Everything you need to start mastering kanji—from comprehensive guides and learning strategies to interactive practice games.
Kanji carries meaning in Japanese text. While hiragana shows grammar and katakana shows foreign words, kanji provides the semantic content—making it essential for reading newspapers, books, and authentic Japanese materials.
The Kyoiku Kanji (教育漢字) are 1,026 essential characters taught in Japanese elementary schools. These foundational kanji cover the most common characters you'll encounter in everyday Japanese.
After mastering hiragana and katakana, kanji is your next step to fluency. Combined with the kana you already know, kanji completes the Japanese writing system and opens up native-level content.
Each kanji has structure, patterns, and components (radicals) that make learning systematic. With the right approach and consistent practice, kanji becomes manageable and rewarding.
