Thursday July 11 2024 Content Updates

[mamimumason]

Kanji

家 (6) - Changed the primary reading from the on’yomi か and け to the kun’yomi いえ, や, and うち, updated the meaning mnemonic and hint, and updated the reading mnemonic and hint.

君 (8) - Added “ruler” as an alternative meaning, added “monarch” and “sovereign” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic.

皆 (13) - Added 昆 (19) to the visually similar kanji list.

陣 (37) - Moved “army camp” to the primary meaning, moved “army base” to the allow list, updated the meaning mnemonic and hint, and updated the reading mnemonic hint.

絹 (37) - Changed the primary reading from the on’yomi けん to the kun’yomi きぬ, and updated the reading mnemonic and hint.

Vocabulary

分 (3) - Updated the reading explanation.

家 (6) - Moved “house” to the primary meaning, moved “home” to the alternative meaning, removed one context sentence, added one context sentence, and updated the reading explanation.

光る (7) - Corrected the patterns of use errors for two common word combinations.

君主国 (8) - Updated the meaning explanation.

欠ける (9) - Moved “to get chipped” to the primary meaning, moved “to be lacking” to the alternative meaning, moved “to not be present” to the allow list, added “to wane” and “to be missing” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.

家事 (9) - Updated the reading explanation.

家具 (9) - Updated the reading explanation.

求める (10) - Updated the translation of one context sentence.

一位 (11) - Updated one context sentence translation.

欠く (11) - Updated the meaning explanation.

〜階 (12) - Updated the meaning explanation.

二階 (12) - Updated the meaning explanation.

一階 (12) - Updated the meaning explanation.

見返る (13) - Added “transitive verb” to the word type.

閉める (16) - Added three context sentences, and added common word combinations.

黒煙 (18) - Moved くろけむり reading to the warning list.

飲み会 (19) - Updated one context sentence.

給料 (25) - Added three context sentences.

減給 (25) - Added three context sentences.

激励 (26) - Added “strong encouragement” as the primary meaning, moved “encouragement” to the alternative meaning, moved “encourage,” “encouraging,” “fierce encouraging,” and “fierce encouragement” to the allow list, added “passionate encouragement,” “pep talk,” “support,” “emphatic support,” and “fervent encouragement” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.

給与 (26) - Added three context sentences.

属する (27) - Added three context sentences.

胃痛 (27) - Added three context sentences.

訪問 (27) - Added three context sentences.

迷信 (27) - Updated one context sentences, and added two context sentences.

退院する (27) - Added three context sentences.

間抜け (27) - Added four context sentences.

野郎 (27) - Added three context sentences.

結構です (27) - Added three context sentences.

眠い (27) - Added three context sentences.

睡眠 (27) - Added three context sentences.

靴 (27) - Added three context sentences.

端 (27) - Added three context sentences.

早退 (27) - Added three context sentences.

昇給 (27) - Added three context sentences.

健康 (27) - Added three context sentences.

効果的 (27) - Added four context sentences.

退屈 (27) - Added three context sentences.

悪影響 (27) - Added three context sentences.

居酒屋 (27) - Added three context sentences.

巻きずし (27) - Added three context sentences.

小規模 (27) - Added three context sentences.

南極 (27) - Added three context sentences.

悩み (27) - Added three context sentences.

階段 (27) - Added three context sentences.

暇 (27) - Added three context sentences.

圧迫 (27) - Added three context sentences.

迷路 (27) - Added three context sentences.

頭痛 (27) - Added three context sentences.

長靴 (27) - Updated one context sentence, and added two context sentences.

就業 (27) - Added three context sentences.

段々 (27) - Added three context sentences.

〜症 (27) - Added three context sentences.

極端 (27) - Added three context sentences.

迷子 (27) - Added three context sentences.

症状 (27) - Added three context sentences.

供給 (27) - Added three context sentences.

締結する (27) - Added three context sentences.

迫害 (27) - Added two context sentences.

逮捕する (27) - Added one context sentences.

誘惑 (27) - Added three context sentences.

先端 (27) - Added two context sentences.

段階 (27) - Added three context sentences.

締める (27) - Added three context sentences.

織る (27) - Added three context sentences.

貸す (27) - Added three context sentences.

訪ねる (27) - Added three context sentences.

招待する (27) - Added three context sentences.

迷う (27) - Added three context sentences.

春巻き (27) - Added two context sentences.

頑張れ (27) - Added three context sentences.

組織 (27) - Added three context sentences.

靴屋 (27) - Added three context sentences.

手掛かり (27) - Added three context sentences.

休暇 (27) - Added four context sentences.

怒鳴る (27) - Added three context sentences.

健忘症 (27) - Added three context sentences.

お構いなく (27) - Added two context sentences.

抜ける (27) - Removed one context sentence, and added three context sentences.

掛かる (27) - Added three context sentences.

切迫 (27) - Added three context sentences.

貸し切り (27) - Updated the translation of one context sentence, and added two context sentences.

捕える (27) - Removed one context sentence, and added three context sentences.

