Tip for faster leveling up

#1

Hello,

I recently discovered a way, which may perhaps be quite obvious to some already, of speeding up your leveling up…

After spending a whole month getting through one level, i reconsidered my approach to reviews. My technique before was to just blast through them as quickly as possible, without really caring if I got the level specific radicals and kanji correct or not. I assumed that I would get them correct at some point and I was happy to wait until that time. However, after that whole month I changed my mind.

This week I have gotten through half the radicals and one quarter of the kanji and will soon guru most of those remaining. My technique has been to check the reading on the main page every time a new kanji/radical comes up. When I return to the review page I will always get it correct as it is fresh in my mind. The re-scrambling of the review order also makes it feel less like cheating.

Hope it helps!

P.s Sorry if it’s a bloody obvious thing to be saying.

#2

So… you’re just checking the item page as you do reviews? Am I interpreting that incorrectly?

#3

Am I getting this right?

When you know for example that 宴 and 宗 are about to be reviewed you look them up before the review?

#4

I think you might be messing with the benefit of the SRS if you do that.

#5

There’s the gotta go fast crew, and then there’s now the “Gotta break the SRS system to go fast so I can level up without actually benefiting much from the product I’m paying for” crew.

I wouldn’t recommend this.

#6

Tip for faster leveling up:

always do all lessons and reviews as soon as they appear

that’s it.

#7

Tip for fastest level up, before level 45:-

In the first 3 days, all radicals must be answer correctly. Kanjis correct or not doesn’t matter. After the 3 days, all Kanjis must be correct until Guru.

As long as it is apprentice or unstudied, you can study the item as much as you want. Just make sure you remember before relying on the SRS. A good weapon for this is either Anki ( https://wanikanitoanki.com ) or rfindley’s Self-Study Userscript.

My approach is pre-studying level+1 on Anki, both Kanji and Vocab, f*ck the radicals (I override them).

Tip for after level 45 (excluding level 48) is, 90% or all of Kanjis must be correct all the time.

Accuracy is very important. Remembering for the first time is very important.

Forgot to mention [Userscript]: WaniKani Ultimate Timeline. This too is important for perfect and fastest leveling up.

#8

This^

In addition exported pre-learning is extremely efficient if you make sure to drill the memory cards until you don’t struggle to remember the meanings.
Personally, I usually spend only extra 15-20 minutes on the drill after learning whole set of the +1 level Kanji to get to the point where I can do a speed run through the deck, works like a charm for retention.

Vocabulary has been a no-brainer and pre-learning/drilling hasn’t been necessary up to this point. Well, except for leeches, but that’s a separate topic.

#9

I just check through all new kanji and radicals before doing reviews if i feel like i need to it. I never had some surprise new kanji or radicals pop up so far since i tend to check when their next review is coming.

#10

I have been using this printout that I posted about to prepare for upcoming levels. A day before leveling up, I use this sheet to start familiarizing myself with the kanji so that when the lessons come I’m ready to hit the ground running.

#11

I can understand your point, but I really don’t think there is much mileage in what you’re saying. I would agree with you if the reviews ended after the guru stage, but they don’t. There is still plenty of time for them to be gotten wrong, allowing for multiple repetitions and the benefits of the SRS system being felt.

Also, speeding up the process seems a good idea for at least two reasons.

  1. It could be argued that the vocabulary is the only thing that really matters here. The kanji and radicals (which bare little relation to the actual 部首 meaning) and merely a means to unlocking the vocabulary.
  2. Many people, such as myself, are working against the clock in preparation for an exam, or an application to graduate school for example.

I don’t really think I’m doing myself an injury by checking back on the home page before going back to the review corner. Perhaps you do, though I don’t really see why. Each to his/her, own I guess

#12

Hello,

I think you’re right there but I imagine for many, what with work commitments or a busy family life, it’s not really an option. I study for two hours a day after work, doing my reviews during my commute usually. This has helped me speed up the process despite only a small amount of time spent using this application. Perhaps I should have stipulated that before.

Bye!

#13

What’s the point of using SRS then for learning I mean it’s better to struggle and learn the long term than ace it by using a short term memory strategy… Also first post hello everyone ^.^

#14

I find I end up at the end of a level with nothing to do because I messed up one too many kanji short-term, and it bothers me. I go to guru the first time with short-term strategies so that I always have lessons or reviews to keep me busy. Besides, those kanji are about to appear in vocab, so you’re about to get a lot of exposure. They come back, and you can worry about long-term retention when they do.

#15

Well… That’s kind of trick, but will you really getting all advantages of the SRS by doing that ? I don’t think so. That’s the same as if you write all answers on a paper and look at it for each question: you’ll speed up as all your answers will be correct ! But what will you remember ? Is your goal to ‘finish’ as soon as possible or to build solid foundations for your japanese language ?
Don’t you think so ?

#16

Well if you did not learn a kanji properly, you will fail it at a later point and then you can still re-learn it if necessary. But most of the time I’m betting that would not be necessary because by then, it was already reinforced by the vocabulary lessons, that it at least my experience.

I admit: I do everything I can to get the radicals and kanji that I need for leveling up correct. That includes studying them in between reviews and even using the override script if I have to. It is difficult enough to not let life get in the way, I don’t want to block myself from levelling up just because I made a stupid mistake. Getting stuck at 89% completed kanji and having to wait forever until the next level although it would have been e.g. your day off and you were looking forward to new lessons is just too frustrating.

In the end, what I’m using in daily life is the vocab and as long as you let the SRS do its thing for that part and not neglect it, I can’t see how making sure you get the critical kanji/racial right until you level up would hurt. If it helps you to stay motivated and keep a pace that feels right for you, I don’t see a reason not to do it.