Any recommendations on a good book or book or whatever to learn/practice the Kanji for the N5 exam? I’ve looked at a few on Amazon, including the flash cards, but most of them seem to have some pretty bad reviews.
Kanji etymology dictionary add-on for Kanji Study. It explains the logic of each kanji, each component, how they work as a system. Written by a PhD in kanji etymology.
I use this too. It's simple and they let you choose which book or method you're using so you can learn along with your choice of source material. The stroke recognition has a lot of slack in it so you don't have to be perfect but you still get that motor memory connectionb to actually help you remember how to write them
The only thing i dont really like is the audio. It's very synthesized and hard to discern at times.
I am using an app called 漢字忍者 that Japanese school children actually use. It is on the app store and there are different apps for the different levels of school
The writing sections are really helpful, especially as it tends to make you remember components
All the apps you mention are perfectly fine, but I strongly disagree with the idea that books are "useless".
Even with all the technology out there, there are people out there who benefit from things like physical media and have an easier time memorizing when they actually write kanji out by hand. Also, many physical books are actually produced by experts in the field, while most apps (even the good ones) are not.
I wouldn't say books are useless, but you DO have to know how to use them correctly.
In my experience, most kanji learning books have a writing section to practice the kanji. This is a trap. DON'T write in the book, because you will subconsciously trick yourself into thinking "okay, I used up all the space in the book, guess I finished this kanji".
Instead, write kanji on separate paper, because repetition is the key. It's why I like apps; they automatically bring up a kanji writing space for practice, and with most srs systems, keep track of the kanji you've learned and which ones you need more practice with. For kanji books, writing on separate paper will hopefully ensure you keep practicing due to plenty of blank space... You just have to keep track of what kanji you've learned.
I wouldn't say books are useless, but you DO have to know how to use them correctly.
Well, yes, this is true for most things. I'd argue it's even true for apps.
I learned Japanese back in the days long before apps were a thing and yes, I practiced writing extensively on 原稿用紙 that I bought for that specific purpose.
I'm not sure the notion ever occurred to me that writing a kanji a few times in a workbook would mean I "finished" that kanji. My assessment of whether I knew a kanji was based on whether I could write it and read it in context (and I feel like that would be true for most people?)
Kanji study app by chase colburn is good too, if you have android though
+1 for Kanji study, it's amazing.
Plus the Outlier add-on. Killer combo.
Outliner add-on is what exactly?
Kanji etymology dictionary add-on for Kanji Study. It explains the logic of each kanji, each component, how they work as a system. Written by a PhD in kanji etymology.
Interesting, might buy this add on
I started using Ringotan because I noticed I forget how to *write Kanji, and I'm hooked :)
I use this too. It's simple and they let you choose which book or method you're using so you can learn along with your choice of source material. The stroke recognition has a lot of slack in it so you don't have to be perfect but you still get that motor memory connectionb to actually help you remember how to write them
The only thing i dont really like is the audio. It's very synthesized and hard to discern at times.
I used renshuu to learn the kanji of n5
I am using an app called 漢字忍者 that Japanese school children actually use. It is on the app store and there are different apps for the different levels of school
The writing sections are really helpful, especially as it tends to make you remember components
Books for kanji are kind of useless these days. I recommend trying apps like renshuu, anki, and wanikani for kanji for proper learning and memorizing.
All the apps you mention are perfectly fine, but I strongly disagree with the idea that books are "useless".
Even with all the technology out there, there are people out there who benefit from things like physical media and have an easier time memorizing when they actually write kanji out by hand. Also, many physical books are actually produced by experts in the field, while most apps (even the good ones) are not.
Anyhow, I still believe that the gold standard for books on Kanji is the Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course.
(tagging OP u/PangolinFar2571)
Thanks much. I am actually a physical media person. I learned my hiragana and katakana by writing them out again and again and again.
No worries! And always glad to meet another physical media person (there are dozens of us, I swear! Dozens!)
I wouldn't say books are useless, but you DO have to know how to use them correctly.
In my experience, most kanji learning books have a writing section to practice the kanji. This is a trap. DON'T write in the book, because you will subconsciously trick yourself into thinking "okay, I used up all the space in the book, guess I finished this kanji".
Instead, write kanji on separate paper, because repetition is the key. It's why I like apps; they automatically bring up a kanji writing space for practice, and with most srs systems, keep track of the kanji you've learned and which ones you need more practice with. For kanji books, writing on separate paper will hopefully ensure you keep practicing due to plenty of blank space... You just have to keep track of what kanji you've learned.
Well, yes, this is true for most things. I'd argue it's even true for apps.
I learned Japanese back in the days long before apps were a thing and yes, I practiced writing extensively on 原稿用紙 that I bought for that specific purpose.
I'm not sure the notion ever occurred to me that writing a kanji a few times in a workbook would mean I "finished" that kanji. My assessment of whether I knew a kanji was based on whether I could write it and read it in context (and I feel like that would be true for most people?)