# Radicals being taught early **URL:** \ **Category:** WaniKani\ **Created:** [September 8, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822 "2020-09-08T15:01:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Matomoto](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/matomoto/32/337877_2.png) [@Matomoto](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Matomoto)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/1 "2020-09-08T15:01:53Z")
So, as I’ve used WaniKani more, I’ve started to notice that radicals are often taught well ahead of time. Usually, it’s just one or two levels ahead, which I suppose is fine, but, occasionally, a radical will be taught far before it ever sees any use. Take the “animal” radical, which is taught at level 6, but is not even used until level 15 (for the cat kanji). Also “brush,” which is taught at level 9 but also not used until level 15, and “pope,” as well as “spicy,” which are taught at level 9 as well but are not used until level 16. “Stairs” is taught at level 10 but not used until level 23. What is the reason for this? My best guess is that these are remnants from when kanji were taught at different levels than they are now, but you would think that the radicals would also be adjusted accordingly. Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/2 "2020-09-08T15:08:59Z")
I think it’s to spread out radicals evenly over the levels. So you don’t need to learn 5 radicals in one and then 15 in the next level. ---
**Author:** ![Joeni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/joeni/32/632588_2.png) [@Joeni](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Joeni)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/3 "2020-09-08T15:10:04Z")
\textcolor{pink}{\huge \textsf{WELCOME! ^-^}} @ Matomoto ![welcome gif - crabigator](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/1/d/b/1db6f4cae65798c0d2df82996a8ba03589212d07.gif) Take the time to check out the [FAQ](https://www.wanikani.com/faq) and [GUIDE](https://www.wanikani.com/guide) if you haven’t already. There’s also a lot of good stuff on the forum to help you, like: [The Ultimate Guide for WK](https://community.wanikani.com/t/my-journey-of-368-days-the-ultimate-guide-for-wk/31318/2) [The Ultimate Additional Japanese Resources List!](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-ultimate-additional-japanese-resources-list/16859) [The New And Improved List Of API and Third Party Apps](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-new-and-improved-list-of-api-and-third-party-apps/7694) I hope your Japanese learning journey goes well and that you enjoy your time with us on the forums. ————————————————————————— > [@Matomoto](#): > > My best guess is that these are remnants from when kanji were taught at different levels than they are now, but you would think that the radicals would also be adjusted accordingly. Anyone have any ideas? I’d agree with your guess, except that the content updates don’t indicate cat having moved, for example. > [@Hyva](#): > > I think it’s to spread out radicals evenly over the levels. So you don’t need to learn 5 radicals in one and then 15 in the next level. I thought that, but there’s no reason that animal couldn’t be taught at Level 15 alongside Cat, since there aren’t many radicals taught per level after Level 13. ---
**Author:** ![UInt2048](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/uint2048/32/561086_2.png) [@UInt2048](https://community.wanikani.com/u/UInt2048)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/4 "2020-09-08T15:21:12Z")
Feel free to tag JenK about this - that caused the hills radical to be moved from 8 to 29… ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/5 "2020-09-08T15:24:09Z")
> [@Joeni](#): > > since there aren’t many radicals taught per level after Level 13 Maybe that’s their interval. Like first 13 levels very radical intensive, and then slow them down so you can concentrate better on kanji. But maybe not, just blind guessing. ---
**Author:** ![Matomoto](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/matomoto/32/337877_2.png) [@Matomoto](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Matomoto)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/6 "2020-09-08T15:24:22Z")
I suppose this could be why, but, for example, level 15 only teaches 7 radicals already, so I don’t think it’d hurt to add one or two more (they could also be taught on level 14, which only has 6 radicals). In general, it appears that from level 14 onward the number of new radicals is always single-digit, so spacing them out seems to no longer be a problem, especially if they teach the radical one or two levels before its used, which is already very common. ---
**Author:** ![Joeni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/joeni/32/632588_2.png) [@Joeni](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Joeni)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/7 "2020-09-08T15:26:43Z")
> [@Matomoto](#): > > for example, level 15 only teaches 7 radicals already Yup, while 14 teachs 4, so could also have one added realistically. > [@Hyva](#): > > Maybe that’s their interval. Like first 13 levels very radical intensive, and then slow them down so you can concentrate better on kanji. But maybe not, just blind guessing. Yeah, that’s a fair point, though as I said above, 14 has 5 while 15 has 7, so there’s clearly not a firm number per level. As @UInt2048 suggested, might be worth seeing if anyone has any ideas, so… \*paging [@Mods](https://community.wanikani.com/groups/mods)\* ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/8 "2020-09-08T15:30:59Z")
> [@Joeni](#): > > so there’s clearly not a firm number per level. It’s a nigh magical construct too complex to be comprehended by us mere mortals. ---
**Author:** ![Joeni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/joeni/32/632588_2.png) [@Joeni](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Joeni)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/9 "2020-09-08T15:32:02Z")
> [@Hyva](#): > > It’s a nigh magical construct too complex to be comprehended by us mere mortals. Koichi being all ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/4/0/6/4067d8f4031f5d16adfea00e8edadf1e6ebd3078.gif) ---
**Author:** ![tomwamt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/tomwamt/32/300352_2.png) [@tomwamt](https://community.wanikani.com/u/tomwamt)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/10 "2020-09-08T15:35:22Z")
I’m sure paticles have something to do with it… ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/11 "2020-09-08T15:36:00Z")
~~The god know whats best for us.~~ Wait this wasnt a cult. ---
**Author:** ![Joeni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/joeni/32/632588_2.png) [@Joeni](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Joeni)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/12 "2020-09-08T15:36:26Z")
Yes, don’t be silly, a cult is unorganised, we’re in sects 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/13 "2020-09-08T15:36:35Z")
But Wk doesnt teach particles. I can’t quite follow. ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/15 "2020-09-08T15:40:53Z")
I guess im just gonna stay unenlightened, if that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![UInt2048](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/uint2048/32/561086_2.png) [@UInt2048](https://community.wanikani.com/u/UInt2048)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/16 "2020-09-08T15:45:28Z")
I can’t allow that. There was this quite long (now rudely censored by Big Tofulgu) thread stemming from a Level 1 user, who deleted their account with “Bye, 10 characters, 10 characters.” The title explained, “This is stupid, why i need lessons to learn paticles without their kana ? kanji lessons locked ? deleting account” ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/17 "2020-09-08T15:47:33Z")
Oh i have seen that thread, just didnt quite catch the “paticle” part. It was quite hilarious tbh… ---
**Author:** ![Hyva](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/hyva/32/250823_2.png) [@Hyva](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Hyva)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/19 "2020-09-08T16:14:43Z")
I dont think i read through the comments. I just saw the main post. ---
**Author:** ![chemifox](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/chemifox/32/346919_2.png) [@chemifox](https://community.wanikani.com/u/chemifox)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/20 "2020-09-08T18:08:24Z")
I just want to add that the animal radical is used as part of the [pig radical](https://www.wanikani.com/radicals/pig) in level 7 (maybe more after that, but I’m only on level 7). I found it helpful because that radical looks absolutely nothing like a pig in any way shape or form, haha. Still, it is weird that the radical for ‘animal’ is not used directly in kanji until level 15! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/6/2/a/62a8b0f4c59ff2c5b6651ffcf43531480b3e5297.png) [@system](https://community.wanikani.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/radicals-being-taught-early/45822/21 "2021-09-08T18:09:08Z")
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