20/09/2025
What’s the best order to learn Kanji? 🤔
If you’re learning Japanese, chances are you’ve asked yourself this question:
“With so many Kanji characters, where should I even begin?”
The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But there are smarter ways to build your Kanji foundation step by step, and choosing the right order can save you time and frustration.
Start with the most useful Kanji: A good starting point is to focus on JLPT N5 and N4 Kanji, which cover many basic and commonly used characters. These are the Kanji you’ll see in everyday life, on signs, menus, and beginner books. Mastering them gives you a solid base to move on to more advanced levels later. You can commence with the list of N5 Kanji below (from Pin)
Learn Kanji with vocabulary, not alone: Kanji is rarely used in isolation. Learning a character together with the vocabulary it appears in helps you understand both its meaning and real usage. For example, learning 学 (study) is much easier when you see it in 学生 (student) or 学校 (school). This approach gives you better recall and helps you apply what you've learned in real situations.
This is something I really like about the MochiKanji app. It doesn’t just teach you isolated Kanji, it helps you learn them through real vocabulary, with clear meanings, audio, example sentences, and even images. Each word includes the Kanji in context, so you're learning naturally. This makes it easier to remember and apply what you've learned. Plus, based on your learning history, it will automatically calculate the appropriate time and remind you to revise what you learned. 便利ですね！！
Understand Radicals: Radicals are the building blocks of Kanji. Many characters are made up of smaller parts (called 部首 bushu), which often give you clues about the meaning or reading. For example, the radical 氵 (three water drops) appears in words related to water, like 海 (sea), 池 (pond), or 洗 (wash). Learning Kanji by radicals helps you see patterns, so new characters become easier to guess and remember.
