So , I've been thinking for a while now what is the best and most efficient method to learn Kanji.
Many learners use the method "Remembering the Kanji" by James W. Heisig. I thought for a long time about using it as well because the concept of connecting the Kanji with a story practically visualizing it sounds appealing to me. But this method has also disadvantages and is also criticized. You don't learn the japanese word but rather the english translation of the Kanji if I understood correctly.
Even if you did learn the correct meaning for e.g. 学 (to study) you only learn itself. You won't be able to read this:
学校 (school) because you don't learn the meaning of individual Kanji that have been put together.
That is why I decided to stay away from RTK and to use the hardest method and learn it all by heart just the way the japanese students learn them. More specifically with
Kanji Cards.
Once you decided how to learn them do not change your method and stay with it no matter how hard it is.
Then you can decide if you want to learn the Kanji that are necessary for the
Japanese
Language
Proficiency
Test or if you don't want to take it you can use them in the order they learn them in Japanese schools.
Then you can decide what you use to learn them: a) Book b) App c) Kanji Cards
Actually , I would recommend all three of them. I decided to start with Kanji Cards. But you don't have to pay for them. Just print them out
here. Now all you have to do is practice , practice , practice...
Writing , Pronunciation and the Meaning are all important factors you have to learn and memorize thoroughly. And you will learn new Vocabulary automatically but you have to be able to read Hiragana.
These are my thoughts about this topic and I will start learning very soon. And it will be interesting to know in a few years from if this was the right decision. But I'm confident that it's definitely doable.
Now I'm curious about your Kanji-Story. Share it in the comments with us if you want to. :-)
