How do you use your synonyms?

WaniKani
1

Hey everybody,

English is my second language, which I think is true for a lot of people who use WaniKani.

Even though my English vocab is really good, I noticed that sometimes I can’t help but put in a translation in the synonym box. I’m too lazy to do it all the time, also most words have many possible translations, so best to just stick with the English ones.

But especially with the simple concepts, I find myself putting in a Dutch synonym.

Example: 自転車 = fiets
新聞 = krant

Does anybody else do something similar/else?

1 Like
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I abuse my synonyms. But it tends to help with association when you make up synonyms. Like, instead of writing ankle for 足首, just use foot neck. Way easier to remember. :yum:

As for radicals, I do the same thing. If the radical name is hard for me to grasp, I just make something up completely.

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I wasn’t using the synonyms so much because you have to wait for the reviews to enter them. If you want to add the synonyms during lessons (why doesn’t this work?), you should get this script here:

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I use them mostly for radicals, snake, cobra, spring? Htf am I supposed to remember the difference lol.

Or how the radical say humbly only accepts say humbly and not humbly say.

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I use them to add kanji meanings to radicals (sometimes), to enter synonyms that feel like they’re only not included by oversight (遠視 not taking “far-sighted,” for example, or 寝坊する not taking “to sleep in”), or more rarely situations where I’m familiar with the word’s Japanese usage already and have a personal translation just slightly different from what Wanikani chooses. I can’t think of any of those off the top of my head, but there’ve been a small handful. I only do that if I’m already quite comfortable with its everyday usage.

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@acm2010 I also find it odd we aren’t able to add synonyms during lessons. I open a new tab and manually search for the word and enter my own synonym. Good find with this script.

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I discovered the function recently and it’s so useful. When it comes to radicals – it’s basically a life saver :sparkles:
I avoid adding synonyms for kanji or vocab though, unless I’m sure that I’m not mistaken. The only vocab I cheat on are months because I don’t know them in any language :sparkling_heart::sparkles:~ (I call them 1st, 2nd etc.)

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During vocabulary lessons I always check another resource like eijiro or kotobank to get a better idea of how the word is used. Liberally adding synonyms to provide more nuance to the meaning. Although I may not ever use them on WaniKani, the process really helps to reinforce the meaning when learning, and also greatly helps when viewing a meaning-based question on kaniwani

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