Hiragana, katakana, and kanji make up the Japanese writing system. When you start learning Japanese, figuring out how to read and write can feel overwhelming; after all, Japanese is completely different from the Roman alphabet! You then learn that there are three different writing systems used all at once. How is that even possible? Not to worry – these systems are simpler than you might expect! Each one has unique, defining characteristics and uses; once you learn more about these, reading and writing Japanese will be a breeze!

We’ve covered smaller articles for each Japanese writing system. Don’t forget to check out our Hiragana & Katakana chart and quiz for a more detailed guide and resource recommendation.

Origins of the Japanese Alphabet

Do you know about the history and the origin of hiragana and katakana? Originally, the Japanese ancestors did not have a writing system. Around the fifth century, they started using kanji, ideograms that were adopted from China and Korea. They only used the phonetic reading of the kanji, regardless of their meaning. At that time, the ideograms were called manyogana (万葉仮名).

However, kanji’s characters are composed of many strokes. They take longer to write, as you have noticed by now! Due to their difficulty, those ideograms were slowly simplified into kana alphabets, namely hiragana and katakana. They are called syllabograms, as each character corresponds to one sound in the Japanese language. According to historians, the change was initiated by Buddhist priests who thought kanji could not accurately represent the Japanese language and that a phonetic alphabet would be better.

Examples of Change

On the left is the manyogana, and on the right are simplified hiragana and katakana forms.

• 安 →あ 阿 → ア (a)
• 以 →い 伊 → イ(i)
• 宇 →う、ウ(u)
• 衣 →え 江 → エ(e)
• 於 →お、オ(o)

This change is thought to have occurred between the eighth and ninth centuries.  Hiragana can be considered a simplified calligraphy form of the kanji’s strokes. On the other hand, katakana is taken from a single element of a kanji. In some cases, the Hiragana and Katakana are created from different ideograms.

Some hiragana and Katakana express the same sound and have similar shapes, such as り and リ. However, some can be dissimilar, such as あ and ア. Hiragana is said to be cursive, while katakana is more angular. Do take note that one sound can have more than one hiragana. In 1900 the two kana scripts, hiragana, and katakana were codified. This led to the clear establishment of rules for the Japanese system in 1946.

Japanese Writing System #1: Hiragana

Whenever you just start out learning Japanese, hiragana is usually the first writing system you learn. Hiragana is technically a syllabary or a way of writing where symbols represent whole syllables (such as “ba” and “to”) instead of individual sounds (such as “b” or “t”)⁵. This is because all Japanese words are made up of these small syllables, so there’s no need to write out individual sounds!

In Japanese, there are 46 basic syllables:

• the basic vowels: a, i, u, e, o.
• the k-line: ka, ki, ku, ke, ko.
• the s-line: sa, shi, su, se, so. (Notice that the “si” sound is instead replaced by “shi.”)
• the t-line: ta, chi, tsu, te, to. (Notice that the “ti” and “tu” sounds are instead pronounced closer to “chi” and “tsu.”)
• the n-line: na, ni, nu, ne, no.
• the h-line: ha, hi, fu, he, ho. (Notice that the “hu” sound is actually said as “fu.”)
• the m-line: ma, mi, mu, me, mo.
• the y-line: ya, yu, yo.
• the r-line: ra, ri, ru, re, ro.
• wa, o/wo, and n. (These sounds are unique, so they are generally placed together. The “o/wo” symbol can be pronounced either way and “n” is considered a whole syllable in Japanese.)

There are also 23 additional syllables in Japanese; these are formed with additional marks that we’ll cover in a minute.

• the g-line: ga, gi, gu, ge, go.
• the z-line: za, ji, zu, ze, zo. (Notice that “ji” is used instead of “zi.”)
• the d-line: da, ji, zu, de, do. (“ji” and “zu” are pronounced the same way as in the z-line but have different uses.)
• the b-line: ba, be, bu, be, bo.
• the p-line: pa, pi, pu, pe, po.

Writing Hiragana

So, now that we’ve covered the basic sounds let’s see how these syllables are written down in hiragana:

Hiragana is generally round in shape, with lots of curves and bends. This characteristic is a key way to tell what symbols are hiragana! You can also combine a consonant with a / ya / yu / yo / sound by attaching a small 「や」、「ゆ」、or 「よ」 to the / i / vowel character of each consonant.

Now, let’s take a look at those 23 additional sounds:

• the g-line: が(ga), ぎ(gi), ぐ(gu), げ(ge), ご(go).
• the z-line: ざ(za), じ(ji), ず(zu), ぜ(ze), ぞ(zo).
• the d-line: だ(da), ぢ(ji), づ(zu), で(de), ど(do). 
• the b-line: ば(ba), べ(be), ぶ(bu), べ(be), ぼ(bo).
• the p-line: ぱ(pa), ぴ(pi), ぷ(pu), ぺ(pe), ぽ(po).

Did you notice something about the above sounds? The hiragana for the g-line is identical to the k-line, and the same goes for the z-line and s-line, the t-line and the d-line, the h-line and the b- and p-lines! The only difference is the addition of diacritical marks; these marks go to the upper right of the hiragana and can be either two short diagonal marks (called a dakuten) or a small circle (called the handakuten). This is pretty nice, as you don’t have to memorize even more symbols!

