Research
Okurigana Explained: The Kana After the Kanji
The kana that complete a word carry the grammar kanji cannot show. What they do, why learners get them wrong, the patterns that help, and how to practise them.
Lawrence Arya··10 min
Research
On and Kun Readings Explained: Which One Applies
On readings came from Chinese, kun readings are native Japanese. Where they came from, the three patterns that mostly hold, and why writers should care.
Lawrence Arya··10 min
Playbooks
Where to Start Learning Kanji: The First Month
Kana first, then kanji inside words rather than as isolated characters, and production from memory from week one. A concrete first month and what to avoid.
Lawrence Arya··11 min
Playbooks
How to practise writing kanji compounds (jukugo)
Single characters are only half of writing. Practising compounds reinforces the kanji and the words you actually use.
Lawrence Arya··4 min