So, anki really doesn’t work for me, the only thing that I found was working is wanikani. I don’t know but the way it introduces vocab and kanji is really good. So, how could I incorporate this into my mining deck? Because for example today I had 19 cards and my retention rate was 0%.
TLDR: I need a method/way of tackling new kanji, because just looking at them and trying to associate them with the reading/meaning doesn’t work.
8 comments
I don’t use it myself, but it sounds like this add-on, Kanji God, could be perfect for you: [https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1872210448](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1872210448)
You reviewed 19 cards in anki and you’re retention rate was 0?
Probably need more info, what’s your vocab like? Where are you with Japanese? Did you use your own deck in Anki or download one? Did you read the Anki manual?
Basically you can learn Kanji with or without vocab. Learning without is, you just learn to recognize symbols but they aren’t too useful that way. But the idea with this approach is you learn vocab later.
Learning with vocab is, you learn vocabulary that you encounter somewhere, like in a textbook or in a book. But you need to be *able* to tell the symbols apart and recognize them too, so you still need that ability you would have gained from learning them without vocab.
I similarly had issues with Anki as I like the ‘lesson feature’ of WaniKani a lot. It helps me to take time to learn the word as opposed to brute forcing. I’ve started to use Kitsun.io and they do the ‘lesson feature’ there, either via community decks or decks that you made. You can also import previous anki decks. Highly recommend it! It’s helped a lot for me in conjunction with WK.
>because just looking at them and trying to associate them with the reading/meaning doesn’t work.
Try writing it when it comes up, at least the first few times. The first time, when it’s new, it’s better to really study the vocabulary/kanji, than just take a quick glance. And when reviewing, write it so you can easier remember.
WK is building up your kanji with the simpler ones first, radicals and mnemonics. It then gives you vocab based on the kanji learnt. If you’re mining then you are removing all that structure and initial learning – it sounds like a complete waste of time to me. Why not continue with WK or at least use a WK inspired, pre-made deck or similar (KKLC etc)?
Wanikani is far superior then Anki for learning Kanji. I have a buddy who uses Wanikani, but as he finished Genki 2, had like 50 % above the understanding of each Kanji and more, then if he would have used Anki or Genki by itself.
Use sentences for your cards.