There are also contracted sounds in Japanese. These sounds are basically combinations of sounds ending in “-i” and the y-line and are considered one syllable as well^. All you have to do for these is add a small y-line hiragana after the main hiragana! (Notice that not all of these syllables keep the “y” sound.)

• the k-line: きゃ(kya), きゅ(kyu), きょ(kyo)
• the s-line: しゃ(sha), しゅ(shu), しょ (sho)
• the t-line: ちゃ(cha), ちゅ(chu), ちょ(cho)
• the n-line: にゃ(nya), にゅ(nyu), にょ(nyo)
• the h-line: ひゃ(hya), ひゅ(hyu), ひょ(hyo)
• the m-line: みゃ(mya), みゅ(my) みょ(myo)
• the r-line: りゃ(rya), りゅ(ryu), りょ(ryo)
• the g-line: ぎゃ(gya), ぎゅ(gyu), ぎょ(gyo)
• the z-line: じゃ(ja), じゅ(ju), じょ(jo)
• the b-line: びゃ(bya), びゅ(byu), びょ(byo)
• the p-line: ぴゃ(pya), ぴゅ(pyu), ぴょ(pyo)

So, that is the basics of how hiragana is written. However, there are also double consonants and long vowels, which are written with variations in hiragana (and katakana). We recommend checking out our full-length article here to learn more about those!

How to Use Hiragana

Hiragana can be used for many things; it’s like the all-rounder of writing Japanese, and it represents all the syllables of the Japanese language! Hiragana is used when writing verb endings, particles, grammar words (such as conjunctions), and many native Japanese words, as well as for words that do not have a corresponding kanji character. Hiragana is also used in furigana; this is when hiragana is written in a small font above kanji for those who don’t know the kanji’s reading.

Long Vowels and Double Consonants in Hiragana

In Japanese hiragana, double consonants are represented by adding a small “tsu” character (っ) before the consonant that is doubled. For example, the word “katta” (勝った), meaning “won”, would be written as かった, with a small “tsu” between the two “t” characters.

Long vowels in hiragana are done by extending a consonant or vowel with another vowel — depending on the vowel in accordance with the following chart.

For example, the word “ookii” (大きい), meaning “big”, would be written as おおきい.

Vowel Sound	Extended by	Example
a	あ	おばあさん
i, e	い	おおきい、きれい
u, o	う	こうこう、くうき

Example

Let’s start off with a simple sentence – “My pet’s name is Bob.” (What a funny name for a pet!) In Hiragana, this looks like this:

わたしの ぺっと の なまえ は  ぼぶ です。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

So, we can write a whole Japanese sentence just using hiragana! This is how most people (including native speakers) start off reading and writing Japanese. Of course, as you learn about katakana and kanji, some of these words will be replaced.  However, you will see that the particles (の [no] and は [wa]) and the native verb です(desu) will remain the same, as these are some of the things that specifically use hiragana!  

Now that you’ve learned the basics, it’s time for practice! Head on over to our list of practice sheets, apps, and quizzes to make sure you’ve got a solid understanding of hiragana!

Tips for Writing in Japanese

1. There are no spaces in the Japanese writing system

Japanese is written with no spaces, so a combination of hiragana, kanji, and katakana helps distinguish words within a sentence. As you improve your Japanese writing and reading skills, you’ll start to feel that reading kanji is often easier than reading a sentence that consists solely of hiragana.

2. Be careful of hiragana characters that sound and look similar

Pay more attention when pronouncing “tsu” and “su”. Beginner-level students also have a hard time discerning ro (ろ), re (れ), ru (る) — and nu (ぬ) and me (め) because they look similar.

3. Correct stroke order and direction are important

Writing hiragana with the correct stroke order and direction will help you intuitively know how to write new characters, and it has a big effect on how readable it ends up looking.

Japanese Writing System #2: Katakana

After hiragana, it’s a good idea to learn katakana next; katakana works the exact same way that hiragana does, just using different characters; some katakana’s symbols even look similar to their hiragana counterparts!  In fact, hiragana and katakana are often collectively referred to as kana, since they are so similar!

Writing Katakana  

the basic vowels	ア(a), イ(i), ウ(u), エ(e), オ(o)
the k-line	カ (ka), キ(ki), ク(ku), ケ(ke), コ(ko)
the s-line	サ(sa), シ(shi), ス(su), セ(se), ソ(so)
the t-line	タ(ta), チ(chi),ツ(tsu), テ(te), ト(to)
the h-line	ハ(ha), ヒ(hi), フ(fu), へ(he), ホ(ho)
the n-line	ナ(na), ニ(ni), ヌ(nu), ネ(ne), ノ(no)
the m-line	マ(ma), ミ(mi), ム(mu), メ(me), モ(mo)
the y-line	ヤ(ya), ユ(yu), ヨ(yo)
the r-line	ラ(ra), リ(ri), ル(ru), レ(re), ロ(ro).
	ワ(wa), ヲ(o/wo), and ン(n).

Now, let’s take a look at those 23 additional sounds:

• the g-line: ガ(ga), ギ(gi), グ(gu), ゲ(ge), ゴ(go).
• the z-line: ザ(za), ジ(ji), ズ(zu), ゼ(ze), ゾ(zo).
• the d-line: ダ(da), ヂ(ji), ヅ(zu), デ(de), ド(do). 
• the b-line: バ(ba), ビ(bi), ブ(bu), べ(be), ボ(bo).
• the p-line: パ(pa), ピ(pi), プ(pu), ぺ(pe), ポ(po).

