Should You Memorize Vocab in the New Japanese Kanji Order?297

The New Japanese Kanji Order (新常用漢字表) is a revised list of kanji (Chinese characters) that are officially approved for use in Japan. It was published in 2010 and replaced the previous list, which had been in use since 1946. The New Japanese Kanji Order contains 2,136 characters, which is 196 more than the previous list. This means that students who are learning Japanese will now have to memorize more kanji in order to be able to read and write fluently.

There is some debate among Japanese language educators about whether or not students should memorize kanji in the new order. Some educators argue that the new order is more logical and easier to learn than the previous order. They point out that the characters in the new order are grouped by meaning, which can help students to remember them more easily. Other educators argue that the new order is not necessary and that students can still learn Japanese effectively by memorizing the kanji in the old order. They point out that the old order is still widely used in Japan, and that many textbooks and other learning materials are still based on it.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to memorize kanji in the new order is up to the individual student. There are pros and cons to both approaches, and students should consider their own learning style and goals when making a decision.

Pros of memorizing kanji in the new order* The new order is more logical and easier to learn than the previous order.
* The characters in the new order are grouped by meaning, which can help students to remember them more easily.
* The new order is more up-to-date and reflects the current usage of kanji in Japan.

Cons of memorizing kanji in the new order* The new order is not necessary to learn Japanese fluently.
* Many textbooks and other learning materials are still based on the old order.
* It can be difficult to find resources that teach the kanji in the new order.

ConclusionThe decision of whether or not to memorize kanji in the new order is up to the individual student. There are pros and cons to both approaches, and students should consider their own learning style and goals when making a decision.

2025-01-31

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