64%): 公始起速配酒院終習転進落葉軽運開集飲業漢路農鉄歌算聞語読鳴線横調親頭顔病最求頁
11: 388 (+39) (形声 25 - 64%): 争仲伝共好成老位低初別利努労命岸放昔波注育拾指洋神秒級追戦競良功特便働令意味誰
12: 428 (+40) (形声 26 - 65%): 待勉庭息旅根流消倍員島祭章第都動商悪族深球童陽階寒暑期植歯温港湯登着短野泉合彼僕
13: 465 (+37) (形声 30 - 81%): 問宿想感整暗様橋緑練詩銀題館駅億器士料標殺然熱課賞輪選鏡養像情謝映疑皆俺缶
14: 496 (+31) (形声 22 - 71%): 願例卒協参周囲固季完希念折望材束松残的約芸基性格能骨妥雰頑苺狼
15: 534 (+38) (形声 24 - 63%): 福技術寺岩帰春昼晴秋計列区坂式信勇単司変夫建昨毒法泣浅紀英軍飯仏築晩猫払匹丈
16: 566 (+32) (形声 21 - 66%): 園曜書遠門係品守幸急真箱荷面典府治浴笑辞関弁政留証険危存専冒冗阪
17: 603 (+37) (形声 24 - 65%): 悲喜原細薬鼻側兵堂塩席敗果栄梅無結因常識非干是渉虚官察底愛署警恋覚説幻詳劇
18: 634 (+31) (形声 28 - 90%): 訓弓告種達類報等汽借焼座忘洗胸脳僧禅可許枚静句禁喫煙喉叩飴苛繋
19: 667 (+33) (形声 20 - 61%): 加節減順容布易財若詞昆閥歴舌冊宇宙忙履団暴混乱徒得改続連善絡比笛史
20: 700 (+33) (形声 21 - 64%): 困災機率飛害余難妨被裕震尻尾械確嫌個圧在夢産倒臭厚妻議犯罪防穴論経
21: 734 (+34) (形声 25 - 74%): 祈敵済委挙判制務査総設資権件派岡素断評批任検審条責省増税解際認企義羨
22: 768 (+34) (形声 31 - 91%): 罰誕脱過坊寝宮各案置費価勢営示統領策藤副観値吸域姿応提援状態賀降諦袖
23: 802 (+34) (形声 25 - 74%): 収停革職鬼規護割裁崎演律師看準則備導幹張優宅沢贅施現乳呼城俳秀棚紫痒
24: 833 (+31) (形声 25 - 81%): 担額製違輸燃祝届狭肩腕腰触載層型庁視差管象量境環武質述供展販株
25: 869 (+36) (形声 32 - 89%): 限与含影況渡響票景抜訴訟逮補候構模捕鮮効属慣豊満肥巻捜絞輩隠掛替居絶捉莫
26: 902 (+33) (形声 23 - 70%): 造授印創復往較筆鉛貯故障従我激刺励討郵針徴怪獣突菓河振汗豚再接独占
27: 934 (+32) (形声 27 - 84%): 招段胃腹痛退屈悩暇織貸迷惑誘就訪怒昇眠睡症締迫靴濃端極途健康郎給
28: 969 (+35) (形声 26 - 74%): 逆巨庫児冷凍幼稚処博清潔録隊修券婦奇妙麗微益移程精並憲衆傘浜撃攻綺沼揃
29: 1003 (+34) (形声 30 - 88%): 監杯乾催促欧江請雄韓壊診閣僚積督臣略航寄板街宗緊娘宴怖恐添猛烈索詰勧
30: 1036 (+33) (形声 28 - 85%): 魅渇系婚遊旗照快版貧乏適預延翌覧懐押更枕浮漏符購越飾騒背撮盗匂濡柵
31: 1072 (+36) (形声 26 - 72%): 離融編華既普豪鑑除尋幾廊掃泥棒驚嘆倉孫巣帯径救散粉脈菜貨陸似均墓富徳探偵
32: 1106 (+34) (形声 28 - 82%): 久序迎志恩採桜永液眼祖績興衛複雑賛酸銭飼傷党卵厳捨込密汚欲暖机秘訳染
33: 1140 (+34) (形声 26 - 76%): 簡閉誌窓否筋垂宣尊忠拡操敬暮灰熟異皇盛砂漠糖納肺著蒸蔵装裏諸賃噂股屁
34: 1174 (+34) (形声 26 - 76%): 誤臓貴丼吐奴隷芋縮純縦粋聖磁紅射幕拝薦推揮沿源勤歓承損枝爪豆刻腐痩咳
35: 1206 (+32) (形声 24 - 75%): 遅彫測破舎講滞紹介己厄亀互剣寿恥杉汁噌炎為熊獄酔酢鍋湖銅油醤喋戚
