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Kanji ABC: A Systematic Approach to Japanese Characters
Kanji ABC simplifies the task of memorizing the 1,945 Joyo Kanji using a unique method that reveals the structure and the pictures that make up the kanji by dividing complex kanji into graphemes.
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1992
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December 20, 2012
While based on a sound concept- introducing several basic characters and radicals as semantic elements and then employing them as mnemonics to facilitate effective retention of the 2,136 jouyou Kanji, I found this book lacking in reinforcing techniques.
The general philosophy with Kanji, like in any other facet of language learning, is use it or lose it. Usage of such mental images as 'floating spirit = infidelity「浮気」' notwithstanding, characters will quickly fade from memory if not read in context. Assimil's 'Writing Japanese with Ease' dealt with this in an exemplary manner, by providing texts of ascending levels of difficulty at the end of the book, progressively incorporating each new set of characters. The first nine Kanji introduced in the book, for example, are 第、一、課、早、行、暑、練、習、言、葉。
And then there's a corresponding reading in one of the appendices:
第一課：「早く、行きましょう！」「わかりましたか、どこへ？」「あそこへ？暑いですね！」「言葉の練習しましょう！」
Assimil has its own pitfalls, however. Cutting short less than halfway through the jouyou list.
I find Kanji ABC somewhat incomplete without an accompanying set of graded readings. However, I still believe it's an amazing asset in learning Japanese and would recommend it to all fellow Nihongo-philes, just with one word of caution: don't use this book as your sole resource for gaining literacy in Japanese.
The general philosophy with Kanji, like in any other facet of language learning, is use it or lose it. Usage of such mental images as 'floating spirit = infidelity「浮気」' notwithstanding, characters will quickly fade from memory if not read in context. Assimil's 'Writing Japanese with Ease' dealt with this in an exemplary manner, by providing texts of ascending levels of difficulty at the end of the book, progressively incorporating each new set of characters. The first nine Kanji introduced in the book, for example, are 第、一、課、早、行、暑、練、習、言、葉。
And then there's a corresponding reading in one of the appendices:
第一課：「早く、行きましょう！」「わかりましたか、どこへ？」「あそこへ？暑いですね！」「言葉の練習しましょう！」
Assimil has its own pitfalls, however. Cutting short less than halfway through the jouyou list.
I find Kanji ABC somewhat incomplete without an accompanying set of graded readings. However, I still believe it's an amazing asset in learning Japanese and would recommend it to all fellow Nihongo-philes, just with one word of caution: don't use this book as your sole resource for gaining literacy in Japanese.
Displaying 1 of 1 review