So I've been trying to learn kanji and japanese for a while since I want to go to Japan at some point in the near future.
When I am studying I usually go over parts I've done rather than progress which is a problem I have. Especially when I forget a lot of the parts I've gone over.
It's been killing my motivation as I don't want learning it to feel like a chore.
I only can remember basic sentences on introducing myself, talking about myself and how to write 1-100 in Kanji. Those are stuck with me.
I really want to learn Japanese but the problem is getting started properly in an organized way so I can remember easier.
I'd also like to know any ways of making it a little more enjoyable while studying if anyone has any ideas as that's another thing that's been damaging my motivation. I also think it could help make things easier to remember as well.
Thanks for reading and I hope you can give me an idea or two. :)
A great way to remember kanji (and everything, really) is to attach a story to it. There's a book called "Remembering kanji" by James W. Heisig, which is about understanding why they are the way they are, finding similarities between the cubes and reality, and making up stories.
For an example: 早<em> This kanji is actually a picture of the 3rst flower of the day,</em><em> which we shall, in defiance of botanical science, call the sunfl</em><em>ower, since it begins with the element for sun and is held up</em><em> on a stem with leaves (the pictographic representation of the</em><em> final two strokes). This time, however, we shall ignore the pic</em><em>tograph and imagine sunflowers with needles for stems, which</em>
<em>can be plucked and used to darn your socks.</em>..
There's also a more humorous version - WaniKani, but it's beta, and there is not much to it.
WaniKani example: 勹 <em>This radical encloses a lot of things (or at least tries to enclose things). It's like a big latchy box that goes around something and then chomps down to enclose it, making this the enclosure radical. Imagine something like this trying to come down from the sky to enclose you. Scary looking, right?</em>
If you cannot help but fail to remember, make your own story. There is no need for following their mad ideas about what the kanji represents. The more complicated kanji are tough, tho. What I would do is just enjoy the drawing process of the kanji. Unless you hate that stuff.
I use a anki app that I download on my phone you can create and download other decks to help you remember. I also use memerise as well download on my phone to remember grammar points and vocab at the same time. Also buy books in Japanese that you are interested in to help your Japanese as well be entertain at the same time.
Here a website that you can look at men magazines online for free
http://www.vvshu.com/view/mensknuckle/201002/
Of course reading manga helps the process of learning new vocab as well.
Good Luck!