The contracted sounds are also formed the same way as in hiragana. However, katakana has additional combinations with small vowel letters to transcribe foreign sounds that did not originally exist in Japanese. These are generally easy to pronounce, as you simply combine the consonant of the main katakana symbol with the vowel of the smaller one.

Examples of this include the フェ (fe) in カフェ (kafe), the ティ (ti) in パーティー (paatii), and the ウィ (wi) in ハロウィーン (harowiin)!

You can see that katakana is simpler and has more straight lines than hiragana; this is one major way to tell them apart!

How and When to Use Katakana

Another way to tell them apart is their usage. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords or words from different languages. ハンバーガー (hanbaagaa, hamburger) and アルバイト (arubaito, part-time job) are examples of Japanese words taken from English and German respectively. Many non-Japanese names are spelled using katakana as well!

Katakana is also used often used for onomatopoeic words, which are words that imitate sounds, such as “pikapika” (sparkling), “gacha” (clacking sound), or “wanwan” (dog’s bark).

Katakana can also be used to emphasize words, similar to how words might be italicized or bolded in English. You can usually see this more in signs or advertisements, like メガネ, megane (glasses) or ラーメン (raamen, glasses).

Long Vowels and Double Consonants in Katakana

Long vowels in katakana are so much simpler than hiragana. All long vowel sounds are denoted by a simple dash: ー.

For example, the word “アート” (aato), meaning “art”, has a long “a” sound represented by the horizontal line over the “a” character.

Double consonants in Katakana are represented using a small “tsu” character (ッ) just like in Hiragana. For example, the word “バッグ” (baggu), meaning “bag”, has a double “g” sound represented by the small “tsu” character.

Example of Katakana

Remember the pet with the funny name? Let’s take another look at that sentence, this time adding in katakana – try to guess where the katakana will be!

わたしのペットのなまえは ボブ です。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

Did you guess petto and bobu? Both of these words are English loanwords and names, so they would be written in katakana. Including katakana when writing Japanese is also a great way to make the words easier to distinguish from each other; writing in all hiragana could make it hard to tell words apart – since Japanese doesn’t normally use spaces!

Difference between Hiragana and Katakana

Why are there 2 syllabic Japanese scripts? In the event that the difference is stylistic, you will learn that hiragana is used to write native Japanese words. Those words will have no kanji representation, and the ideogram will be too ancient or too difficult to write. This kana script is also the one used to write grammatical elements such as particles: を (wo)、に (ni)、へ (he;e)、が (ga)、は (ha).

On the contrary, the Japanese use katakana to write words of foreign origin and foreign names. If you like to read manga in Japanese, you will certainly notice that katakana is also used to represent onomatopoeia and emphasis.

Have you heard of the word “furigana”? Furigana is hiragana and katakana characters written in small forms above kanji in order to show the pronunciation. Furigana is used in kids’ books and Japanese language textbooks for learners, in order to teach the reading of unknown kanji.

Japanese Writing System #3: Kanji                                                               

Kanji is usually the last system to be learned, even for native Japanese speakers! Kanji are Chinese characters and were Japan’s first writing system. They were first introduced to Japan over 1,500 years ago; hiragana and katakana actually evolved from these symbols!

Kanji are complex characters that represent words or ideas, and they form the backbone of the Japanese writing system. In fact, it is estimated that there are over 50,000 kanji characters, although only a fraction of those are commonly used.

Reading Kanji

Kanji is different from hiragana and katakana in that there are multiple ways to pronounce a single character. This is because there is a Chinese way to read a character (called the on-yomi) and a Japanese way (the kun-yomi). The on-yomi was the original way, but when kanji started to be used to write native Japanese words, new pronunciations were added¹. So, if you see a character pronounced one way in one word but differently in another, this is why!

Writing Kanji

Radicals

All kanji are made up of one or more radicals. A radical is simply a small symbol that, either by itself or when combined with other symbols, makes up a complete kanji character. Take, for instance, the radical 一. By itself, this is the complete kanji for ichi (one). But, it can be added with the radical亅to form the kanji 丁! There are 214 total radicals used in 13 different positions when forming kanji, though some radicals and positions are used more frequently than others. If you think of all kanji as being made up of these smaller radicals, then they will be easier to learn!

There are roughly four main types of kanji, based on how and why the radicals are arranged¹:

1. Pictograms

These kanji originally came from pictures, simply drawing the object itself to represent it in writing¹. It’s like writing “😊” to represent “smiley face” – just like emojis today! Take a look at 山 (yama, mountain) for example; doesn’t the character 山 remind you of how a mountain looks, with a pointy peak at the top?

2. Simple Ideograms

These kanji originally used lines and dots to “represent numbers or abstract concepts.¹” So, instead of drawing an object, you would try to visually represent the idea you wanted to convey. Take “up” and “down” for instance; drawing a dot above a line could represent “up” while a dot below a line would signify “down.” This is where 上 (ue, up) and 下 (shita, down) came from¹!

3. Compound Ideograms

Basically, these are kanji formed by combining two or more simpler kanji¹. The kanji used in 休む (yasumu, to rest), for example, is a combination of 人 (hito, person [often written as ⺅ when used as a radical]) and 木 (ki, tree)¹. A lot of the time, the two simpler kanji are chosen because of their connection to the resulting character. For 休, a person leaning against a tree would be resting – which is why 人 and 木 were chosen to form this character!  

