What when you accidentally burn an item?

WaniKani Tips & Tricks
#1

Sometimes I have a lot of reviews, I do a little pause, I forget about my reviews, then I come back later and I see some item I failed earlier. I forgot I failed it earlier, and the answer is fresh in my mind. Then I burn that item and at the same moment I remember how I failed it earlier. I am reluctant to resurrect it and see it again in my apprentices, but at the same I know it should not be burnt. Plus override won’t allow me to ignore it because I did not failed it. I just hope next time I see it in real life I will remember it.

Am I the only one to get into that situation?
How do you react?

#2

That shouldn’t happen unless you are away more than a few (two?) hours. Nevertheless, [Userscript]: Double-Check (Version 2.x) allows you to change ‘to incorrect’. Override is an old and unmaintained script.

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#3

I think everyone should see Wanikani as a tool to help remember Kanji. However, in the end, the best way to passively remember words is to encounter them in the wild through reading and conversations.

I don’t think remembering words without them being in a sentence that gives context to its usage is a good way to remember words. Wanikani is just a foundation, the rest depends on how much you use the language.

5 Likes
#5

I usually don’t leave review sessions open, so I don’t recognize this. But I can imagine it feels weird. You can hit the ‘last 10’ button if you want to take a break. That way the session finishes and you start a new session when you come back.

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#6

There were a few times where I burned something and for whatever reason felt like I didn’t “earn” it, and to be honest I always immediately went in and unburned it.
I figure - if it doesn’t immediately disappear into the sea of apprentice/gurus and you quickly forget the unburn even happened… then maybe you needed the extra study anyway.

2 Likes
#7

I wouldn’t think too hard on it. Because, in the end, as @Killua099 says, it comes down to using the words and kanji later on in the wild. So depending on how that goes, some of the items you’ve burned, you will probably forget. Even if it was a burn you deserved.

You can always re-learn something, if it turns out you didn’t learn it well enough. And when that happens, then the retention should be even better! :slight_smile:

But, there is the option @rodan mentions: unburning. Since, it’s just one item, it shouldn’t be too much of a burden among the rest, even if that means starting over from apprentice 1.

So, my personal choice is to just let it be when this happens. I don’t think it’s worth the extra time and energy to be honest.

2 Likes