Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - Printable Version +- kanji koohii FORUM (http://forum.koohii.com) +-- Forum: Learning Japanese (http://forum.koohii.com/forum-4.html) +--- Forum: Learning resources (http://forum.koohii.com/forum-9.html) +--- Thread: Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 (/thread-2132.html)

Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - David556 - 2008-11-17 One of the main difficulties with Heisig's Method is that you have to learn all of the 2040 Characters (or closed to that) to start reading Japanese. The reason is that the characters in the book are not learned by their frequency. In this post I try to reduce this list to only the 1000 most frequent characters. I did it by selecting them and adding more 100 basic characters that are necessary to learn the 1000. These 1100 characters covers 95% of all characters in most of Japanese texts, but it's only more than half of time to learn. 1 一 one 2 二 two 3 三 three 4 四 four 5 五 five 6 六 six 7 七 seven 8 八 eight 9 九 nine 10 十 ten 11 口 mouth 12 日 day 13 月 month 14 田 rice field 15 目 eye 16 古 old 20 明 bright 23 品 goods 24 呂 spine 26 早 early 28 世 generation 30 旦 nightbreak 32 亘 span 35 旧 olden times 36 自 oneself 37 白 white 38 百 hundred 39 中 in 40 千 thousand 41 舌 tongue 42 升 measuring box 43 昇 rise up 44 丸 round 46 専 specialty 47 博 Dr. 48 占 fortune-telling 49 上 above 50 下 below 52 朝 morning 54 貝 shellfish 56 員 employee 57 見 see 58 児 newborn babe 59 元 beginning 60 頁 page 62 凡 mediocre 63 負 defeat 64 万 ten thousand 65 句 phrase 68 勺 ladle 69 的 bull's eye 70 首 neck 71 乙 fishguts 72 乱 riot 73 直 straightaway 74 具 tool 75 真 true.. 76 工 craft 77 左 left 78 右 right 79 有 possess 81 賄 tribute 82 項 paragraph 83 刀 sword 85 切 cut 86 召 seduce 87 昭 shining 88 則 rule 89 副 vice- 90 別 separate 92 町 village 93 可 can 94 頂 place on the head 95 子 child 97 了 complete 98 女 woman 99 好 fond 101 母 mama 105 小 little 106 少 few 107 大 large 108 多 many 109 夕 evening 111 外 outside 112 名 name 113 石 stone 114 肖 resemblance 118 削 plane 119 光 ray 120 太 plump 121 器 utensil 124 省 focus 125 厚 thick 126 奇 strange 127 川 stream 128 州 state 129 順 obey 130 水 water 131 氷 icicle 132 永 eternity 133 泉 spring 134 原 meadow 135 願 petition 138 沖 open sea 139 江 creek 142 源 source 143 活 lively 144 消 extinguish 145 況 but of course 146 河 river 149 測 fathom 150 土 soil 152 圧 pressure 153 埼 cape 158 寺 Buddhist temple 159 時 time 160 均 level 161 火 fire 162 炎 inflammation 167 災 disaster 169 点 spot 171 魚 fish 172 漁 fishing 173 里 ri 174 黒 black 177 量 quantity 180 同 same 183 向 yonder 185 字 character 186 守 guard 187 完 perfect 188 宣 proclaim 190 安 relax 192 寄 draw near 193 富 wealth 195 木 tree 196 林 grove 197 森 forest 200 枠 frame 205 植 plant 208 村 town 209 相 inter- 211 本 book 212 札 tag 213 暦 calendar 214 案 plan 216 未 not yet 217 末 extremity 219 味 flavor 222 株 stocks 223 若 young 224 草 grass 225 苦 suffering 228 葉 leaf 229 模 imitation 231 墓 grave 232 暮 livelihood 239 状 status quo 241 然 sort of thing 245 牛 cow 246 特 special 247 告 revelation 248 先 before 250 介 jammed in 251 界 world 253 合 fit 255 王 king 256 玉 jewel 