4. Phonetic-ideographic Characters

These kanji are usually found when a character’s original on-yomi sounded like a native Japanese word, but the kanji associated with the sound didn’t represent the word’s meaning. So, to remedy this, those in the past added an additional kanji to clarify the meaning. In other words, these kanji are formed by combining one kanji that has the word’s pronunciation and another kanji that represents the word’s meaning. One example of this is the character for sei (clean). Water is generally associated with cleaning, so the kanji for water 水 (mizu, often written as ⺡) is added to the kanji 青 (sei, blue) to get 清 sei (clean).

As you can see, kanji are definitely more complex than hiragana or katakana, but don’t worry – there are plenty of simple kanji too! Plus, knowing the radicals and kanji types will help to make learning and remembering kanji easier. Knowing the stroke order, or the steps in which each character is written, can help make memorization easier too; check out this site to look up any kanji and see its stroke order (and other helpful information)!

Uses

Kanji is used for nouns, verb stems, and adjectives. So, kanji are used for most major words that you will encounter in everyday Japanese! While hiragana and katakana are crucial, you also can’t rely on just those when reading and writing; you have to learn kanji as well!

Example

Let’s take one last look at Bob, this time reading the sentence as it would be written in everyday Japanese:

私のペットの名前はボブです。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

Well, using kanji certainly makes the Japanese sentence shorter! In this case, the pronoun watashi (I) and the noun namae (name) use kanji. If there was a different verb in this sentence (like “look” or “ate”), then there would most likely be kanji there as well. Finally, using these new symbols makes the sentence even easier to read, as they are visually quite different than hiragana or katakana!

While all of this might seem overwhelming at first, it’s nothing you can’t handle with a little practice! Simply writing the kanji out is a great way to see how the radicals work together and to memorize their combinations; but, if you’re looking for something a little bit more high-tech, there are also some kanji apps we recommend you can use to practice as well!

Conclusion

Well, we certainly covered a lot of ground today! Let’s review everything to make sure you remember what we learned.

Japanese has three types of writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana is curvy, represents small syllables, and is used for grammatical information, particles, and native Japanese words! Katakana is straight, also represents small syllables, and is used for loanwords from other languages. Kanji are complex characters made up of radicals, represent a concept, a sound, or a mixture of the two, and are used for nouns, verb stems, and adjectives.

And those are the main points! Not so bad, right? You are now ready to start reading and writing Japanese like a pro! If you feel like you need more help though, feel free to reach out to us or join one of our many Japanese language classes here!

FAQ

What is the Japanese writing system?

The Japanese writing system uses Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji scripts.

What does Hiragana represents?

Hiragana represents native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb endings.

What does Katakana represents?

Katakana represents foreign words, loanwords, onomatopoeic words, and emphasis.

How many characters are there in hiragana and katakana?

There are 46 characters in each of the Hiragana and Katakana scripts.

What is the closet thing to English chracters?

There is no such thing as the Japanese alphabet, but the closest thing would be called hiragana and katakana.

How many kanji I should learn?

To be considered fluent in Japanese, you must learn from 1500 to 2500 kanji characters.

If you’re learning Japanese, you’ve probably heard of kanji — those intricate characters that make up a significant part of the written language. But with over 50,000 kanji characters, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder if you’ll ever be able to read and write kanji.

The good news is that you don’t need to know all 50,000 characters to be able to read and write proficiently in Japanese. Mastering just a few hundred kanji can take you a long way. 

But how do you know which ones to focus on? In this ultimate guide to mastering kanji, we’ll explore the most commonly used characters, how to learn them efficiently, and tips for retaining and applying your newfound knowledge. 

If you need personalized advice or support, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

What is kanji? 

Kanji is one of the three main scripts used in Japanese writing, along with hiragana and katakana. It consists of characters borrowed from the Chinese writing system, each representing a specific concept or idea. 

Why learning Kanji is important

Kanji is an essential component of the Japanese language. Unlike Hiragana and Katakana, which are phonetic scripts, Kanji is a logographic script that uses symbols to represent words or ideas. Japanese sentences can contain a mix of Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana, making it necessary to understand all three scripts to read and write in Japanese fluently.

Kanji is used extensively in Japanese literature, newspapers, magazines, and everyday communication. Kanji is also used in the names of businesses, streets, and buildings, making it an essential part of Japanese culture. Therefore, learning Kanji is crucial for anyone who wants to become fluent in Japanese.

But beyond that, as you improve your Japanese language skills, you’ll notice that reading texts with kanji is easier than just hiragana and katakana. Why? Kanji characters provide visual cues and help break the text into meaningful units. 

You must remember that, unlike English, written Japanese does not have spaces between particles or words. For example:

わたしはいぬがすきです。
Watashi wa inu ga suki desu.

Imagine reading a text in English like this:

Ilikedogs.

Not so readable, right? Now, if we change some of the hiragana into kanji, it would look like this:

私は犬が好きです。

Unlike hiragana or katakana, which consist of phonetic symbols, kanji characters have distinct shapes and visual patterns. Using kanji, written information can be conveyed more concisely than using only hiragana or katakana. This means you have a better chance of quickly grasping the overall meaning of a sentence.

How many kanji should you learn in a day?

