Skip to content
ヒロシマ・ランゲージ・アカデミー
Back to field notes
JLPT Tips

How to Memorize 200 Kanji in 30 Days: Proven Techniques

Struggling with Kanji? Try these science-backed memorization methods used by our top-performing students.

01 · Essay

Kanji is the biggest hurdle most learners face. Here's how our top students tackle 200 characters in just one month.

011. Use Spaced Repetition

Apps like Anki use the forgetting curve to schedule reviews exactly when you're about to forget. 15 minutes a day is enough.

022. Learn radicals first

Most Kanji are built from a small set of radicals. Learn the 50 most common radicals and complex Kanji become much easier to decompose.

033. Story-based mnemonics

For each new Kanji, invent a vivid story linking the radicals to the meaning. The weirder, the better — your brain remembers unusual connections.

044. Write by hand

Even in the digital age, handwriting Kanji activates motor memory and dramatically improves retention.

Field notes from the academyFiled under · JLPT TipsBy Tanaka SenseiUpdated weekly during termFree to read · Free to shareField notes from the academyFiled under · JLPT TipsBy Tanaka SenseiUpdated weekly during termFree to read · Free to shareField notes from the academyFiled under · JLPT TipsBy Tanaka SenseiUpdated weekly during termFree to read · Free to shareField notes from the academyFiled under · JLPT TipsBy Tanaka SenseiUpdated weekly during termFree to read · Free to share

03 · Ready to put theory into practice?

Books are great.
A live classroom is better.

Sit in on a free trial class — Japanese, German, or French — and see how our faculty teach what you just read.