259 現 present 261 皇 emperor 262 呈 display 263 全 whole 265 理 logic 266 主 lord 267 注 pour 269 金 gold 274 針 needle 277 道 road-way 278 導 guidance 281 造 create 282 迫 urge 283 逃 escape 284 辺 environs 286 車 car 287 連 take along 289 輸 transport 290 前 in front 291 各 each 292 格 status 293 略 abbreviation 294 客 guest 295 額 forehead 296 夏 summer 297 処 dispose 298 条 twig 299 落 fall 301 軍 army 303 運 carry 305 夢 dream 307 高 tall 312 京 capital 314 景 scenery 317 周 circumference 318 週 week 319 士 gentleman 320 吉 good luck 321 壮 robust 323 売 sell 324 学 study 325 覚 memorize 326 栄 flourish 327 書 write 330 攻 aggression 331 敗 failure 332 枚 sheet of... 333 故 happenstance 334 敬 awe 335 言 say 336 警 admonish 337 計 plot 340 討 chastise 344 話 tale 347 語 word 348 読 read 349 調 tune 350 談 discuss 353 式 style 354 試 test 356 域 range 359 載 load 361 成 turn into 362 城 castle 366 減 dwindle 370 止 stop 371 歩 walk 372 渉 ford 375 企 undertake 376 歴 curriculum 377 武 warrior 379 正 correct 380 証 evidence 381 政 politics 382 定 determine 384 走 run 385 超 transcend 387 越 surpass 388 是 just so 389 題 topic 391 建 build 392 延 prolong 397 裁 tailor 398 装 attire 399 裏 back 400 壊 demolition 402 遠 distant 404 初 first time 405 布 linen 407 幅 hanging scroll 409 幕 curtain 412 市 market 415 帯 sash 417 刺 thorn 418 制 system 419 製 made in... 420 転 revolve 421 芸 technique 422 雨 rain 427 冬 winter 428 天 heavens 429 橋 bridge 430 嬌 attractive 431 立 stand up 432 泣 cry 433 章 badge 434 競 vie 435 帝 sovereign 439 商 make a deal 441 適 suitable 444 匕 spoon 445 北 north 446 背 stature 447 比 compare 449 皆 all 450 混 mix 455 旨 delicious 458 毎 every 461 海 sea 464 腹 abdomen 465 複 duplicate 466 欠 lack 467 吹 blow 469 歌 song 471 次 next 473 資 assets 474 姿 figure 479 音 sound 482 識 discriminating 484 境 boundary 485 亡 deceased 488 荒 laid waste 489 望 ambition 490 方 direction 495 訪 call on 496 放 set free 497 激 violent 498 脱 undress 499 説 rumor 501 曽 formerly 502 増 increase 504 東 east 506 凍 frozen 509 染 dye 510 燃 burn 512 歳 year-end 513 県 prefecture 515 地 ground 516 池 pond 517 虫 insect 522 独 single 524 風 wind 525 己 self 526 起 rouse 528 改 reformation 529 記 scribe 530 包 wrap 534 亀 tortoise 535 電 electricity 541 家 house 545 場 location 547 羊 sheep 548 美 beauty 549 洋 ocean 551 鮮 fresh 552 達 accomplished 554 差 distinction 555 着 don 557 焦 char 559 集 gather 561 進 advance 562 雑 miscellaneous 564 準 semi- 566 奪 rob 567 確 assurance 568 午 noon 569 許 permit 571 権 authority 572 観 outlook 573 羽 feathers 574 習 learn 576 曜 weekday 579 困 quandary 580 固 harden 581 国 country 582 団 group 583 因 cause 585 園 park 586 回 -times 588 店 store 589 庫 warehouse 590 庭 courtyard 591 庁 government office 595 心 heart 597 忍 endure 598 認 acknowledge 600 志 intention 601 誌 document 604 患 afflicted 605 思 think 607 応 apply 608 意 idea 609 想 concept 610 息 breath 612 恵 favor 613 恐 fear 614 惑 beguile 615 感 emotion 630 慎 humility 635 必 invariably 637 手 hand 640 我 ego 641 義 righteousness 642 議 deliberation 645 抱 embrace 648 抗 confront 649 批 criticism 650 招 beckon 653 打 strike (hit) 657 摘 pinch 658 挑 challenge 659 指 finger 660 持 hold 662 揮 brandish 663 推 conjecture 665 提 propose 666 損 damage 668 