The number of kanji characters you can learn daily will vary depending on various factors, including your learning style, available study time, and personal capabilities.

For now, we’ll reference the curriculum in Japanese classes. Most beginner to intermediate language classes will spend a section of the lesson learning 5 to 10 kanji characters per day. 

Now, this is different from more intensive classes, where you can expect to learn 20 kanji characters daily! Remember that the more advanced you get, the more complicated and less common the kanji will be, making learning even more difficult.

So it’s safe to say that learning around 5-10 kanji characters per day is manageable. Some people may be able to handle more, but most learners make the mistake of cramming as much kanji as possible before a test.

Our tip is: don’t do it. It’ll lead you to burnout, and you won’t be able to retain any of the new things you learned. It’s crucial to balance quantity with quality. Spending sufficient time to understand and retain each kanji’s meaning, readings, and stroke order is vital for long-term retention.

How many kanji do you need to know?

First, let’s use the number of kanji characters covered in each JLPT level.

For JLPT N5, which tests you on basic Japanese that you can often learn in a classroom environment, you’ll need to learn 100 kanji characters. If you learn 5-10 kanji per day, you’ll be able to reach your target in around 10-20 days.

For JLPT N4, you’ll have to learn additional 200 kanji characters — 300 kanji in total! Ideally, you can learn this in one to two months!

The JLPT N3 exam covers around 650 kanji. Of course, you do not have to know all of them to pass, but it’s impossible to predict which ones will be on the exam.

You’ll need to learn 1,000 kanji for JLPT N2, while it takes 2,000 kanji for JLPT N1!

By the time you are studying for the N1, you probably have already formed a solid study routine for Japanese kanji and vocabulary. Because the JLPT N1 tests you on a lot of kanji and vocabulary, it is most efficient to memorize the kanji based on its usage rather than its individual meaning and pronunciation. 

Now, to be considered fluent in Japanese, you need to know 1,500 to 2,500 kanji — roughly N2 or N1 level. 

While there are technically more than 50,000 kanji characters, there is something known as the joyo kanji  (常用漢字). Joyo kanji refers to a list of kanji characters that are designated as “regular-use kanji” by the Japanese government. The term “joyo” (常用) translates to “regular use” or “daily use.”

The current Joyo Kanji list was established by the Japanese Ministry of Education in 1981 and has undergone revisions since then. The list originally consisted of 1,945 kanji characters, but it was expanded to 2,136 characters in 2010. These characters are taught in Japanese schools and are considered fundamental for literacy in Japan.

8 steps to learning Kanji effectively

1. Learn basic Japanese words and writing systems first

If you are taking a beginner-level Japanese class, don’t expect the teachers to dive straight into kanji on the first day! Learning basic Japanese words and the writing systems of hiragana and katakana is generally recommended before diving into kanji. Understanding hiragana and katakana is fundamental for reading and writing Japanese because they represent the phonetic sounds of the language.

Building a foundation of basic vocabulary is also important because it allows you to understand and communicate in Japanese even without kanji. Learning essential words, phrases, and grammar structures will help you develop a solid understanding of the language’s structure and enable you to form simple sentences.

Once you grasp hiragana, katakana, and basic vocabulary, you can gradually introduce kanji into your studies. 

2. Set realistic goals

While making studying kanji a daily habit is important, let’s not forget about setting achievable goals! Think about how quickly you want to master the approximately 2,200 kanji needed for “newspaper fluency.” Is it realistically feasible for you?

Let’s say you want to tackle this kanji challenge within a year. That means you’ll need to learn around six to seven new kanji daily.

Would you be able to spend every day learning the new kanji? What about days when you are on vacation or when you are sick?

If you can commit to learning new kanji every day, that’s absolutely fantastic!

However, if you feel that learning at such a pace might be too much, don’t worry! Consider extending your timeline to two years or finding a pace that suits you best. Remember, it’s not a race! The key is to find a balance that makes learning kanji a sustainable part of your life without overwhelming yourself.

3. Learn kanji radicals

Kanji radicals, also known as bushu in Japanese, are the building blocks or components that form kanji characters. Radicals are essentially smaller, standalone characters or elements within a kanji character. They can convey meaning, provide a clue about pronunciation, or serve as a semantic indicator.

Learning radicals helps you understand kanji characters’ structure, meaning, and connections. It provides a foundation for building your kanji knowledge and makes learning more accessible and enjoyable. Let’s break it down with an example:

Imagine you come across a new kanji character: 森 (mori), which means “forest.” It consists of three tree radicals (木) stacked on each other.

 By recognizing the tree radical, you can make an educated guess about the general meaning of the character. Since you know that 木 means “tree,” you can infer that 森 might have something to do with trees or a forest.

Here are some common Japanese radicals along with their meanings and example kanji characters:

Radical	Meaning	Example Kanji	Meaning of Example Kanji
人 (ひと)	Person	休 (やす)	Rest
日 (ひ)	Sun	明 (あか)	Bright
月 (つき)	Moon	朝 (あさ)	Morning
木 (き)	Tree	林 (はやし)	Woods
火 (ひ)	Fire	灰 (はい)	Ashes
水 (みず)	Water	池 (いけ)	Pond
山 (やま)	Mountain	岩 (いわ)	Rock
口 (くち)	Mouth	唇 (くちびる)	Lips
心 (こころ)	Heart	愛 (あい)	Love
手 (て)	Hand	持 (も)	Hold

4. Compounds

If radicals are the smaller components or building blocks within kanji characters, then compound words in Japanese comprise multiple kanji characters. 

