Feature Request - Meaning Definitions

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#1

Maybe there is a user script for this, I am not sure.
But it would be fantastic if there were some sort of definitions about the kanji to help clear up confusion.

For example I just had a lesson for 閣 (The Cabinet). I have no idea what “The Cabinet” is based on this lesson.
Is it a kitchen cabinet? No? After a google search for The Cabinet Japan I find out what it is.
Similar with “The Diet”.

It’s not just these kanji, some easy to understand meanings are sometimes confusing just because in English it could be used in different ways, which way is this kanji used?

Thanks

#2

He usually tries to explain in the meaning mnemonic section, but if it’s still unclear to you, feel free to add a note of your own.

#3

Every once in a while they intentionally use the wrong meaning though, which is a shame.

5 Likes
#4

Oh, aye, that’s true. Not entirely sure if it’s intentional, though (Hanlon’s razor and all).

2 Likes
#5

Never heard of that one before. Anyway, I don’t think they would do it out of malice, but sometimes the wrong definition is just easier to use in the mnemonics/explanations.

#6

Since the kanji definitions are rather abstracted anyway, it’s not quite as important to remember the exact meaning as with vocabulary. Still, sometimes a bit more context would be useful.

#7

This is in the lesson for 閣

At the gate, you kiss the cabinet members, one by one. In order to gain access to this government building, you have to kiss all the members of the cabinet at the gate. What a strange ritual.

What other kind of cabinet has members that are in a government building?

Plus, the fact that it’s “the cabinet” and not “cabinet” makes it clearer as well.

1 Like
#8

True, you can get this and others from then context of the mnemonic, but considering that there are a significant number of WK users for whom English is not their first language, it wouldn’t be bad to just say something directly like, “Cabinet, as in a grouping of government ministers, not cabinet as in kitchen furniture" and then proceed with the mnemonic.

That way would also eliminate any confusion about whether 閣 can mean both things in Japanese as cabinet does in English.

ETA: Sorry I didn’t notice that this was already a month old. Feel free to ignore.

#9

Wow I didn’t realize this was a month old, lol I’m so terrible.
Idk, Wanikani is great and doesn’t really need something like this but it still would be nice.

#10

触角 means “antenna” but not the antenna for TV. Rather, it’s about antennae of animals

#11

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