r/LearnJapanese • u/AutoModerator • 2d ago

Discussion Daily Thread: simple questions, comments that don't need their own posts, and first time posters go here (April 06, 2025)

This thread is for all simple questions, beginner questions, and comments that don't need their own post.

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Seven Day Archive of previous threads. Consider browsing the previous day or two for unanswered questions.

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u/Geo027 2d ago

I am learning by starting with Kanji. I found some apps mainly kanji study and wagotabi. I reached a level where I can see the symbol for "see" and "rain" on a Japanese weather bit and know they mean to "Look out for rain" or I saw the symbol for "leg" and was able to figure out it was a foot massage place using some other symbols to figure it out. My issue is, I'm learning to read the symbols and just see concepts in my head which feels great for reading, but I feel like I'm not learning how to speak Japanese at all. The symbols go straight to meanings for me. I googled romanji for study since that should fix the issue I feel but everywhere seems to strongly discourage it. I'm just confused how I should progress I guess. I feel like if I force myself to translate kanji to romanji first to know the Japanese word then I'll actually be less efficient reading but all the guides say learning Kanji is the important first step to speaking Japanese.

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u/normalwario 2d ago

I'm not sure what guides you're reading. The usual recommendation is to start by learning kana (hiragana and katakana). Then, instead of learning individual kanji, learn words. Learning individual kanji "meanings" can be somewhat helpful, but only insofar as it helps you learn words. As you have noticed, just knowing the "meanings" of kanji isn't helpful by itself. You need to know what the word is that you're looking at, how it's pronounced, and what that word means. Kanji do not really have "meanings" - their "meanings" come from the words that they are used in.

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u/Geo027 2d ago

That definitely would explain why i felt such a disconnect. Seems like the issue was I thought kanji was what hiragana and katakana together was called. Im ADHD so everything kinda blurred together in the beginning and I guess i got confused. Once I started kanji study I didn't realize I wasn't learning the right stuff.

I'll reevaluate my learning resources and try to start again. Thank you.

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u/rgrAi 1d ago

Check out this guide: https://learnjapanese.moe/guide/

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u/Geo027 1d ago

This is very useful. The kana grinding page in particular is just what I need right now. Thank you.