Kanji Keyword Quiz

Demo Mode Beta

Under active development. Currently limited to 111 kanji.

You're currently in demo mode

Try out the the quiz with the first 10 kanji. Log in or create an account unlock access to more kanji and track your progress.

We'll be using Spaced Repetition (specifically, the FSRS algorithm) to help you learn kanji.

The gist: you'll study kanji and record how you felt about each result. An algorithm will learn and determine the best time to show you the kanji again, aiming to show it to you again just before you forget.

Ready to get started? Here's the first set of kanji we'll study:

一

one

二

two

三

three

四

four

五

five

六

six

七

seven

八

eight

九

nine

十

ten

If it's your first time seeing the kanji, it's recommended to choose 'Again' if you're not already familiar with it.

Study Kanji Keywords

In this quiz, you'll see a kanji character and you'll need to guess its keyword. The keywords are based on James Heisig's book series "Remembering the Kanji".

Each kanji has one or more keywords that represent its core meaning. These keywords are carefully chosen to reflect how the kanji is used in real Japanese words. When you learn the keywords for multiple kanji, you'll start to understand new kanji compounds (words made up of multiple kanji) even if you haven't seen them before. You'll be able to understand the gist of sentences that you may not be able to pronounce. Many kanji are also made up of smaller parts - either simpler kanji or basic shapes called primitives. While a kanji's meaning may not directly relate to its component parts, learning the keywords for these components helps you create stories to remember each kanji more easily.

How does Spaced Repetition work?

We're using the FSRS algorithm to help you learn kanji. It's a bit like flashcards, but powered by an algorithm that optimizes on your current and past performance to determine the optimal time to show you the kanji again before you forget it.

  1. You'll see a kanji and you'll need to guess its keyword.
  2. You can type your guess into the input field and see how close you are to the answer.
  3. Then, you'll review the kanji, its components and constituents, and the stories that will help you to remember it.

After reviewing more information on the kanji, you have to rate how you did. The algorithm will then determine when to show you the kanji again.

  • Again: You failed to recall the answer. This means you got it completely wrong, couldn't remember it at all, or had to guess incorrectly. The kanji will be shown to you very soon to re-learn it.
  • Hard: You recalled the answer correctly, but it was difficult. Maybe you hesitated significantly or took a while to remember. The kanji will be shown again sooner than 'Good', but not as if you completely forgot it.
  • Good: You recalled the answer correctly with some effort. You'll see the kanji again after a reasonable interval, allowing you to gradually extend the time between reviews.
  • Easy: You recalled the answer correctly with very little effort. This signals that you know it well, and the kanji will be shown much later to test your long-term retention.

Don't take failure to remember personally. Avoid incorrectly reporting your results. Be honest with yourself. It's important to properly record your results so the algorithm can learn what you're struggling with.