I passed the sixth level tests on Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu Kanzenhan (なぞっておぼえる大人の漢字練習完全版) for the Nintendo DS. This means I can read and write about as good as a Japanese kid finishing elementary school. I could probably pass Level 5 of the Japanese Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定試験). To get through the sixth level on Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu Kanzenhan means you have mastered all of the kyoiku kanji (教育漢字) or about 1,000 kanji. I can probably read another few hundred, but I probably can’t write many more. That will all change as I continue my Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu Kanzenhan studies.

The joyo kanji include almost twice that many characters. The next 900+ that I learn/relearn are known as the other general use characters. Although they aren’t as common, it’s important to learn them in addition to the kyoiku kanji as you’ll be looking up lots of characters if you don’t.

When I previously mentioned passing the fifth level I showed you some of the screens in Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu Kanzenhan. Here are some more for a different part of the Nintendo DS “game.” These deal with its kanji lookup capabilities.

Let’s say you come across a kanji that you don’t know. On the main screen, above, click on 書き順検索.

You’ll be presented with a blank screen on the bottom. The top screen basically says to write the character on the lower screen and then select the character that will appear on the left that is the one you are trying to write. Stroke order and neatness are not important. I’ve yet to have the kanji I’ve drawn not appear as the top selection on the left.

I wrote this character in; notice that four possible matches magically appear on the left of the kanji I drew. The top one looks good so I select it.

The “game” now provides me with a screen on the bottom where I can practice writing the character using proper stroke order. I also get, from the top screen, the on and kun readings of the character. No, there is no English translation here, but it is still pretty cool don’t you think?

My Japanese Coach for the Nintendo DS is supposed to be available in mid-October of 2008. I will give you a full review soon after my pre-ordered copy has arrived. I’m guessing that it won’t be as good as Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu Kanzenhan for Intermediate and Advanced level students of Japanese but will probably be very good for beginners, including those who can’t read hiragana or katakana yet.

Posted on September 23rd, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, my japanese coach, Nazotte Oboeru Otona no Kanji Renshuu. Comments: 1

I just discovered a site that, while not new or updated recently, provides some nice little Japanese reading practices. Check out http://www.geocities.com/easykanji.

The above site is worthwhile regardless of your current level in the language (assuming you know at least hiragana, katakana, and the most basic of kanji). There are passages for beginner through advanced levels. Don’t know a word in the reading? No problem. Just click on it and a reading and definition appear. It’s that easy.

Posted on September 22nd, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Free, online Japanese reading practice

I’ve been having a marvelous time reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Japanese (ハリー・ポッターと秘密の部屋). I’m more than halfway through it, and have found it most enjoyable (and useful in improving and refreshing my Japanese skills). In anticipation of finishing it soon, I just purchased a number of books in Japanese via eBay.

If you don’t live in a big city outside of Japan, you, too, probably have a hard time finding books in Japanese. There is an alternative I have recently found. Check out http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl.

At the above link you can put in any Japanese webpage and actually read it in Japanese even if you don’t know all of the kanji readings or meanings. As you mouse over any unknown characters you will get the reading (sort of like furigana on the fly) and the meaning. So it is even better than furigana (since furigana doesn’t provide any meaning for unknown words).

If you are just beginning your Japanese studies the rikai site won’t be of much use, but those at the upper beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels of Japanese language ability should find it very helpful.

If you want to link to a page in Japanese and give it this mouse-over ability it isn’t difficult to do so. For instance, if you want to link to an online Japanese novel like this one: http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~pt_kloss/yamanoha/yamanoha.htm the “special” link is http://www.rikai.com/perl/LangMediator.En.pl?mediate_uri=http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~pt_kloss/yamanoha/yamanoha.htm.

Posted on September 15th, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments: 1

As I’ve previously mentioned, I really like “Nazotte…” for the Nintendo DS for Kanji review and practice. It’s mobile, and you can learn lots of new vocabulary in the process as well.

For a little different take, while I’m on the computer I’ve found this site to be very good:

http://www.manythings.org/kanji/q/

It’s especially useful for getting a kanji you are studying, or having problems remembering, to really stick in your head. What I really like is how it focuses on the most common vocabulary and jukugo.

If you aren’t quite at the kanji level yet, click on the “romaji” or “kana” link at the top of the page for Japanese learning more in line with your current abilities.

Happy studies!

Posted on September 8th, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Kanji quizzes

Continuing yesterday’s discussion of Japanese for beginners, I recently found this file: http://www.kanjicafe.com/Reading.pdf which looks pretty useful for those looking to learn katakana, hiragana, and some vocabulary along the way.

I stumbled on it rather by accident. As previously mentioned, I check in daily at Kanji-a-day to review four kanji. Recently the site has shown a neat little stroke order diagram underneath the kanji. Under the diagram is a kanjicafe.com copyright notice so I decided to check out kanjicafe.com.

The site is very confusing and difficult to follow, but if you don’t mind the learning curve there is some good stuff on it for improving any level of Japanese proficiency. I’ve been experimenting with the “Ice Mocha” the last few days and have found it useful (although not user friendly in the initial stages). Those studying for the JLPT exams will not want to miss it.

Posted on September 2nd, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Kanji Cafe