Thursday October 26 2023 Content Updates

Happy Thursday, and happy almost Halloween! :jack_o_lantern::ghost:

Radicals

(30) - Added “carapace” to the allow list, and added “shell” to the warning list.

Kanji

(10) - Added “liquor," “sake,” “rice wine,” and “booze” to the allow list.

(22) - Changed the primary reading to kun’yomi, and updated the reading explanation.

(26) - Added “brush" and “paintbrush” to the allow list.

寿 (35) - Added “lifetime," “celebration,” “festivities,” “congratulations,” and “long life” to the allow list, and added “life” to the warning list.

(39) - Added “carapace” to the allow list, and added “shell” to the warning list.

(41) - Added “noisy" to the allow list.

Vocabulary

大作 (5) - Moved “epic,” “epic saga,” and "magnum opus” to the allow list, added “great work,” “voluminous work,” and “large-scale work” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.

(6) - Updated one context sentence translation.

十分 (6) - Removed “noun” from the word type, and added “な adjective” and “adverb” to the word type.

下る (9) - Added おる and さがる to the warning list.

お酒 (10) - Added “liquor," “rice wine,” and “booze” to the allow list.

去る (10) - Added “to wash” to the block list.

四匹 (15) - Added “four animals” and “4 animals” to the allow list.

特急 (16) - Added “express train” and “express” to the warning list.

一昨日 (17) - Added “day before last,” “the day before the last,” “day before the last,” and “ereyesterday” to the allow list.

広告 (18) - Updated the reading explanation, and added “advertise” and “advertising” to the allow list.

妨げる (20) - Updated two context sentence translations and added “to hinder,” “to hinder something,” “to impede,” and “to impede something” to the allow list.

妨害 (20) - Updated the translations for three context sentences.

防火 (20) - Updated one context sentence and its translation.

防水 (20) - Updated one context sentence translation.

(22) - Updated the reading explanation.

基準 (23) - Updated the meaning explanation, and added もとじゅん to the warning list.

割合 (23) - Added “proportion” and “rate” to the allow list.

差別 (24) - Added “discriminate," and “discriminating” to the allow list, added “differentiation” “differentiate” and “differentiating” to the warning list, and moved “distinction” to the warning list.

規準 (24) - Moved “criterion” to the primary meaning, moved “standard” to the alternative meaning, added “criteria” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation, and updated the reading explanation, and added のりじゅん to the warning list.

(26) - Added “paintbrush” as the alternative meaning, and added “calligraphy brush” to the allow list.

差別する (26) - Added “to differentiate,” “to make a distinction,” and “to distinguish” to the allow list.

故意 (26) - Added の adjective to the word type and removed な adjective from the word type.

製造 (26) - Added “manufacture," “production,” “produce,” and “producing” to the allow list, and added “make” and “making” to the warning list.

回復 (26) - Added “get better," “getting better,” “regain,” and “regaining” to the allow list, and added “improve,” “improvement,” and “improving” to the warning list.

刺す (26) - Added “to thrust" and “to prick” to the allow list, moved “to pork,” “to stick,” and “to shank” to the allow list, and added “to bite” to the warning list.

象徴 (26) - Added “emblem," “symbolic,” “emblematic,” “symbolize,” and “symbolizing” to the allow list.

株式会社 (26) - Moved かぶしきかいしゃ to the warning list, and updated the reading explanation.

従う (26) - Added “to follow" as the alternative meaning.

野獣 (26) - Added “beast" to the allow list.

面接 (26) - Added “job interview" and “oral examination” as the alternative meaning, and added “interviewing” to the allow list.

河童 (26) - Added “water imp" and “water spirit” to the warning list.

刺激 (26) - Added “stimulating," “encouraging,” “exciting,” “stimulus,” “provoke,” and “provoking” to the allow list, and added “simulating” to the block list.

討論 (26) - Added “debating," “discuss,” and “discussing” to the allow list.

復習 (26) - Added “reviewing," “revising,” and “revise” to the allow list.

改造 (26) - Added “reshuffling," “alteration,” “renovation,” “conversion,” “alter,” “altering,” “renovate,” “renovating,” “convert,” “converting,” and “renewing” to the allow list, and moved “renewal” to the allow list.

貯金 (26) - Added “saving," “save,” “deposit,” “depositing,” “save up,” “saving up,” “save up money,” “saving up money,” “save money,” and “saving money” to the allow list.

振動 (26) - Added “vibrate," “vibrating,” “oscillate,” and “oscillating” to the allow list, and added “swing” and “swinging” to the warning list.

障る (26) - Added “to be bad," “to be harmful,” “to be harmful to,” “to offend,” and “to hurt one’s feelings” to the allow list, and added “to affect” to the warning list.

占める (26) - Added “to account for” as the alternative meaning, added “to take up" to the allow list, and added “to take,” “to hold,” “to have,” and “to get” to the warning list.

人違い (26) - Added “mistake identity," “mistaking identity,” “taking someone for somebody else,” “take someone for somebody else,” “mistaking someone for somebody else,” and “mistake someone for somebody else” to the allow list.

