Question from a complete beginner

Glad you got it. Have fun learning.

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I remember having trouble finding it again once or twice after the first time, so yeah, it’s understandable that you would miss it.

Welcome :slight_smile:

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Lies! You’ve helped me many times.

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Tongue-in-cheek sarcasm is fine, but the Help sub-forum is probably not the right place for it, particularly in response to the first post of a new user. Please don’t discourage people who are just trying to get started.

kenmatsunanga isn’t the first person who hasn’t read an FAQ before diving in and certainly won’t be the last. It is what it is. We’d rather they post here or email us then just get frustrated, give up, and walk away.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in to answer the question or toss out a link, we appreciate you guys sharing the knowledge!

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Please read the “New User Checklist”. It should be on the front page in a prominent spot. It contains helpful information. :slight_smile:

lol - I love that someone took the time to say this.

Hello Ken,

You’re doing everything right so far. Your understanding is correct, you currently have 0 reviews and 0 lessons. Enjoy it while you can!

Want Kani will seem slow at first, but this will help you to really understand how it works. You’ve got to get things correct several times in a row before other objects (kanji or vocabulary) that depend on them are unlocked.

I’m not sure what your level of Japanese is currently, but I’d suggest putting together a plan to complement your Wani Kani studies. Read these forums, pick up a textbook, review some podcasts, etc. Soon you will be very busy.

I’ve posted this before, and still think it holds true:

Typical Wani Kani user posts:

Level 1-4: Why is it so slow? How can I speed things up?
Level 5: Damn, this level is tough!
Level 6-15: When can I start reading manga?
Level 16-60: Help! I’m swamped with reviews!

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I’ve watched @Leebo answer this question countless times. This time finally broke him. :joy:

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Guys, thanks for all your support! It’s been a week now that I’m playing with WaniKani, I’ve read the FAQ and the Guide and I’m at level 2, having learnt 86 kanji characters. I’m absolutely loving the system.

One thing I still don’t understand is the system of how to get to GURU level. I have just tried to answer the question of 又 kanji after I had 3 consequtive correct meanings and 5 consecutive correct readings. Then I answered correctly one more time and I am still an apprentice. Before those consecutive correct answers, I’ve answered it incorrectly once or twice.

Does anyone know exactly what is the system of the repetitions needed to reach GURU level? I’d appreciate any support.

Thanks guys!

One more time. There’s 4 apprentice levels, answer one more time and it’s guru.

Agree! @Leebo is actually the most helpful. He gives the clearest and simplest answer always and then everyone yells at him! Leebo you LOVE to be helpful you refuse to baby.

Glad you are figuring everything out Ken(matsunaga). I love to use wkstats. It’s legit and gives you a clearer image of where all your items are in the SRS level. You’ll need the Public API Key.

To find the API Key click menu under your avatar, then setting, and then click the accounts tab.

Look around idigtech and you should find interesting stuff!

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@kenmatsunaga, If you get both reading and meaning (or just meaning for radicals as there is no reading) right in a review session, you go up one level, if you get either wrong, you got down one level. This applies to Apprentice. So you could get this pattern to level up, for example:
R-W-R-R-R-W-R-R, where R is the times you got both right, and W the times where you got either reading or meaning wrong.
Once you’re item is out of Apprentice, it’s the same thing except that getting a review wrong bumps the item down two levels, not just one.

HTH.

EDIT: Thanks @Saruko for pointing out my typo :slight_smile:. Phone typing is fun.

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eh? :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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I bet you have never asked a stupid question in your entire life. :smirk:

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I’ll leave this in here just in case too: @kenmatsunaga

SRS Level Next Level Total Wait Review
Apprentice 1 4h - Lesson
Apprentice 2 8h 4h 1
Apprentice 3 ~1d 12h 2
Apprentice 4 ~2d 1d 11h 3
Guru 1 ~1w 3d 10h 4
Guru 2 ~2w 1w 3d 9h 5
Master ~1M 3w 3d 8h 6
Enlightened ~4M 7w 5d 7h 7
Burned - 24w 6d 6h 8
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Is that chart still accurate, @jprspereira? I thought Apprentice for radicals and kanji only have 3 apprentice levels now. But I could be wrong…

Nope, it’s still the same :slight_smile:

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All super helpful. I am at level three, understanding everything and looking forward to next reviews.

Just to make sure I understand correctly: getting a review right advances a level, getting it wrong takes it a level back, right?

This is pure nightmare for Enlightened items! If you happen to get the last review wrong, you have to wait 1 month for the Master review to come back, and then wait 4 more months for the Enlightened review?!

Oh, no, no, that would be too easy :smiling_imp:. If you get something wrong and the item is not currently Apprentice, it goes down 2 levels, not one. If the item is Apprentice, it goes down 1.
Failing Enlightened items is indeed disappointing, but really, it’s just the SRS doing it’s job, so instead of being disappointed, being glad that you have more opportunities to review an item you clearly don’t know well enough would probably be best :slight_smile:.

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