Japanese learning blog
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
All articles · Page 148
The Kanji You Actually Need to Live in Japan
The kanji that make daily life easier are not the ones in the textbook order, and there are fewer of them than you expect.
5 min readKanji Readings That Cannot Be Worked Out
Some Japanese words are written with kanji that have nothing to do with their meaning, and others with kanji whose readings apply only as a set.
5 min readManaging Your Time in the JLPT Exam
Most people who fail the reading section do not fail on comprehension; they fail on the clock.
5 min readWhat to Do If You Fail the JLPT
The score report is the useful part of failing, and most people look at the result and never read it.
5 min readWhat the JLPT N5 Exam Is Actually Like
N5 is short, entirely multiple choice, and over before lunch, which is not what most first-time candidates expect.
5 min readChoosing JLPT Study Materials Without Wasting Money
Most JLPT preparation shelves contain three books doing the same job and none doing the one that matters.
5 min readPreparing for the JLPT With a Full-Time Job
Working full time does not make the JLPT unrealistic; it makes the planning matter far more than the studying.
5 min readWhat to Do After Passing a JLPT Level
Passing a level certifies that you could read and listen under time pressure on one particular morning, which is less than it feels like and more than nothing.
5 min readHow the JLPT Affects Work Visas and Points in Japan
Japanese ability affects some immigration routes and not others, and knowing which is worth more than another six months of study.
5 min readWorking Out Which JLPT Level You Are Ready For
The only reliable way to know which level you are ready for is to sit one under exam conditions, and it is the thing learners most avoid doing.
5 min readWhat to Do in the Last Week Before the JLPT
Nothing you learn in the final week will reach the exam in a usable state, which is liberating rather than discouraging.
5 min readChoosing a Japanese Dictionary That Fits How You Study
The dictionary that suits a beginner actively holds back an intermediate learner, which is why the question is not which is best.
5 min readPractical guides
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