担 shouldering 669 拠 foothold 670 描 sketch 672 接 touch 673 掲 put up (a notice) 675 研 polish 679 刑 punish 680 型 mold 681 才 genius 682 財 property 684 存 suppose 685 在 exist 688 及 reach out 692 史 history 693 吏 officer 694 更 grow late 696 又 or again 699 隻 vessels 700 護 safeguard 701 獲 seize 702 奴 guy 704 友 friend 705 抜 slip out 706 投 throw 708 設 establishment 709 撃 beat 711 支 branch 712 技 skill 717 軽 lightly 718 叔 uncle 719 督 coach 722 反 anti- 723 坂 slope 724 板 plank 725 返 return 726 販 marketing 727 爪 claw 730 浮 floating 731 将 leader 733 採 pick 735 受 accept 736 授 impart 737 愛 love 738 払 pay 739 広 wide 740 拡 broaden 742 弁 valve 743 雄 masculine 744 台 pedestal 746 治 reign 747 始 commence 749 窓 window 750 去 gone 751 法 method 752 会 meeting 753 至 climax 754 室 room 755 到 arrival 756 致 doth 757 互 mutually 758 棄 abandon 759 育 bring up 760 撤 remove 761 充 allot 764 流 current 767 出 exit 768 山 mountain 770 岩 boulder 774 崩 crumble 775 密 secrecy 778 崎 promontory 779 入 enter 780 込 crowded 781 分 part 784 公 public 785 松 pine tree 788 谷 valley 790 容 contain 792 欲 longing 796 賞 prize 797 党 party 799 常 usual 802 皮 pelt 803 波 waves 806 破 rend 807 被 incur 808 残 remainder 812 列 file 815 死 death 816 葬 interment 818 耳 ear 819 取 take 821 最 utmost 824 職 post 827 聴 listen 831 買 buy 832 置 placement 836 環 ring 837 還 send back 838 夫 husband 841 規 standard 842 替 exchange 843 賛 approve 845 失 lose 846 鉄 iron 848 臣 retainer 850 蔵 storehouse 851 臓 entrails/internal orgs 854 臨 look to 856 巨 gigantic 857 拒 repel 858 力 power 859 男 male 860 労 labor 861 募 recruit 863 功 achievement 865 努 toil 867 加 add 872 協 co- 873 行 going 874 律 rhythm 875 復 restore 876 得 gain 877 従 accompany 878 徒 junior 879 待 wait 883 彼 he 884 役 duty 886 徹 penetrate 887 徴 indications 890 街 boulevard 894 程 extent 895 税 tax 897 和 harmony 898 移 shift 900 秋 autumn 902 私 private 904 秘 secret 905 称 appellation 906 利 profit 911 香 incense 912 季 seasons 913 委 committee 914 秀 excel 916 誘 entice 919 米 rice 924 迷 astray 929 数 number 931 類 sort 933 様 Esq. 934 求 request 935 球 ball 936 救 salvation 937 竹 bamboo 938 笑 laugh 941 筋 muscle 945 等 etc. 946 算 calculate 947 答 solution 948 策 scheme 950 築 fabricate 951 人 person 952 佐 assistant 954 住 dwell 955 位 rank 956 仲 go-between 957 体 body 959 件 affair 960 仕 attend 961 他 other 963 伝 transmit 964 仏 Buddha 965 休 rest 969 信 faith 971 依 reliant 972 例 example 973 個 individual 974 健 healthy 975 側 side 977 停 halt 978 値 price 980 倒 overthrow 983 億 hundred million 984 儀 ceremony 985 償 reparation 987 催 sponsor 990 使 use 991 便 convenience 992 倍 double 993 優 tenderness 995 宿 inn 996 傷 wound 997 保 protect 1000 付 adhere 1002 府 borough 1003 任 responsibility 1004 賃 fare 1005 代 substitute 1007 貸 lend 1008 化 change 1009 花 flower 1010 貨 freight 1011 傾 lean 1012 何 what 1016 久 long time 1019 内 inside 1020 丙 third class 1022 肉 meat 1024 座 squat 1025 卒 graduate 1028 以 by means of 1029 似 becoming 1030 併 join 1033 宮 Shinto shrine 1034 営 occupation 1035 善 virtuous 1036 年 year 1037 夜 night 1039 塚 hillock 1043 換 interchange 1044 融 dissolve 1045 施 alms 1047 遊 play 1048 旅 trip 1049 勿 not 1050 物 thing 1051 易 easy 1058 屋 roof 