悩む (27) - Added three context sentences.

隠れる (27) - Added three context sentences.

就職 (27) - Added three context sentences.

値段 (27) - Added three context sentences.

怒る (27) - Added three context sentences.

迷惑 (27) - Added three context sentences.

昇進 (27) - Added three context sentences.

両替 (27) - Added three context sentences.

取り替える (27) - Added three context sentences.

着替え (27) - Added three context sentences.

究極​​ (27) - Added three context sentences.

大規模 (27) - Added four context sentences.

第一段 (27) - Added two context sentences.

濃い (27) - Added three context sentences.

不眠症 (27) - Added two context sentences.

痛い (27) - Added three context sentences.

中途半端 (27) - Added three context sentences.

理屈 (27) - Updated one context sentence, and added three context sentences.

腹 (27) - Added three context sentences.

居間 (27) - Added three context sentences.

抜き出す (27) - Added three context sentences.

切腹 (27) - Added three context sentences.

腰抜け (27) - Added three context sentences.

迫る (27) - Added four context sentences.

濃度 (27) - Added three context sentences.

手渡す (27) - Added three context sentences.

胃 (27) - Added three context sentences.

靴下 (27) - Added three context sentences.

極める (28) - Added two context sentences.

招く (28) - Added four context sentences.

昇る (29) - Added two context sentences.

誘う (29) - Added three context sentences.

就く (29) - Added three context sentences.

一人娘 (29) Updated the context sentences.

漬ける (36) Removed one context sentence, added three context sentences, and added common word combinations.

病床 (36) Removed one context sentence, added three context sentences, and added common word combinations.

陣 (37) - Moved “army camp” to the primary meaning, added “corps” as the alternative meaning, moved “army base” to the allow list, added “encampment,” “army encampment,” “warrior camp,” and “warrior encampment” to the allow list, added “battle” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.

絹 (37) - Added “silk cloth,” “silks,” and “silk fabric” to the allow list, added common word combinations, updated the translation of one context sentence, added three context sentences, and updated the reading explanation.

惑う (39) - Added two context sentences.

一翼 (44) - Moved “a part” to the primary meaning, added “a role” as the alternative meaning, moved “part” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.

湿る (46) - Updated the translation of one context sentence.

歳入 (46) - Added “annual income” and “annual earnings” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.

揚げ出し (46) - Updated the translation of one context sentence, added two context sentences, and updated the common word combinations.

極楽 (54) - Added three context sentences.

絹糸 (58) - Added “silk yarn” to the allow list, added “silk” to the warning list, and updated the reading explanation.

Movements

• Level 45: House (radical) - moving down to level 6
• Level 7: 家 (kanji) - moving down to level 6
• Level 7: 家 (vocab) - moving down to level 6
• Level 7: 作家 (vocab) - moving up to level 15
• Level 33: 閉める (vocab) - moving down to level 16
• Level 57: 漬 (kanji) - moving down to level 36
• Level 57: 漬ける (vocab) - moving down to level 36
• Level 42: 病床 (vocab) - moving down to level 36
• Level 58: 絹 (kanji) - moving down to level 37
• Level 58: 絹 (vocab) - moving down to level 37

Check out here for the reasoning!

[2tea]

@mamimumason

Level 45: House (radical) - moving down to level 6

Thanks for the update.

This radical is the same as the kanji. It means house.

You forgot to change the radical explanation and now the radical and the kanji are in a perpetual loop of nothingness…

[Angelodmage]

@mamimumason

家 (6) - Changed the primary reading from the on’yomi か and け to the kun’yomi いえ, や, and うち, updated the meaning mnemonic and hint, and updated the reading mnemonic and hint.

I am not sure if this kind of change is a good idea. I associate the reading I learned with kanji to be the one used with multi-symbol words. The other reading is typically the exception. Learning いえ with kanji breaks this pattern. Especially when you look at the list of vocabulary words that use this kanji, and いえ is only used when the kanji is on its own and never again. You may as well go over every single kanji and change it as well.

[mamimumason]

Thank you! Updated the mnemonic now.

[2tea]

Just one tiny step - the radical combination for the kanji is still roof and pig instead of house and you’re done.

[Buket1]

Please read this one too. It’s not about just one radical/kanji move, that is house in this case 家. You need to check all the content of all radicals/kanji that which you have been moving up and down or whose meaning or other content you keep changing. Honestly, all these updates do not help at all. If anything, they hurt the users’ learning process.

