漢字
Kanji
Learning Kanji
Whether you're just starting to learn Japanese or you have been studying for a while, you'll quickly find that it is crucial to be able to quickly read the Chinese characters that the written language uses to express many complex ideas: Kanji.
Especially if you're just beginning your Japanese journey, we recommend starting with our Reading and Writing in Japanese series to learn more about how Kanji functions and how it differs from the English alphabet you're reading this in right now.
Once you have the basics down, see below for some resources that will help you to memorize Kanji characters and practice their writing, sourced from Wikipedia and Japanese learning site ちびむすドリル.
Kyouiku Kanji List
In Japan, Kanji are learned according to the 教育漢字 (kyouiku kanji) list, maintained by the Japanese Ministry of Education. It consists of 1,026 Kanji, organized by grade level.
By age 11, Japanese schoolchildren typically master all of these characters. Explore the full list hosted by Wikipedia, showing the writing and pronunciation of each character.
Grade-Level Kanji Flashcards
Download PDFs for flashcards covering each grade level's Kyouiku Kanji. These focus on teaching the meanings of each Kanji with images and examples.
Although the flashcards include Hiragana pronunciations, they may not be ideal for beginner pronunciation practice.
Jyouyou Kanji List
Beyond the Kyouiku Kanji, the Japanese Ministry of Education maintains a 常用漢字 (jyouyou kanji) list with 2,136 characters. This list covers all Kanji taught through Japanese compulsory education, including secondary school.
Mastering this list will equip you to read government documents and newspapers in Japan. Explore the full list, sortable by number and grade level.
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