1063 居 reside 1065 層 stratum 1066 局 bureau 1067 遅 slow 1072 沢 swamp 1074 択 choose 1076 戸 door 1078 房 tassel 1081 戻 re- 1083 雇 employ 1086 示 show 1090 福 blessing 1092 社 company 1093 視 inspection 1098 禁 prohibition 1100 宗 religion 1102 祭 ritual 1103 察 guess 1105 由 wherefore 1107 油 oil 1110 届 deliver 1114 押 push 1117 申 speaketh 1118 伸 expand 1119 神 gods 1120 捜 search 1121 果 fruit 1123 課 chapter 1125 斤 axe 1126 析 chop 1127 所 place 1129 近 near 1130 折 fold 1136 断 severance 1137 質 substance 1138 斥 reject 1139 訴 accusation 1140 昨 yesterday 1142 作 make 1143 雪 snow 1144 録 record 1146 急 hurry 1150 寝 lie down 1151 婦 lady 1153 当 hit 1154 争 contend 1156 事 matter 1159 康 ease 1160 逮 apprehend 1161 伊 Italy 1162 君 old boy 1164 耐 -proof 1165 需 demand 1167 端 edge 1168 両 both 1169 満 full 1170 画 brush-stroke 1172 曲 bend 1177 斗 Big Dipper 1178 料 fee 1179 科 department 1180 図 map 1181 用 utilize 1183 備 equip 1184 昔 once upon a time 1186 借 borrow 1188 措 set aside 1189 散 scatter 1190 廿 twenty 1191 庶 commoner 1193 席 seat 1194 度 degrees 1195 渡 transit 1200 焼 bake 1202 半 half 1203 伴 consort 1205 判 judgment 1206 券 ticket 1207 巻 scroll 1209 勝 victory 1212 片 one-sided 1213 版 printing block 1217 不 negative 1218 否 negate 1220 矢 dart 1222 族 tribe 1223 知 know 1225 矛 halberd 1227 務 task 1231 弓 box 1232 引 pull 1234 弘 vast 1235 強 strong 1236 弱 weak 1238 費 expense 1239 第 No. 1242 号 nickname 1245 汚 dirty 1246 与 bestow 1247 写 copy 1248 身 somebody 1249 射 shoot 1251 老 old man 1252 考 consider 1253 孝 filial piety 1254 教 teach 1256 者 someone 1258 著 renowned 1259 署 signature 1261 諸 various 1268 追 chase 1269 師 expert 1271 官 bureaucrat 1273 管 pipe 1274 父 father 1275 交 mingle 1276 効 merit 1278 校 exam 1279 足 leg 1280 促 stimulate 1282 路 path 1283 露 dew 1285 躍 leap 1287 踏 step 1288 骨 skeleton 1293 過 overdo 1296 際 occasion 1297 障 hinder 1302 防 ward off 1304 院 Inst. 1305 陣 camp 1306 隊 regiment 1308 降 descend 1309 階 storey 1311 隣 neighboring 1316 穴 hole 1317 空 empty 1319 突 stab 1320 究 research 1327 探 grope 1328 深 deep 1329 丘 hill 1331 兵 soldier 1332 浜 seacoast 1333 糸 thread 1334 織 weave 1336 縮 shrink 1339 線 line 1340 締 tighten 1341 維 fiber 1343 練 practice 1344 緒 thong 1345 続 continue 1346 絵 picture 1347 統 overall 1349 給 salary 1350 絡 entwine 1351 結 tie 1352 終 end 1353 級 class 1354 紀 chronicle 1356 納 settlement 1358 紛 distract 1359 紹 introduce 1362 約 promise 1363 細 dainty 1366 総 general 1369 繰 winding 1370 継 inherit 1374 緊 tense 1379 後 behind 1381 幾 how many 1382 機 mechanism 1383 玄 mysterious 1391 系 lineage 1392 係 person in charge 1394 懸 suspend 1395 却 instead 1399 服 clothing 1400 命 fate 1401 令 orders 1403 齢 age 1404 冷 cool 1405 領 jurisdiction 1406 鈴 small bell 1408 通 traffic 1410 疑 doubt 1414 犯 crime 1415 厄 unlucky 1416 危 dangerous 1423 留 detain 1424 貿 trade 1425 印 stamp 1426 興 entertain 1436 配 distribute 1440 豆 beans 1441 頭 head 1442 短 short 1443 豊 bountiful 1444 鼓 drum 1445 喜 rejoice 1446 樹 timber-trees 1447 皿 dish 1448 血 blood 1450 盟 alliance 1452 温 warm 1453 監 oversee 1457 盛 boom 1459 銀 silver 1461 根 root 1464 節 node 1465 退 retreat 1466 限 limit 1468 良 good 1472 食 eat 1474 飲 drink 1478 館 Bldg. 