Or should I go straight into Kanji + Kana? I’ve learned Chinese for a long while so it’s HELLLLA confusing when Kanji has similar meanings but totally different spellings/syllables. The way I learned Chinese characters was by natural exposure over the course of years. I’m moving to Japan in June so I know I’ll have lots of natural exposure once I get there. But for now living in China, it makes my brain hurt 😂 Is it useful to actively learn Kana only and gain Kanji the way I slowly learned Chinese? Thoughts?
I should make it clear I fully intend to learn Kanji. But at the absolute beginner stage, when I already have a foundational understand as Kanji in Chinese, is it better to just focus on kana for now?
3 comments
Since you already technically have experience with 漢字, you have no reason to delay it. In your case it would just be more of a matter of learning Japanese vocabulary. Unless you’re already conversationally fluent in Japanese, you’ll need to learn vocabulary anyway. I suspect trying to resist the instinct to fall back on Chinese pronunciations would help you not get things confused.
I think you’ll be fine. Most material at the beginners level is written in only kana too since there is an assumption most beginners are not familiar with 漢字. You’re not like most beginners since you already have prior exposure, just not in a Japanese context. Hopefully, you’re already familiar with the general gist of writing them, radicals, how to tell apart similar looking characters, how to use a dictionary etc. which puts you ahead of others at your level.
I’m also assuming that you’re in mainland China, meaning that you’re reading simplified characters. Japan simplified using different methods and did not go as far as the PRC, so japanese kanji are actually more similar to traditional characters in HK and Taiwan. I think it would be better to at least try and get used to them. I’ve heard learning traditional after simplified tends to be a bit harder but I don’t know personally.
i think it’s fine either way but the sooner you start kanji the better. i think you’ll be surprised at how easy it becomes- your experience with hanzi will be much more of a benefit than a hindrance as you get more experience with kanji!