Hi all - I’m on L1 just now and could do with some advice. I’ve found the radical names, kanji meanings easy to remember, my problem is the vocabulary. The mnemonics don’t work so well for me with the actual Japanese sounds. I’m constantly forgetting that adult = “oh toner” for example!
I was thinking that writing down the kanji names, meanings, sounds might help. But before I launch into this, I wanted to ask for your advice. Do you write the kanji down or do u just try to memorize via flash cards? How did you get on with L1?
Yes, handwriting the kanji and hiragana is effective for memorization. Think about the radicals while handwriting. Play the sound clips and shadow native speakers instead of relying on the mnemonics.
Handwriting is very helpful. I like to look up a kanji on Jisho and follow the stroke order that they have. I write it about five times, then write down some words the kanji is in (if there is other kanji in the word, I write it with hiragana).
If you have trouble remembering the reading for the kanji, you could write it next to the kanji. If you come across a word with a weird reading, write the pronunciation above the word.
Sometimes the kanji definition varies from Wanikani to Jisho. You could either write the WK definition for the kanji, or you could add user synonyms for your reviews.
I wouldn’t write radicals, as they’ll be added to kanji later anyway.
Your writing sessions don’t have to be long; I typically write three kanji in one sitting.
Of course, play around with it to see what works for you. Have fun with your studies!
i’ve been building an anki deck of the reverse of the meaning cards (with a little disambiguation for kanji that get the same word) as i level up. i study those by writing out the kanji before i flip the card, double checking stroke order and other details. it’s not ideal, i think, since the english words assigned to kanji are somewhat arbitrary beyond a general vibe, but it’s a nice start to more writing Japanese qua writing Japanese. definitely have noticed it help with WK retention and reading (especially more stylized or handwritten styles).
