If you're going to learn Japanese you should probably know
some kanji. By kanji I mean those
Chinese characters which were integrated into Japanese a long long time
ago. You could learn Japanese and not
learn them. They are not vital, unless
of course you want to use an ATM, know the price at the cinema, get the
half-priced sushi at the supermarket, or at the very least not look like a
complete knob because you consistently push when you should pull and pull when
you should push trying to get through the door.
Of course most doors in Japanese big cities are automatic, but do you
really want to take that chance.
 |
| push |
 |
| pull |
 |
| this means this sushi in on sale for half-price |
 |
| Understand this? Then Kanji will be no problem |
Friends and family always ask how anyone can memorize all of
them.
First of all, we live with lots of
symbols in our daily lives.
The instrument
panel in any car is a good example of this.
Other examples include road signs, logos, and computer icons.
Once you get over that, it really isn't much
of a stretch beyond that.
If you're in
Japan, they're
everywhere.
Put in a little bit of study
and a little bit of intuition and you'll quickly learn small, large, push,
pull, exit, entrance, bank and half priced sushi.
When it comes to studying kanji I think flashcards are
best. You can flip through them on the
train, before turning in, and in line to buy half priced sushi. The other option is to get some inexpensive
elementary school books from the 100 yen store.
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