Kanji and Kana: A Handbook of the Japanese Writing System

Kanji and Kana: A Handbook of the Japanese Writing System serves as a reference guide for students learning written Japanese. The text covers the fundamentals of Japanese writing, including hiragana, katakana, and over 2,000 kanji characters. The book presents systematic explanations of stroke order, radicals, and compound characters through clear illustrations and examples. Each kanji entry includes meanings, readings, stroke counts, and common vocabulary that incorporates the character. Appendices contain comprehensive indexes organized by readings, meanings, and stroke counts to aid in character lookup. The work includes practice exercises and review sections to reinforce learning. This handbook takes a structured approach to demystifying the Japanese writing system, making it accessible to both beginners and intermediate learners. Its methodical organization reflects the systematic nature of kanji acquisition and literacy development in Japanese language study.

Readers describe this reference book as detailed and systematic but note it can overwhelm beginners. The methodical organization and clear stroke orders help self-learners track their progress. Likes: - Comprehensive kanji etymologies and historical information - Quality binding holds up to frequent use - Cross-referencing system for finding characters - Clear visual presentation of stroke orders Dislikes: - Dense layout intimidates new students - Index system takes time to learn - Some readers found competing books like Heisig more effective - Limited example sentences and compounds Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (112 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Great for reference but not ideal as a primary learning tool" - Amazon reviewer "The historical explanations helped the characters stick in my memory" - Goodreads user "Would recommend for intermediate students who already know basic kanji" - Language learning forum post

Basic Kanji Book by Chieko Kano, Yuri Shimizu. The systematic progression from basic to complex kanji characters mirrors Hadamitzky's methodical approach to teaching Japanese writing.

Remembering the Kanji by James W. Heisig. The book presents a mnemonic method for learning kanji through decomposition of characters into constituent parts and storytelling techniques.

A Guide to Reading and Writing Japanese by Florence Sakade, Janet Ikeda. The text provides stroke order diagrams and compound examples for 1,945 characters in a reference format comparable to Kanji and Kana.

Essential Kanji by P.G. O'Neill. The selection of 2,000 basic characters includes etymological information and compound vocabulary with usage examples.

The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji by Christopher Seely and Kenneth Henshall. The reference work combines historical character development with modern usage patterns in a comprehensive format.

🔖 First published in 1981, this guide has been continuously updated and remains one of the most comprehensive English-language references for learning Japanese writing systems. 🈲 The book was revolutionary when released for including both visual stroke orders and systematic compound analysis, making it easier for Western learners to understand kanji formation. 📚 Author Wolfgang Hadamitzky is a German Japanologist who has written over 15 books on Japanese language learning, including the widely-used Japanese Kanji Dictionary. ✍️ The guide covers all 2,136 jōyō kanji (regular-use characters) officially recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Education. 🎌 Unlike many kanji guides that use Chinese readings, this book specifically focuses on Japanese readings and meanings, making it particularly valuable for students focusing on Japanese rather than Chinese characters.