36: 1242 (+36) (形声 29 - 81%): 旧姓貿将盟遺伸債及奈幅廃甘換摘核沖縄津献療継維舞伎踏般頼依鹿諾牙超叔鮭炒
37: 1276 (+34) (形声 25 - 74%): 跳昭漁償刑募執塁崩患戻抗抵旬湾爆弾聴跡遣闘陣香兆臨削契恵抱掲狙葬串眉
38: 1311 (+35) (形声 28 - 80%): 需齢宜繰避妊娠致刊奏伴併傾却奥慮懸房扱抑択描盤称緒緩託賄賂贈逃還膝噛璧
39: 1346 (+35) (形声 26 - 74%): 邦鈴阜岐隆雇控壁棋渋片群仙充免圏埋埼奪御慎拒枠甲斐祉稲譲謙躍銃項鋼囚宛
40: 1382 (+36) (形声 31 - 86%): 顧駐駆柱唱孝俊兼剤吹堀巡戒排携敏鋭敷殿犠獲茂繁頻殖薄衝誉褒透隣雅嬉妖麺拉
41: 1416 (+34) (形声 25 - 74%): 遜伺徹瀬撤措拠儀樹棄虎蛍蜂酎蜜墟艦潜拳炭畑包衣仁鉱至誠郷侵偽嘘凄喧嘩
42: 1450 (+34) (形声 30 - 88%): 克到双哲喪堅床括弧挑掘揚握揺斎暫析枢軸柄泊滑潟焦範紛糾綱網肝芝荒袋餅
43: 1482 (+32) (形声 26 - 81%): 珍裂襲貢趣距籍露牧刷朗潮即垣威封筒慰懇懲摩擦撲斉旨柔沈泰滅滋炉琴
44: 1514 (+32) (形声 23 - 72%): 寸竜縁翼吉刃忍桃辛謎侍叱娯斗朱丘梨叫釣髪嵐笠涙姫粒砲雷芽塔挨拶肢
45: 1550 (+36) (形声 26 - 72%): 岳澄矛肌舟鐘凶塊狩頃魂脚也井呪嬢暦曇眺裸賭疲塾卓磨菌陰霊湿硬稼嫁溝滝狂翔
46: 1587 (+37) (形声 32 - 86%): 墨鳩穏鈍魔寮盆棟吾斬寧椅歳涼猿瞳鍵零碁租幽泡癖鍛錬穂帝瞬菊誇庄阻黙俵綿架孔
47: 1624 (+37) (形声 31 - 84%): 砕粘粧欺詐霧柳伊佐尺哀唇塀墜如婆崖帽幣恨憎憩扇扉挿掌滴炊爽畳瞭箸胴芯虹巾煎
48: 1661 (+37) (形声 30 - 81%): 帳蚊蛇貼辱鉢闇隙霜飢餓畜迅騎蓄尽彩憶溶耐踊賢輝脅麻灯咲培悔脇遂班塗斜殴盾穫
49: 1696 (+35) (形声 30 - 86%): 駒抽誓悟拓拘礎鶴刈剛唯壇尼概浸淡煮覆謀陶隔征陛俗桑潤珠衰奨劣勘妃准慌蹴
50: 1731 (+35) (形声 32 - 91%): 峰巧邪駄唐廷鬱鰐蟹簿彰漫訂諮銘堰堤漂翻軌后奮亭仰伯偶淀墳壮把搬晶洞涯疫
51: 1767 (+36) (形声 29 - 81%): 又偉頂召挟枯沸濯燥瓶耕肯脂膚軒軟郊隅隻邸郡釈肪喚媛貞玄苗渦慈襟蓮亮聡浦塚
52: 1803 (+36) (形声 31 - 86%): 陥貫覇呂茨擁孤賠鎖噴祥牲秩唆膨芳恒倫陳須偏遇糧殊慢没怠遭惰猟乃綾颯隼輔蘇
53: 1837 (+34) (形声 29 - 85%): 寛胞浄随稿丹壌舗騰緯艇披錦剰繊諭惨虐据徐搭蒙鯉戴緋曙胡瓜帥啓葵駿諒莉
54: 1872 (+35) (形声 27 - 77%): 鯨荘栽拐冠勲酬紋卸欄逸尚顕粛愚庶践呈疎疾謡鎌酷叙且痴呆哺傲茎阿悠杏茜栞
55: 1908 (+36) (形声 27 - 75%): 伏鎮奉憂朴栃惜佳悼該赴髄傍累癒郭尿賓虜憾弥粗循凝脊昌旦愉抹栓之龍遼瑛那勿
56: 1943 (+35) (形声 30 - 86%): 拍猶宰寂縫呉凡恭錯穀陵弊舶窮悦縛轄弦窒洪摂飽紳庸靖嘉搾蝶碑尉凛匠遥智柴
57: 1976 (+33) (形声 24 - 73%): 賊鼓旋腸槽伐漬坪紺羅峡俸醸弔乙遍衡閲喝敢膜盲胎酵堕遮烏凸凹楓哉蒼萌
58: 2010 (+34) (形声 31 - 91%): 瑠硫赦窃慨扶戯濁奔肖朽殻享藩媒鶏嘱迭椎絹陪剖譜淑帆憤酌暁傑錠凌瑞菅璃
59: 2045 (+35) (形声 24 - 69%): 忌遷拙峠篤雌堪吟甚崇漆岬紡礁屯姻擬睦閑曹詠卑侮鋳蔑胆浪禍酪憧慶亜汰梓沙
60: 2079 (+34) (形声 28 - 82%): 款漣逝匿寡痢坑藍畔唄拷渓廉謹湧醜升殉煩劾桟婿慕罷矯某泌漸藻妄蛮倹狐冥
形声 total: 1481 / 2079 (71%)