1479 養 foster 1484 平 even 1485 呼 call 1487 評 evaluate 1488 刈 reap 1489 希 hope 1490 凶 villian 1492 離 detach 1493 殺 kill 1496 辛 spicy 1497 辞 resign 1501 避 evade 1502 新 new 1504 親 parent 1505 幸 happiness 1506 執 tenacious 1507 報 report 1510 収 income 1513 陸 land 1515 勢 forces 1516 熱 heat 1519 亥 sign of the hog 1520 核 nucleus 1521 刻 engrave 1524 述 menion 1525 術 art 1526 寒 cold 1532 素 elementary 1534 青 blue 1535 精 refined 1536 請 solicit 1537 情 feelings 1539 清 pure 1540 静 quiet 1541 責 blame 1542 績 exploits 1543 積 volume 1544 債 bond 1546 表 surface 1549 契 pledge 1551 害 harm 1553 割 proportion 1554 憲 constitution 1555 生 life 1556 星 star 1558 性 sex 1560 産 products 1567 籍 enroll 1568 春 springtime 1572 実 reality 1577 勤 diligence 1580 難 difficult 1585 乗 ride 1587 今 now 1588 含 include 1590 念 wish 1593 予 beforehand 1595 預 deposit 1596 野 plains 1602 西 west 1603 価 value 1604 要 need 1606 票 ballot 1608 標 signpost 1613 南 south 1615 献 offering 1616 門 gates 1617 問 question 1620 間 interval 1621 簡 simplicity 1622 開 open 1623 閉 closed 1624 閣 tower 1626 聞 hear 1629 闘 fight 1630 倉 godown 1631 創 genesis 1632 非 un- 1636 罪 guilt 1639 侯 marquis 1640 候 climate 1641 決 decide 1644 違 difference 1646 衛 defense 1647 韓 Korea 1648 干 dry 1650 刊 publish 1653 岸 beach 1654 幹 tree-trunk 1655 芋 potato 1656 宇 eaves 1657 余 too much 1658 除 exclude 1661 途 route 1664 束 bundle 1665 頼 trust 1669 速 quick 1670 整 organize 1672 険 precipitous 1673 検 examination 1675 重 heavy 1676 動 move 1678 働 work 1679 種 species 1680 衝 collide 1682 病 ill 1690 痛 pain 1694 医 doctor 1696 区 ward 1699 欧 Europe 1700 抑 repress 1702 迎 welcome 1703 登 ascend 1705 発 discharge 1706 廃 abolish 1707 僚 colleague 1709 療 heal 1711 形 shape 1712 影 shadow 1717 顔 face 1720 参 nonplussed 1722 修 discipline 1725 文 sentence 1726 対 vis-a-vis 1729 斉 adjusted 1731 済 finish 1734 塁 bases 1735 楽 nusic 1736 薬 medicine 1737 率 ratio 1740 央 center 1741 英 English 1742 映 reflect 1743 赤 red 1745 変 unusual 1746 跡 tracks 1749 湾 gulf 1750 黄 yellow 1751 横 sideways 1753 色 color 1754 絶 discontinue 1765 期 period 1767 基 fundamentals 1771 貴 precious 1772 遺 bequeath 1773 遣 dispatch 1774 舞 dance 1775 無 nothingness 1776 組 association 1781 査 investigate 1782 助 help 1785 並 row 1786 普 universal 1792 業 business 1795 共 together 1796 供 submit 1797 異 uncommon 1799 洪 deluge 1800 港 harbor 1801 暴 outburst 1802 爆 bomb 1804 選 elect 1806 井 well 1807 囲 surround 1809 亜 Asia 1810 悪 bad 1811 円 circle 1812 角 angle 1813 触 contact 1814 解 unravel 1815 再 again 1816 講 lecture 1817 購 subscription 1818 構 posture 1820 論 argument 1822 輪 wheel 1825 編 compilation 1828 氏 family name 1829 紙 paper 1830 婚 marriage 1831 低 lower 1833 底 bottom 1834 民 people 1836 捕 catch 1837 浦 bay 1840 補 supplement 1841 邸 residence 1843 郡 county 1845 部 section 1846 都 metropolis 1847 郵 mail 1848 邦 home country 1850 響 echo 1851 郎 son 1855 派 faction 1863 司 director 1870 航 navigate 1871 般 carrier 1872 盤 tray 1874 船 ship 1881 益 benefit 1884 来 come 1885 気 spirit 1887 飛 fly 1889 妻 wife 1892 面 mask 1893 革 leather 1896 声 voice 1903 極 poles 1909 番 turn 1910 審 hearing 1915 尾 tail 1916 宅 home 1918 為 do 1920 長 long 1921 張 lengthen 1925 