Kanji!

Hello, loyal readers.

I haven't checked in lately because I've been バタバタしている！Anyway, I've been putting a serious effort into studying kanji over the last month, maybe, and it's been so helpful. I'd really avoided kanji for some reason. Maybe it was overwhelming, maybe I just didn't know how to study. Anki has been unbelievably helpful. I really rely on it as a tool to remind me when I'm starting to forget characters. I bought a kanji notebook with squares to write the characters in, and the paper and pen I use are nice, so I enjoy it. You, however, can print out sheets at home on your own paper.

At this, point, I'd estimate I can recognize probably 3 or 400 characters, which is an immense improvement over a month or two ago. Writing-wise, I'd say I can write maybe 200. It's hard to tell because I use Tuttle's Kanji and Kana: a Complete Guide to the Japanese Writing System, which lists the characters from a kanji-learning point-of-view, whereas the deck I'm learning from is Minna no Nihongo, which teaches from a vocabulary/speaking perspective.

Actually, I just looked at how many characters I've learned from the deck, and I'm at 272. Wow! I also know some from outside the deck, but I'd say I'm still under 300.

Let me tell you that it was right around 200 or 250, maybe that the kanji really started to gel. I see the same radicals over and over, and it's so helpful. I'd done Western calligraphy before, so I was fairly familiar with strokes and such, but the Japanese stroke order has really started to gel. I spend probably 25% of the time (or less) that I used to learning the characters. Many of the new characters I encounter I already understand how to write, but I check my book to be sure.

I've really enjoyed learning kanji so far, and it has really informed and enhanced my learning. What's been your journey with kanji?