That’s right: when kanji characters are combined, they create new words called kanji compounds or jukugo. It’s similar to how letters form words. With enough kanji knowledge, you can start understanding the meaning and pronunciation of these compound words!

Here’s an example: Let’s take the kanji characters “日” (which means “sun” or “day”) and “本” (which means “origin” or “book”). Individually, they have their meanings, but when you put them together, you get the word “日本” (pronounced as “Nihon” or “Nippon”), which means “Japan.”

An important thing for learners is not to abandon learning kanji compounds. For example, you might know the kanji 人 (hito, nin), but what happens when this character is combined with other kanji? They can be:

• 二人: futari (two people)
• 社会人: shakaijin (working adult)
• 人間: ningen (humanity)

As you can see, when you are learning 1,000 kanji characters, you might also need to learn other mutations of the kanji compounds! By learning kanji compounds, you can understand and use a wider range of words in Japanese.

5. Practice writing kanji

Even if you are not a kinesthetic or visual learner, learning kanji is very much a visual aspect. We always find it more effective to practice writing kanji characters regularly to reinforce our understanding and muscle memory. Use grid paper or practice sheets that show the correct stroke order.

If you don’t have the time (or paper) to practice kanji on your desk, there are a lot of useful kanji learning apps like Kaizen that allow you to practice kanji strokes on your phone!

6. Learn the stroke orders

Learning the stroke order of kanji is useful for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures accuracy and legibility in your writing, as following the correct sequence and direction of strokes leads to consistent and clear characters. Secondly, understanding stroke order aids in character recognition and differentiation, as slight variations can distinguish between similar kanji. It also contributes to the memorization and retention of characters, as practicing stroke order reinforces visual and kinetic memory. Additionally, stroke order is important for calligraphy, enhancing the aesthetics and balance of your written kanji. Learning stroke order improves writing accuracy, character recognition, and memorization and contributes to the visual appeal of written kanji.

7. Utilize flashcards or spaced repetition 

Learning to read kanji is just as important as learning to write them. One easy way to practice reading kanji is using smartphone apps like Anki or Flashcards Deluxe. These apps use a special technique called spaced repetition, which helps you remember kanji more effectively.

Here’s how it works: You can create your flashcards with kanji on one side and their meanings or pronunciations on the other. You can also make flashcards with sentences that include kanji or even try to write the kanji for words in your native language. The great thing about spaced repetition is that it learns from you. If you get a kanji right, it will show up less frequently. But if you struggle with a particular kanji, it will appear more often until you get the hang of it.

Using these apps makes learning kanji fun and personalized to your needs. Give it a try and see how your reading skills improve!

8. Incorporate a lot of reading 

You don’t have to be an advanced Japanese language student to start reading Japanese media.

If you’re an intermediate-level learner, try reading your favorite Japanese manga in Japanese. Thankfully, most of them use day-to-day Japanese, and the kanji are equipped with furigana. This gives you a good cushion to transition from reading in full hiragana and katakana to reading in kanji!

Websites, blogs, and social media platforms are excellent resources for finding Japanese texts to immerse yourself in. Explore topics that interest you, whether Japanese language, culture, or specific genres. Make your study sessions exciting by incorporating materials that you love.

If you prefer audiovisual content, websites like Crunchyroll offer cartoons and movies. Aim for kids’ anime and turn on the Japanese subtitles. You can watch and follow along to improve your listening and reading skills simultaneously.

NHK’s News Web Easy is another valuable resource. It provides simplified news articles in simple Japanese, allowing you to gauge your kanji level and practice reading in a real-world context.

Check out: 10 Most Difficult Kanji

Common mistakes to avoid when learning Kanji

Learning Kanji can be challenging, and beginners make some common mistakes. Here are some mistakes to avoid when learning Kanji:

1. Neglecting Stroke Order

Pay attention to the correct stroke order when writing kanji. Following the proper stroke order helps with character recognition and writing fluency. Skipping or altering strokes may make it harder to recognize and reproduce kanji accurately.

3. Focusing Solely on Memorization

Don’t approach kanji as mere memorization of individual characters. Understand the meaning, radicals, and components of kanji. Recognize how kanji are combined to form words and grasp their context and sentence usage.

4. Overlooking Context and Vocabulary

Kanji should be learned in context. Learning the meaning and readings of kanji characters without understanding their usage in words and phrases can limit your comprehension. Study vocabulary and phrases that incorporate the kanji to reinforce their practical application.

Ignoring Reading Variations: Kanji characters can be read multiple times, including on-yomi (Chinese) and kun-yomi (Japanese). Avoid assuming that a single kanji has only one reading. Pay attention to the context and usage of the kanji to determine the appropriate reading.

For example, let’s look at the kanji character for “book” (書)

Learning the individual kanji character is useful, but understanding that it represents “book” and is commonly used in words such as “library” (図書館) or “reading” (読書) provides important context for its usage.

5. Rushing Through the Learning Process

Kanji is a complex aspect of the Japanese language that requires time and consistent practice. Avoid rushing through large numbers of kanji without proper understanding or retention. Focus on quality over quantity and establish a regular study routine.

Avoid attempting to learn many kanji characters in a short period. Instead, focus on studying a manageable amount each day and reinforce your understanding through practice and review.

