Do I Need To Learn Kanji To Learn Japanese

A lot of beginners are scared off by the idea of kanji, but do you need to learn kanji to know Japanese? 2 x 46 kana alphabets are hard enough but kanji has more than 2000 characters! So is it necessary and really worth the effort?

Whether y'all really need to larn kanji or non depends on your goals in Japanese. If your aim is to exist able to take holidays, chat with people or sentinel anime and then the time sink is probably not worth it. If you are looking to read manga or alive in Japan then you volition definitely need to tackle information technology. Of course there are some grey areas so let's have a expect in more detail!

First allow'southward take a look at some scenarios that might apply to yous and rank them in terms of real earth kanji usage.

You are planning a short one off trip to Nippon and plan to stick to large cities.

Nippon'due south large cities are very tourist friendly and about major signs have English language versions. Before I started learning kanji I visited Tokyo several times and paw no problems navigating at all. Many places offering English language menus or information. If yous can access bones translation software to cover any actress data yous need, you'll be good to become!

Verdict: Perhaps learn a few useful ones (train signs, exit/entry, menu items) if y'all like but focus on spoken language and vocabulary.

You desire to listen to Japanese podcasts.

Listening skills don't require kanji. Y'all might find it easier to larn all of the vocabulary you need for this if you cross learn them with kanji just that's a personal choice. To exist able to heed to a podcast successfully yous will need a wide variety of vocabulary and grammar noesis as there aren't the visual cues that usually come in a boob tube testify.

Of course it might be difficult to detect or read the descriptions of many nifty podcasts if you can't search using kanji!

Verdict: Not required for listening merely good for reading descriptions or finding podcasts.

Yous want to chat to friends.

It was and so Katie realised that the amount of kanji she needed was nil.

Making friends is a bang-up way to practice your Japanese. Whether they are native speakers or fellow students, information technology's an easy mode to arrive the habit of using Japanese naturally in real life situations. If you don't have the kanji skill yet then irl meet ups and Skype calls are your friend!

On the other hand, if you are more interested in texting then things go iffy. Texting using simply kana is possible simply can have upwardly a lot of space and isn't really how people talk in Japanese. It'southward certainly achievable and it'due south meliorate than nothing just your friends might have a harder fourth dimension reading and understanding your messages. Kanji helps to convey context and intent to words that might sound like in kana. I would advise trying to incorporate kanji if you're planning on long term texting!

Verdict: Vox chat and in person meetings need no kanji! Text conversation will depend on your friends and their preferences.

You lot desire to read Japanese children's picture books.

Children'southward books are by and large written using Hiragana and Katakana. I'g talking nearly film books aimed at the under half-dozen yr one-time market. These are useful for learning depression level vocabulary and practicing your kana recognition. Manifestly you aren't going to observe whatsoever page turners hither but they are useful for beginners.

Verdict: No kanji required, only hiragana and katakana!

You desire sentry anime.

This is a tricky one. You don't really need to know any kanji to lookout anime just it can actually assistance. Anime has a lot of visual cues and so you tin can get away with having less vocabulary skills to fill in the blanks.

Kanji tin can be helpful watching anime as at that place are frequently signs or subtitles on screen. Of course if you are learning kanji you can also lookout the shows with Japanese subtitles on to get a deeper view. Having subtitles can help you to re-enforce word connections and understand context better so I definitely recommend it while y'all're learning. Similar to podcasts, you also aren't going to be able to read descriptions in Netflix or anything without some kanji!

Verdict: Not really required just very helpful!

Y'all want to play video games in Japanese

This 1 will depend on the kind of video game and the intended audience. For example many games with a younger target audience volition have options for kana/kanji in the settings. Pokemon gameboy games are an instance of that and are very easy to come past. If you're after games aimed at adults similar the Persona series then you lot will need to know kanji to sympathise the text options.

The genre will likewise effect how text heavy the game is then my communication is to check the kana settings before you lot commencement anything.

