Essential Kanji is an integrated course for learning to read and write the 2,000 basic Japanese characters. It introduces the kanji that are now in everyday use, a mastery of which makes it possible to read most modern Japanese. Devised for either home or classroom use, the book has been tested and refined by years of use in university classes taught by the author.

Essential Japanese Kanji uses a natural approach to learning the most basic kanji encountered in everyday situations in Japan. This new edition is packed with fun quizzes and useful exercises for those wishing to improve their Japanese ability. It has been repackaged in a more compact, value-for-money size while losing none of the content that has made it a long-selling favorite. Key features of Essential Japanese Kanji include: Introductory quizzes to introduce everyday situations in which the Kanji are used A vocabulary section to help you understand the readings and meanings of each Kanji New character charts presenting all the Kanji clearly and systematically Definitions, readings, stroke orders and compounds for each character Practice sections help you to improve your skills Advanced Placement Exam practice questions follow the format of the College Board exam Everyday tasks like finding a street address or buying a train ticket in Japan require a basic working knowledge of kanji--the Japanese system of writing based on Chinese characters. Essential Japanese Kanji, teaches you the kanji you'll need in everyday situations in lessons prepared by teachers from the prestigious University of Tokyo.

This is an invaluable study guide and practice book for learning basic Japanese kanji. Learning Japanese Kanji Practice Book is intended for beginning students, or experienced speakers who need to practice their written Japanese. Kanji are an essential part of the Japanese language and together with kana (hiragana and katakana) comprise written Japanese. This book presents the kanji characters that are most commonly used. All the kanji and related vocabulary words in this book are those that students are expected to know for Level 5 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. (JLPT). Characters that appear in the AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam are flagged. Readings, meanings, and common compounds are presented. The correct method of writing each character is clearly indicated and practice boxes with strokes that can be traced are provided, along with empty boxes for freehand writing practice. Lots of exercises are included to give students the opportunity to practice writing sentences containing the Kanji. Indexes at the back allow you to look up the characters by their readings and English meanings. This kanji book includes: Step-by-step stroke order diagrams for each character. Special boxes with grid lines to practice writing characters. Extra printable practice grids Words and phrases using each kanji. Romanizations (romanji) to help identify and pronounce every word.

"This is the best kanji book available today. Designed for beginners with a basic knowledge of Japanese to use in the classroom on for self-study."--Modern Language Journal Everyday tasks like finding a street address or buying a train ticket can be an ordeal in Japan if you don't read kanji-the system of Japanese writing based on Chinese characters. A group of teachers from the prestigious University of Tokyo have pooled their talents to create 250 Essential Japanese Kanji Characters in two volumes: a practical way to learn the kanji most frequently used in daily life in Japan. Each lesson helps you master a new group of kanji, using an extremely effective approach that focuses on you, the learner, taking an active part. Introductory Quizzes introduce everyday situations where you encounter kanji. Vocabulary sections help you understand the readings and meanings of the kanji. New Character Charts teach you new kanji systematically—for each character you'll learn its meanings, its basic on-kun readings, its stroke order, common compounds, and derivations. Practice sections help you improve your skills in recognizing and using the kanji. Advanced Placement Exam Practice Questions for each lesson follow the format of the College Boards Japanese Language and Culture examination.

Essential Japanese Kanji, Volume 2 is an easy approach to learning the most basic kanji encountered in everyday situations in Japan. This new edition Packed with fun quizzes and useful exercises and has been repackaged in a more compact, value-for-money size while losing none of the content that has made it a long-selling favorite. Key features of Essential Japanese Kanji include: Introductory quizzes to introduce everyday situations in which the Kanji are used A vocabulary section to help you understand the readings and meanings of each Kanji New character charts presenting all the Kanji clearly and systematically Definitions, readings, stroke orders and compounds for each character Practice sections help you to improve your skills Advanced Placement Exam practice questions follow the format of the College Board exam Everyday tasks like finding a street address or buying a train ticket in Japan require a basic working knowledge of kanji—the Japanese system of writing based on Chinese characters. Essential Japanese Kanji, teaches you the kanji you'll actually need in everyday situations in lessons prepared by teachers from the prestigious University of Tokyo.

An enjoyable and effective way to learn Japanese kanji! This useful reference book helps self-study and classroom students remember the meanings and pronunciations of 520 essential kanji. An otherwise daunting task, memorization is made easier with this book--which uses mnemonic techniques based on the psychology of learning and memory. Key principles include the use of visual imagery, the visualization of short "stories," and the systematic building-block approach that shows how more complicated characters are constructed from basic elements. This is a practical guide with a clear, concise, and appealing layout; it is well-indexed with easy look-up methods. The kanji in this volume give you the majority of characters you will encounter in daily life, from newspapers to street signs. It also includes the kanji required for the AP Japanese exam and N4 & N5 JLPT tests. Accompanying online audio provides recordings by native Japanese speakers to perfect your pronunciation.

"This is the best kanji book available today. Designed for beginners with a basic knowledge of Japanese to use in the classroom or for self–study."—Modern Language Journal Everyday tasks like finding a street address or buying a train ticket can be an ordeal in Japan if you don't read kanji–the system of Japanese writing based on Chinese characters. Unfortunately, the kanji characters taught in most textbooks are not always those that you'll encounter in everyday situations. To fill this gap, a group of teachers from the prestigious University of Tokyo have pooled their talents to create 250 Essential Japanese Kanji Characters in two volumes: a practical way to learn the kanji most frequently used in daily life in Japan. Each lesson helps you master a new group of kanji, using an extremely effective approach that focuses on you, the learner, taking an active part. Introductory Quizzes introduce everyday situations where you encounter kanji. Vocabulary sections help you understand the readings and meanings of the kanji. New Character Charts teach you new kanji systematically—for each character you'll learn its meanings, its basic on–kun readings, its stroke order, common compounds, and derivations. Practice sections help you improve your skills in recognizing and using the kanji. Advanced Placement Exam Practice Questions for each lesson follow the format of the College Boards Japanese Language and Culture examination. You'll also encounter authentic and practical materials that help you understand how kanji are used in real–life situations. Emails and texts, choosing the best dictionary in a library, understanding the weather report, navigating floors in a Tokyo department store—all are easier when you know kanji. After studying this book together with its companion 250 Essential Japanese Characters, Volume 1 you will have learned 500 of the most important characters in Japanese and thousands of words in which they appear.