6. Lack of Review and Reinforcement

Regular review is crucial for retaining kanji knowledge. Without proper reinforcement, kanji characters can be forgotten over time. Incorporate review sessions and practice writing kanji to strengthen your memory and recognition skills.

This is also why it’s still good to do regular flashcard drills. Try to spend 30 minutes a day to drill the kanji you have learned previously!

Remember, don’t just review the kanji shape itself. Review both the meaning, kanji compounds, and different onyomi and kunyomi.

7. Not Using Various Learning Resources

Utilize a variety of resources to enhance your kanji learning experience. Combine textbooks, online resources, flashcards, mnemonic techniques, and even kanji games to reinforce your understanding and retention of kanji.

Conclusion

Learning Kanji can be challenging, but it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience with a step-by-step approach. Start by learning the basics, including the radicals and strokes, and then move on to learning the Joyo Kanji characters. Remember to practice regularly, use online resources, and avoid common mistakes. Following these tips and tricks, you can become a Kanji master and open up new opportunities in Japan.

Start taking Japanese lessons and master kanji!

Let us know how we can help you achieve your Japanese language target. If you’re unsure where you are, we provide a Japanese level check. 

FAQ

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Do you struggle with writing Japanese Kanji?  Can’t seem to grasp how to remember the order of the strokes and positions? Many Japanese learners out there are also feeling the same pain.

With smartphones, desktops and tablets, you can study and practice Japanese kanji wherever you go! You don’t necessarily need to have a quiet environment and a desk to pull out your pen and notebook, just a simple smartphone will do.

In this blog, we have compiled some of the popular Japanese study apps that you can download to kickstart your Kanji learning

Just started learning Japanese? Head to our main article about the Japanese writing system for a more comprehensive guide on hiragana, katakana and kanji!

1. Kaizen Languages: Japanese

Kaizen Languages Japanese app has a Kanji writing section in the app that contains broad study material from JLPT N5 to N1 level. Each JLPT level has more than 10 sets of Kanjis, where you can study the kanjis, take the reading quiz and a writing quiz. When taking the kanji writing quiz, the app provides the English word: the on and kun reading of the kanji. This allows you to guess what kanji to write. If you are ever stuck on the question, you can ask for a hint that displays the dotted line of the kanji, or the individual stroke of the kanji.

 

The unique characteristic of this Kaizen Japanese app is that you can learn a new language through conversing with their AI robots. Through this method, you can learn Japanese in the most natural way possible, though common Japanese phrases rather than the unnatural textbook phrases not commonly used till this day.

Iphone

Android – coming soon

2. Learn Japanese! – Kanji

We all know there is no shortcut to learning a language, and in order to do so vocabulary build up is as important as grammar lessons. The great thing about this app is that they make you remember how to write, read, and understanding the vocabulary through repetition. This apps offers a wide array of kanjis from JLPT N5-N1 to practice.

    

The order of study method with this app is, they first give you two vocabularies they want you to remember. In this case, it is the two kanjis 一(ichi) and 二(ni). Both flashcards contain the kanji, the hiragana reading and the English translation. Each flashcards also have an audio playback function. When you proceed, the app asks you to write and trace the given kanji.

 

After practicing, the app will test you to match the kanji with the hiragana reading. It also quizes you on the English meaning with the hiragana reading. This app uses a number of combinations to test your knowledge and memorization of the vocabulary. Within the two kanjis, the repetition of quizzing you on kanji will help you to remember the reading, as well as practice writing numerous times.

Iphone

3. Kanji Teacher – Learn Japanese

Kanji Teacher learning app separates itself from the others in the way that it absolutely does not let you pass onto the next kanji, if you did not write the kanji in the correct order of strokes. If your phone is on a buzzer, it will vibrate, letting you know you missed the right kanji order. After correcting yourself and writing the correct stroke, they will highlight the area where you have made a mistake and you can compare to the current kanji you wrote, opposed to the kanji you wrote wrongly.

Proper steps to write this kanji on the right vs How I wrongly wrote it

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4. Kanji GO – Learn Japanese

This app serves as a vocabulary dictionary. Users can look at N5 kanji, understand the meaning in English, as well as memorize the multiple “kun” and “on” readings of the kanji. When studying for the kanji, there is play function, where users are able to see the stroke order of the kanji. The users then can select the pen function where there is the kanji guided line for users to practice writing it themselves. Another benefits of this study app, is that while tracing the guided kanji lines, there is a green and red circle at each end, signaling where to start and end. This is very helpful in helping Japanese learners write the kanji not only for the correct stroke order, but stroke direction as well.

The only downsides of the app is that JLPT N4-N1 are additional paid features, and that the quizzes do not test users on kanji writing, rather the kanji definition, “kun” and “on” readings.

Iphone

Android

5. imiwa?

Imiwa? app is a superb study app that serves as a dictionary and a kanji learning application as well. You can search words that you do not know, which translates in English for you, and vice versa if you search in English. It also is an educational app for those that are aiming to ace the JLPT exams, where there is a section that seperates all the kanji within the 5 categories. When coming across the unfamiliar kanji, details of “on” and “kun” reading is shown. There is an animated demonstration of writing the kanji. The kanji is also translated in English, Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish and Portugeuse making the app very globally friendly.

