Small Kanji List Creation for Stroke Memorization

Japanese Language Kanji
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When I first started learning kanji on here, I thought it would be a good idea to practice some calligraphy and memorize the stroke order of kanji as a way of memorizing them better.

I got kind of bored with that, but I still think it’s an okay idea to memorize stroke order for the sake of at least reading ability. (Being able to differentiate different kinds of strokes helps differentiate kanji sometimes. Also, handwritten kanji.) When I first learned Hiragana and Katakana, I made sure to memorize their stroke orders and write all of them at least once a day for at least a couple of months.

So my idea now is to do this:
I want to gather together a list of kanji that has as many different types of radicals as possible so I can practice them as many times and in as short of time as I can. Therefore, I want the list to be as short as possible and to encompass as many exceptions as possible. Also, the more common a certain element is, the less of a necessity I think it should be to include it.

I think there are also many opportunities and benefits from this. For examples: Ability to recall radicals, penmanship overall, learning some new kanji. I think, by chance and preferably, that these kanji should be ones not included Wanikani, but are still useful to know. (Maybe ones missing from N1?)

I’m going to make a mini project of mine for a while and would appreciate help, as my kanji knowledge is pretty small. If I decide this task gets completed or something then I’ll just post the list at the top here for reference.

Thanks for reading! Thoughts? Opinions? Am I stupid? Does anybody actually care? Do I type too much?

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Im pretty sure theres a general rule Japanese people use to write Kanji. It differs from Hanji (Chinese) I think which is Top to Bottom Left to Right.

Learning the different strokes that are used may be more beneficial than memorizing individual kanjis.

Combining these two should allow you to write any Kanji.

Edit: expansion

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Yes I have read this before.

I should be more clear in that my goal is involved more with practicing the writing than just the memory.

I know most people don’t care too much for the writing and it’s not really useful to learn to, which is why I also wanted to create some other incentives with the habit I want to create.

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I like this.
I practice writing characters on many days.
I like the idea of using some kanjis tha tare not part of wanikani.

Here are a few other quick ideas:

  • maybe focus on kanji and expressions that are typically used on scrolls
  • maybe try to incorporate script style
  • there is a member here, @Daisen, who has been posting some great calligraphy
  • maybe focus on kanji that are fun to write and beautiful
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Thanks for the lovely compliment, @RoseWagsBlue!

Jisho shows stroke order pretty accurately for Kaisho script - which is what you would see in regular everyday writing.

It can be harder to find semicursive or cursive script examples, but here’s an old Taisho era dictionary of Calligraphy, hosted by Osaka University’s Graduate School of Letters:

http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/~okajima/PDF/5tai/

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I don’t have anything constructive to add but I wanted to say that for some reason I read the title as “smell kanji list for stroke memorization” and thought you were using smells associated with different kanji to increase your memory capabilities. I will now steal this idea and start my own kanji learning service using smells.

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These are some helpful tips!!

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