独学 (26) - Added “self taught," “self educated,” “learn by oneself,” “study by oneself,” “learning by oneself,” “studying by oneself,” “teach oneself,” and “teaching oneself” to the allow list.

教授 (26) - Added “prof," “the faculty,” “faculty,” and “instruction” to the allow list, and moved “pedagogy” to the warning list.

障害 (26) - Added “obstacle" as the alternative meaning, added “hindrance” and “impediment” to the allow list, and added “barrier,” “difficulty,” “trouble,” “defect,” and “disorder” to the warning list.

再び (26) - Added “once more" to the allow list, added “twice” and “for the second time” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.

獣医 (26) - Added “veterinary” to the warning list.

(26) - Added “piggy” to the allow list, and added “pork” to the warning list.

河豚 (26) - Moved ふく to the warning list.

怪物 (26) - Moved “goblin” to the allow list, and moved “ghost” to the warning list.

独特 (26) - Added “peculiar" as the alternative meaning, added “one’s own” and “of one’s own” to the allow list, and added “special” and “original” to the warning list.

再建 (26) - Added “reestablishment," “reestablish,” “reconstructing,” "reestablishing,” “rehabilitation,” “rehabilitate,” and “rehabilitating” to the allow list.

(26) - Added “myself" to the allow list, added “oneself,” “self-assertion,” “self assertion,” “self-will,” “self will,” “selfishness,” and “ego” to the warning list, added が to the warning list, and updated the warning message for わ in the warning list.

家政婦 (28) - Added “home help” and “housemaid” to the allow list, and added “help” to the warning list.

略図 (29) - Added “draft,” “rough draft,” and “outline” to the warning list.

背後 (30) - Added “back,” “the back,” and “behind” to the allow list.

思い詰める (31) - Added “to think deeply” to the allow list.

山脈 (31) - Added “mountain chain” to the allow list.

クモの巣 (31) - Added “web” to the allow list.

花粉症 (31) - Added “pollen allergy” to the allow list.

編者 (31) - Added へんじゃ as the alternative reading.

散歩 (31) - Added “walking,” “strolling,” “go for a walk,” and “going for a walk” to the allow list, and moved “walk” and “stroll” to the allow list.

貨物 (31) - Added “goods” to the warning list.

離れる (31) - Added “to detach oneself” as the alternative meaning, and added “to go away” and “to be separated” to the allow list.

久しい (32) - Added “old” to the warning list.

結婚式 (32) - Added “marriage” to the warning list.

離す (33) - Added “to detach," “to part,” “to keep separate,” “to keep away,” “to take off,” and “to take something off” to the allow list, and added “to take” to the warning list.

募る (37) - Added “to appeal” to the warning list.

銃殺 (39) - Added “shooting death," “shot to death,” “shoot to death,” “shooting to death,” “kill by gun,” “kill by a gun,” “killing by gun,” “killing by a gun,” “kill with gun,” “kill with a gun,” “killing with gun,” and “killing with a gun” to the allow list.

慎重 (39) - Added “cautious," “deliberate,” “carefulness,” “caution,” “discretion,” and “deliberation” to the allow list, and added “delicate” to the warning list.

充実 (39) - Added “completeness" to the allow list.

(39) - Added “carapace” to the allow list, and added “shell” to the warning list.

鋭敏 (40) - Added “keen," “acute,” and “shrewd” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.

繁茂 (40) - Added “excessive growth” to the allow list.

携わる (40) - Added “to be engaged” and “to be engaged in” to the allow list.

焼酎 (41) - Added “shuuchuu” to the block list, and added “soju” to the warning list.

至る (41) - Added “to reach,” “to result in,” “to lead to,” “to attain” and “to lead into” to the allow list, and added “to result” and “to lead” to the warning list.

軍艦 (41) - Added “warship” to the allow list.

拉麺 (42) - Updated the reading explanation.

(42) - Added “character” to the warning list.

握る (42) - Added “to grip,” “to clutch,” and “to seize” to the allow list.

動揺 (42) - Added “emotional turmoil” as the primary meaning, added “unrest” and “being emotionally shaken” as the alternative meaning, moved “shaking” to the warning list, moved “trembling” and “jolt” to the allow list, added “be disturbed,” “tremble,” “disturbance,” “be upset,” “be unsettled,” “being disturbed,” “being shaken,” “being upset,” “being unsettled,” “be shaken up,” “being shaken up,” “be shaken,” “feeling disturbed,” “feeling unsettled,” “feel disturbed,” “feel unsettled,” “agitation,” “feeling agitated,” “feel agitated,” “feeling flustered,” and “feel flustered” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, and updated the translation of a context sentence.

泊まる (42) - Added “to sleep over” and “to stay over” as the alternative meaning, added “to lodge,” “to stay overnight,” and “to stop for the night” to the allow list, moved “to stay at” to the warning list, and added “to stay,” “to stay in,” “to put up,” and “to stop” to the warning list.

