How to Use Kanji Cruncher

Learning kanji isn't always easy.

Some kanji characters can look really complex, and you need to know at least two thousand of them in order to be considered literate in the Japanese language. Sounds daunting, right?

Thinking about getting started with kanji
might make you feel like this.

But here's the secret: learning kanji doesn't have to be a chore. It can actually be a lot of fun if you take the right approach!


Lots of sources will tell you that one of the most effective ways to learn your kanji is to make up creative little stories for each character to remind you of their meaning.

That's where Kanji Cruncher comes in!

In this handy guide, I'll give a basic meaning of each kanji and a simple memory story you can use to remember the meaning. These are the stories I've come up with in my own personal studies. You can use them to learn your kanji too, or if you'd rather, you can make up your own stories! Whatever makes the kanjis' meanings easiest for you to remember is best.

Creativity + fun = stress-free learning!

Wait, why should I learn just the meanings and not the pronunciation too? Isn't that wasting time?

Great question! There are other websites that can explain this better than I can, but here's the nutshell version: There are several pronunciations of each kanji, and each time you encounter kanji as part of a word, it'll likely be different. By learning the meanings, you'll be able to learn words faster, and remembering the meaning of the word will come more naturally.

Okay, but why are these lessons called "Kanji Cruncher?"

Well, think of it this way: Crunchy foods take effort to eat. They're not always as easy to eat as other foods. They're not smooth like yogurt or soft like canned peaches. But here's the thing: Crunchy foods can be really, really tasty. You just have to put forth the effort to crunch them! In fact, sometimes the most satisfying part is the crunch. (Crackers, anyone?) The same is true with kanji. It takes effort, but it's so enjoyable and satisfying if you give it a little effort and have fun with it.

Kanji Cruncher lessons are a growing collection. I post them as I learn them. I'm a Japanese learner too, you know!

What are you waiting for? Let's jump in and learn together!

Here are the collections that are currently available:

Kanji Cruncher: Grade 1

Happy Crunching!