Kanji are logographic characters used in written Japanese that were originally borrowed from Chinese. Kanji can have multiple pronunciations depending on context and provide clues to a word's meaning but not necessarily its pronunciation. This course will teach students to recognize kanji elements and radicals and how they are combined to form more complex kanji. Students will be given keywords and mnemonics to help remember the elements, radicals, and kanji. The goal is to remember the kanji and their keywords through writing practice and using the mnemonics if a kanji is forgotten.

1. Before You Begin
Introduction to Japanese kanji
How to use this course

2. Introduction to kanji
Written Japanese uses kanji characters, originally borrowed from Chinese, together with
the native Japanese scripts hiragana and katakana.
Kanji differ from alphabets:
➢One kanji may have more than one pronunciation, depending on context
楽 raku “ease” 音楽 ongaku “music”
楽しい tanoshii “fun”
➢Kanji have core meanings
楽 → pleasure, enjoyment

3. Introduction to kanji
➢If you recognize the letters of an alphabet, you can guess how a word is
pronounced, but you may not know the meaning.
➢If you recognize kanji, you can guess what a word means, but you may not know
the pronunciation.
➢Kanji function in Japanese much like Greek and Latin words in English.
unicycle = uni “one” + cycle “wheel”
一輪車 = 一 “one” + 輪 “wheel” + 車 “vehicle”
➢Recognizing kanji makes it easier to read native Japanese. It can also help you to
learn and remember new words.

4. How to use this course
Modern Japanese uses more than 2000 kanji, but most of these kanji are built from a
smaller set of simple parts or elements. If you remember the parts used, you can also
remember even complicated kanji. We will first learn how to write these kanji elements,
and then some of the kanji that use them.
➢We will give you an English keyword (a basic meaning) for each element and kanji.
➢Complex kanji have a “mem” (a mnemonic) using the element keywords.
○ You do not have to use the “official” mems. Add your own
pictures/hints/stories, or look at your classmates’ mems and choose your
favorite.
○ Use whichever language you prefer.

5. How to use this course
➢Your goal: remember the kanji and its keyword.
○ When a new kanji or kanji element is introduced,
■ check the keyword
■ read the mem
■ write the kanji, copying the stroke order
○ If you forget a kanji during a quiz,
■ check the mem
■ practice writing the kanji again