Thursday July 4 2024 Content Updates

Please, please, please kindly take this constructive criticism into consideration. While I sincerely appreciate the reasonings behind moving the radical/kanji to lower/upper levels, you need to kindly note that it totally ruins user experience and learning especially when you (without noticing?) completely erase the mnemonic for that radical and kanji both from WK or forget to update the mnemonic of the one moved down. The same thing goes true for when you change the mnemonic and/or meaning for…

[2tea]

I understand where you’re coming from I went through changes and overhauls the first time around a few years ago that at some point were too much to handle with the way I used Wanikani which made it easier to just quit using it at the time (and life and the pandemic but that is beside the point).
I know those update look like sabotage, but I don’t see them as such because translation is fickle and when you focus on wanikani meanings prompts as gospel, you are missing the fact that the english translation is just an aid and not your real goal when learning another language, the sooner you break that attachment the better, otherwise every change will be significant while in the grand scheme of things, it’s just a drop in the ocean and doesn’t really affect Japanese as a whole. The end goal when you learn a new language is to be able to think in the language itself in a way that it lives independently of your mother tongue or the language you use to mediate it (in this case we’re speaking about english).
The structure of what ever you use for learning is just a structure and not the language itself.
Also in my case the change they did with 想 made so much sense even though I’ve already learned it, you can read about it here if you’re interested, as well as the explanation of why they made the change

Why did the meaning of 想 change?

Hey! Yes, I can give you a breakdown of our thought process here. It looks like a learner suggested we add “thought” to the our allow list since it’s used in the mnemonic for 回想, and this sparked a conversation about the meanings of 想. Because 考え is a definition/synonym for 想 in some dictionaries, we considered “thought” to be a good choice to add to the kanji’s meanings. However, 想 is more associated with the words “imagine” or “think,” and “concept” didn’t stand out as much when we reevalua…

And again, I know the change is hard because we tend to stick to the habit we build when we learn new things, but disruption is good for learning, and it’s what makes you go beyond comfortable which makes you expend your horizons, and I can’t stress enough how expending your horizons is what learning a new language is all about.

(Just for context, english is not my mother tongue, and it doesn’t resemble in any shape or form not the way it is spoken or written nor its grammar structure the way it conjugates, nothing. If I had material for learning Japanese in my language it would have been so much easier, but there is close to none. I am able to think independently in English, I don’t translate when I use it. That is the goal with Japanese as well.
You’ll see a lot of extra meanings and readings in dictionaries for a lot of items you see on wanikani anyway, so remembering it’s not everything and expending your resource material can also help make wanikani updates impact less crucial to your overall interaction with the language itself. It’s a journey, it’s not easy, but it is possible.

[Buket1]

Thank you for taking time to share your first hand experience and take on these changes. Much appreciated. I also appreciate the reasonings behind them, but it is simply counterproductive to find after the fact that what you just learned has changed before your first/second review and when you type in the meaning you have learned, it is considered wrong.

Completely irrelevant, but could you please tell me how you hide your public profile or change your WK forum profile name? Many thanks ahead of time!

[2tea]

@Buket1

counterproductive to find after the fact that what you just learned has changed before your first/second review and when you type in the meaning you have learned, it is considered wrong.

They do publish the updates so if you follow them you can catch up on learned items before your next review most of the times, there are the rare occasions if you do follow the content update section that you get a review before you catch up with the update list.
It’s a different story for people that don’t follow the update lists, and I have no idea what percentage of users are aware of its existence if they don’t use the forum.
It happened to me as well, it’s annoying when it does in the moment, but it just a moment, and just an item, not everything.

How to use the discourse forum interface

Just follow the numbers by clicking them one by one and you’ll be able to change your profile preferences.

[Buket1]

Thanks a million for going through the trouble! Again, dearly appreciated.

[Redwood]

I’m unsure if this is intentional or not, but upon getting to level 6 both the radical 家 and the kanji 家 unlock at the same time. I always figured the kanji unlocks after studying/guru’ing the radical that makes it up which is why I wanted to point it out.

Also, the meaning tab for 家 states that the house radical makes up the house kanji, but the radicals tab for 家 still shows the radical structure broken out as roof + pig.

[Angelodmage]

Usually, simple radicals are combined into kanji. That kanji may later be used as radical in higher level. 家 was recently moved to lower level. The way it is linked now reflects its old placement. It is possible this will be changed in future update.

[mamimumason]

Hi @Buket1 san,

Thanks so much for your feedback! We really appreciate it.

I’m sorry for the confusion caused by the recent updates. I’ve fixed the problems you mentioned with 想像する and 家. Thanks for pointing them out, those were my blunders! (Thank you @Redwood san & @Angelodmage san too.)

To your other point, I understand it’s frustrating when things change after you’ve learned them. We usually accept previous meanings for that reason, but we sometimes shake and show a message when we feel strongly that the new meaning is better to learn. And we’ll never mark a recently changed meaning as incorrect. We’re working hard to make the content as accurate as possible to avoid such confusion in the future, so thank you for helping us do that.

PS. Thank you so much @2tea san for sharing your experiences and explaining the reasoning behind our changes! We really appreciate your support and understanding too!

[kdylan]

+1 to the frustrations of having a vocab meaning change after having already learned it. It’s like if you learn something in a class, then you answer a question how you learned on a test, and the teacher says “actually, the way I taught you is wrong”.

[kdylan]

[Buket1]

Thank you for this @mamimumason san. But, like I mentioned it is not about just a couple of honest mistakes. Those two examples were the most recent ones that I could remember off the top of my head. It happens more often than not. Double-checking all updates wouldn’t hurt. Again, thank you.