WK Learning Tip -Visual Learning

[dpicardal]

Hello Everyone,
What’s up WK community? I just dropped by to share learning tip that has been helpful for me when learning kanji and vocabulary here in WK. I guess this will be helpful for those that started new in WK.

When I am at the meaning explanation of the kanji/vocab, I copy the characters/compound kanji and search google, then click images tab. From there it gives you a visual perspective of the kanji/compound kanji/vocab.

Here’s an example:
I came across with the lesson today.
入団

Meaning Explanation from WK: If you enter a group you are going to join or enlist.

From Google Images, you will see results like this:

I am a visual learner and this technique helped me to absorb the WK lesson. I hope this helps!

PS: If one of the Tofogu staff reading this, may I suggest adding an image/visual meaning of the kanji/vocab. I have seen one in JapanesedPOD101.com. Thanks!

[irrelephant]

I also enjoy learning like this.

What I use to integrate the images is this: [Userscript]: Markdown Notes (updated)
You insert image URLs this way:
![](http://imageurlhere)

Very recently I extended this further: I now have a screenshot tool installed that will create a screenshot of a selected area of my screen (where I have e.g. a pdf version of kanji look and learn open; I own it as a physical as well but the pdf works better for this case). It automatically uploads the image to a configured location (in my case via SFTP) and copies the resulting URL to my clipboard.

And then I have a little userscript that detects when I paste this URL into the notes textarea and automatically converts it to markdown syntax so that I don’t have to type the part all the time. I wasn’t sure if anyone was interested since that workflow is a bit specific but I would post it in case anyone wants my little copy/paste helper script.

[dpicardal]

Hello!
Thanks for the feedback. I will consider that script you have shared. I am a proponent of visual learning so I hope WK dev team will consider putting a permanent image on the kanji/vocab to supplement the meaning explanation.

[kingjonathan]

Hi there

This looks terrific! I’m having the most basic bit of trouble and I wonder if you can help.

I’ve installed the script and have put the following into the reading note field of my 山 page in WK:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Tateshinayama-fuyu.JPG(image larger than 3072KB)

But all I get is the same line of characters above, rather than an image. But you know what’s weird? It’s actually inserting the image into this post!

Sorry to fall at the first hurdle, but can you see what I’m doing wrong?

Thanks very much!

[irrelephant]

In the forum it will try and fetch the image automatically. With the markdown notes you have to use the correct syntax in your note. This should work:

![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Tateshinayama-fuyu.JPG)

Adding that part automatically was the little additional script that I wrote and mentioned above. It does add that formatting automatically. In case anyone is interested I can upload it somewhere but I’m a bit busy right now so I didn’t want to clean it up and post it if no one is interested anyway.

[Retsam19]

Not to be too much of a contrarian, but I was just reading this article on how learning styles are probably a myth this morning, so I can’t help link it.

That’s not to say that this technique can’t still be helpful, but just that it’s perhaps not a good idea to pigeonhole oneself and focus too much on one particular style of learning. But mostly I just thought the discussion was interesting.

In any case, I’d definitely recommend not using this technique with 乱交…

[irrelephant]

Yup, I’ve seen that article multiple times now. But still: if I notice that the mnemonics for which I have a visual image are the easiest for me to remember (for whatever reason) then I will keep using that approach wherever it is possible, no matter what a study says.

I do wish for example that the “Kanji look and learn” book by the people who published Genki covered all the Joyo kanji because this is by far the easiest way for me to remember the kanji. I would love to use it in combination with WaniKani for all the items where the original mnemonic doesn’t work for me. I’m hoping that the outlier kanji dictionary will help with that aspect too.

[kingjonathan]

Hi again

Weird, that’s exactly the syntax I’ve got in the note field. No idea why it won’t display anything other that the actual text of the .

[irrelephant]

Oh, you know what… I think I linked to an old, not working version of the script, I’m sorry!

What happens if you install this one instead? [Userscript]: Markdown Notes (updated)

[kingjonathan]

Now we’re in business! It works a treat.

Thanks so much for checking on it and for such a great addition!

J