 

Kanjis categorized in JLPT levels             App used as a dictionary

Iphone

Web

Bonus: Kanji Practice N1, N2, N4, N5

This is a fun app for users to simple practice writing kanji. You can choose to practice kanji from the 1st to 6th grade elementary kanji. This app is fairly simple, you just select whatever kanji you’d like to go over. The app gives you a variety of pen colors, and you can use that to trace the guided kanji strokes.

These are just a few samples of many – looking for more suggestions?  We have some other ways to learn and practice Kanji for you 

If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.

While travelling in Japan, have you ever got lost in the complicated train network? Japan has the most complicated railway systems in the world. Don’t worry, let’s learn some common kanji you will see in the station with our free download Kanji Worksheet.

Click here to download: FREE Kanji Writing Practice Sheet – JLPT N2 Unit 5 In Station – PDF

To learn more N2 kanji related to themes such as “Hot spring holiday”, “Recruitment” and “ Button” (total 14 units) You can download the full workbook here

Are you looking to pass the JLPT N2? Enrollment for our Online JLPT N2 Prep Course is OPEN!

Click here to get the full N2 Kanji writing workbook – Digital Download

https://cotoacademy.com/navigate-japanese-train-platforms-illustrated-guide/
https://cotoacademy.com/read-shinkansen-tickets-japan/
https://cotoacademy.com/support/free-jlpt-kanji-writing-worksheet-pdfs-for-jlpt/

If you are planning to work in Japan, or finding a part-time job during your time studying in Japan. The business level Japanese skills are required in most cases. Before you start job hunting in Japan, let’s learn some kanji with our Kanji worksheet.

Our Business Japanese course designed to help you reach Japanese business fluency with an eye towards career advancement.

You can also level up your Japanese business emails with our online course.

Click here to download: FREE Kanji Writing Practice Sheet – JLPT N2 Unit 4 Recruitment – PDF

Click here to get the full N2 Kanji writing workbook – Digital Download

https://cotoacademy.com/course/business-japanese-language-course-tokyo/
https://cotoacademy.com/course/jlpt-prep-course/
https://cotoacademy.com/support/free-jlpt-kanji-writing-worksheet-pdfs-for-jlpt/

Are you struggling with stroke order? You’re not alone.
Some kanji have more than a few strokes to remember.
That is why we are so happy to share about this!
Kanjibro is a new tool for finding the stroke order of most common Kanji (Kanji that appear in open source Japanese dictionaries.)
Using Kanjibro to find stroke order is simple:

1. Visit https://kanjibro.ninja
2. Type your kanji in the search (You can also paste it)
3. The animated stroke order will pop up for each kanji.

It’s that simple.
One great thing about this tool and one that we’re very proud of – is that Kanjibro is made by one of our students.
Here is his message about the project:

When I started to learn Japanese a year and a half ago, the difficulty to take notes was the most frustrating bit while learning. (to take notes is probably the best way to process and retain information I think.) So after discussion with my Japanese pals and classmates, the idea of being able to take notes, and therefore writing kanji without making any mistakes, became a crucial need.
We checked google but there was no “simple” solution allowing us to paste a sentence, check how to write it, and then proceed out conversation in Japanese.
With this tool our classes or sessions started to be way much more productive. As we weren’t spending too much time trying to write kanji. Basically after class or a conversation session, we were able to study each kanji properly on our own.
I’m glad to hear this tool is useful! 😀

If you’re looking to learn how to practice writing kanji – you may also be interested in our kanji writing worksheets.
These worksheets provide an easy way to practice Japanese writing and also have stroke order diagrams that teach you the correct order of the strokes.

If you’d like to see all of the available JLPT Kanji Writing Workbooks – please visit Coto Kanji Writing Workbooks

If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.

For foreigners living in Japan, reading food labels may be particularly challenging. In this Kanji worksheet, we sort out some common kanji to help you understand the information written on Japanese food labels and packaging.

To learn more N2 kanji related to themes such as “Food”, “Advertising” and “ Signboards” (total 14 units), You can download the full workbook here !

Are you looking to pass the JLPT N2? Enrollment for our Online JLPT N2 Prep Course is OPEN!

Click here to download: FREE Kanji Writing Practice Sheet – JLPT N2 Unit 3 On package – PDF

Click here to get the full N2 Kanji writing workbook – Digital Download

https://cotoacademy.com/japanese-food-label-vocabulary-guide/
https://cotoacademy.com/support/free-jlpt-kanji-writing-worksheet-pdfs-for-jlpt/

In this new Kanji worksheet, we are going to learn how to write some body parts. For example, 腕(arm), 腰(waist) and 肩(shoulder).

To learn more N2 kanji related to themes such as “Food”, “Advertising” and “ Signboards” (total 14 units), You can download the full workbook here !
Are you looking to pass the JLPT N2? Enrollment for our Online JLPT N2 Prep Course is OPEN!
Click here to download: FREE Kanji Writing Practice Sheet – JLPT N2 Unit 2 Body Parts – PDF

Click here to get the full N2 Kanji writing workbook – Digital Download

https://cotoacademy.com/support/free-jlpt-kanji-writing-worksheet-pdfs-for-jlpt/
https://cotoacademy.com/kanji-practice-worksheet-free-download-jlpt-n2-unit-1-household-goods-pdf/
https://cotoacademy.com/course/jlpt-prep-course/

If you are interested in studying Japanese, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.