荒れる (42) - Added “to be wild," “to go wild,” “to lie waste,” “to fall into ruin,” “to go to ruin,” “to go to rack and ruin,” “to become rough,” and “to get rough” to the allow list.

牧草 (43) - Added “pasture land" and “grassland” to the warning list.

牧野 (43) - Added “pasture field" to the allow list.

牧場 (43) - Added “stock farm" to the allow list, moved “station” to the warning list, and added “pasture” and “farm” to the warning list.

暴露 (43) - Added “revelation" to the allow list.

潜る (43) - Added “to dive” and “to make a dive” to the allow list.

凄く (43) - Added “extremely" to the allow list.

露店 (43) - Added “stall" to the allow list, and added “kiosk” to the warning list.

(44) - Added “good luck" and “good fortune” to the allow list.

領袖 (60) - Updated the reading explanation.

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Thanks and happy halloween! :jack_o_lantern: :ghost:

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Petition to get this added as an actual emote

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Please, think of your non english native users.

Sleeves are so dated (そで)! Short sleeve shirts, long sleeve jackets… Ugh, so dated!

I would easily mistake this mnemonics as a そだ reading.

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Hi @whinette, I wrote the new mnemonic, and I’m also a non native speaker of English. I don’t know if it helps, but I’ll explain the reasons behind the new mnemonic in case you were curious.

First, I decided to use “so dated” as the new reading keyword instead of the old “soap is dead” to remove the extraneous sounds that came in between the two morae (そ and で), which is “…p is.” This wasn’t particularly a big problem, but fewer (or none) is always better.

I also aimed to make it easier to associate the meaning (sleeve) and the reading (そで), if it makes sense.

The old mnemonic (“soap is dead”)

  • you wear sleeves → because you have stinky armpits → because soap is dead (and you can’t use soap)

The new mnemonic (“so dated”)

  • sleeves = so dated

“Dead” worked, but phonetically, “dated” also represents the で sound pretty well (at least in American and British English). In fact, the English word “date” gets transcribed as ート (ーと) in Japanese.

There are various accents in English, so I understand that I probably can’t make everyone happy, but I just wanted to share the reasoning. I don’t think I’m fully understanding the problem you are having as a non native English speaker yet, so if you can tell me more about it, I’d appreciate it as well!

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If it helps you disambiguate any better, WK uses “soda” for the そだ reading of 育つ/育てる

Thank you for the write up. I’m french, the sound for da and de are different from english and more close to japanese, that might be the source of this confusion.

In French, it is as follow:
da = だ, as in date, or David. In English it would be the word dab (I’m sorry nothing else come to mind).
dé = で, as in dés, début. In English it would be debut, or departure.

Here’s the IPA for the examples in your comment (using French and US English as the languages courtesy of this site) if it helps clear the confusion a bit:

da = だ, as in /dat/, or /david/. In English it would be the word /ˈdæb/ (I’m sorry nothing else come to mind).
dé = で, as in /de/, /deby/. In English it would be /ˈdeɪbju/, or /dɪˈpɑɹtʃɝ/.

The English word “dated” is /ˈdeɪtɪd/ (so it’s the same pronounciation as English “debut”).

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Hello @TofuguKanae
As someone who cannot click with using the mnemonic “saber” for せい, I suspect it has the same reason - when ones learns hiragana で is de and せ is se.

The association works when one learns english from japanese, because you learn that the in lawn words can be de or da in english. But after drilling hiragana and katakana transcription in english in order to read them in japanese it’s hard to suddenly use a pair of letters that contradicts it.
I know that せ is se and seeing saber makes me think of first every time, regardless of the pronunciation of the word.
I add my own mnemonics in those cases, so it’s ok with me, but I hope it might help you understand why it can be a problem for some users.
(And now I would probably remember saber as せい for the rest of my life…)

Still, I appreciate your work, came back to WaniKani after 4 years and the changes you’ve made since then are great. お疲れ様でした!

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Thanks for explaining your perspectives, @whinette and @2tea !

I want to clarify that we absolutely care about non-native speakers of English. But at the same time, English is the language we use to teach Japanese on WaniKani. And when it comes to mnemonics, especially reading keywords, we lean towards choosing one that is phonetically close between how the keyword is pronounced in English (we usually check at least US and British accents) and how the original Japanese word sounds like, rather than how the English keyword is pronounced in the romaji way of reading. We still did use the romaji way of reading occasionally when the mnemonics don’t work quite well, but I think that’s only a small percentage of our mnemonics.

In this case of the reading keyword change, “soap is dead” → “so dated,” I still think the change was worth it when we look at the improvement overall, especially considering the other factors like how there is no redundant sounds in-between and how the change made it easier make a connection between the reading and the meaning.

But, I now think that there might be a possibility to change “袖 is so dated” to “袖 is so dead” because dead can mean ‘out of trend’ I think! I can’t guarantee, but I can certainly bring this to the team and see if that’s workable.

Like I said earlier, while we try out best, we probably can’t make everyone happy in every content because our users come from various language backgrounds and everyone is different in how they learn. But, making your own mnemonic like @2tea mentioned could be a great option as well.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

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