Verdict: Depends on the game. If y'all want to avoid kanji, pick something aimed at younger people or that isn't text heavy.

You won't need much kanji for that trip to Greenland…

You want to travel effectually Nippon in less populated areas.

Traveling to tourist areas is nifty but it's ever fun to go off the beaten rail. Outside of the major cities in Japan the English signs and menus become more than sparse. Of class if you know kana then yous volition have a leg up but kanji is everywhere.

Verdict: It's not strictly needed just it'southward a good idea to try to pick upwards some nuts.

You want to watch Japanese Goggle box shows or Youtubers.

If you've seen a Japanese variety tv testify and then yous've seen that half the fourth dimension the screen is ofttimes covered in text. The text gives context clues and other information for viewers. Sometimes the text is just giddy sound effects or instructions for the games. While almost of the time you can get the general idea of things without information technology, the text really adds another layer to things that is helpful for understanding what'south going on. Game and multifariousness shows are oftentimes and so fast paced that yous need the extra hints!

News and morning shows are similar in that the screens will always exist covered in text. It can be subtitles, data about the electric current story or what's coming up next. News shows ofttimes use formal speech communication so the kanji is helpful for context if you're used to informal oral communication.

Youtubers on the other manus, don't tend to employ as much text at all. Then if you tin understand spoken Japanese y'all volition be fairly good to go. The caveat to this is that you probably won't be able to read the video descriptions or comments. Youtube comments are usually a dumpster fire and then you're probably not missing much there.

Verdict: Non totally required merely really helpful for understanding context in telly shows!

While Carol couldn't actually read whatsoever of the books, she did find information technology oddly comforting to hide behind them

You desire to read manga or books.

Reading anything aimed at ages 6 or over volition exist difficult if you don't take any kanji knowledge. Even manga for younger viewers include a lot of kanji. Some have furigana on text they think might exist likewise difficult but they all await that you accept a basic knowledge of kanji at the appropriate age level. While manga does accept the artwork to inkling you in on what's going on, you won't go a total understanding unless you know some kanji.

Verdict: You will need to know kanji at the age level that your manga or book is aimed at.

You desire to fully sympathise Japanese

Well this is a no-brainer. If you want to fully sympathize every facet of Japanese of course you lot will demand kanji! Past cutting out kanji yous miss out on a big chunk of what's going on around you. Speaking and listening skills are great simply you won't get very far with kana only in every 24-hour interval Japanese.

Verdict: You definitely demand a expert grasp on kanji!

You want to motion to Nihon.

Absolutely. If you lot want to move to Japan so you should definitely learn kanji. While information technology'south possible to survive, you will give yourself a big head offset if you tin can read well. Signing a lease, getting a depository financial institution account, filling out forms, doctors appointments, transport, all of these day to day things require reading kanji. Navigating life in Nippon is possible without kanji merely it makes things very hard!

The caveat to this is if you are moving within an English teaching arrangement. Often the English pedagogy companies don't require you to have any knowledge of Japanese before you starting time with them. They don't generally care about your Japanese level because everything you exercise with them will be in English. These companies have experience with working with foreigners and accomodate various linguistic communication skills. Of course this varies wildly based on the program and it's withal always a better thought to have more knowledge to brand things smoother for yourself.

Verdict: Definitely amend to know kanji when moving to Nihon!

So do y'all really need to larn kanji?

Really, there are very few situations where some of the more mutual kanji aren't useful to know. If your interest in Japanese is casual and you lot don't see yourself doing long term study and so skipping the kanji and focusing on kana and spoken skills is fine. Kana is still important equally it tin bridge the gap in situations where something written is required for context and information technology helps with understanding pronunciation.

If your interest in Japanese goes beyond a unmarried trip and then kanji is something you will need to tackle sooner or later. In my experience, the sooner y'all kickoff the sooner you lot can brand cantankerous connections to vocabulary in your brain and the easier it is to make lasting memories!

If you're ready to first, see how long learning kanji will take you or read near my best 8 tips for making studying kanji less boring.