展 unfold 1926 喪 miss 1928 単 simple 1929 戦 war 1931 弾 bullet 1934 脳 brain 1936 厳 stern 1938 挙 raise 1948 島 island 1951 援 abet 1952 緩 slacken 1953 属 belong 1959 逆 inverted 1961 岡 Mount 1969 就 concerning 1976 象 elephant 1977 像 statue 1978 馬 horse 1980 験 verification 1982 駐 stop-over 1984 駅 station 1996 慮 prudence 1997 劇 drama 1999 鹿 deer 2004 能 ability 2005 態 attitude 2007 演 performance 2010 震 quake 2011 振 shake 2014 農 agriculture 2016 送 escort 2017 関 connection Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - wccrawford - 2008-11-17 You know there's a RevTK Lite script that does the JLPT2 kanji first, right? http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=510 (Alter Sequence) It's not 'the most common' as you have been after, but it's closer than the default order, I imagine. Personally, I think it's a mistake to not learn all of them in Heisig's order. If you want to study vocab at the same time and get a headstart on reading, that's one thing. But I think it's a mistake to learn the 1000 most common, then stop and go to vocab, then come back. Especially since you have a to learn a -lot- of vocab before you can read much at all. Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - usis35 - 2008-11-17 I have done it. I learnt RTK lite (around 1100 kanji JLPT2 + all necessary primitives). It took half of the time. Now I am working on sentences (Kanji Odyssey). It works fine, it is less boring because I like to learn real Japanese and I don't lose motivation. In the meantime, I am adding slowly the rest of RTK. One note though: If you are able to do all RTK in 3 months or less, go for it. On the other hand, if you are like me, and have a life, kids, work etc. you are in risk of losing motivation by studying only kanji for many months, or even 1 year. There is an easy way to do it. I can explain in simple english how to install the script. You can even switch in the middle of the road, adding the kanji already learnt to the rest of RTK lite. Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - Raichu - 2008-11-18 Took me a couple of years to work through Heisig because I could only afford a short time each week. In the mean time, I had to look up kanji individually that I didn't know. Mind you I already knew about 400 kanji fairly well before I started. As for RTK, I wouldn't normally recommend doing in other than the Heisig's order because he presents primitives gradually and it's difficult doing a kanji without knowing the primitives. I suppose if you were au fait with the technique and started off by rote learning all the 200 or so primitives first, then you could tackle the kanji in whatever order you like. You would lose something though, in that it's nice to learn similar kanji together, but it's wouldn't be unworkable. Anyway, we're all in different situations with different life constraints. Just try and work out what works best for you in your situation. Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - Evil_Dragon - 2008-11-18 I would say learn all of them. a) it's fun, b) if you learn 20-30 a day it will not take long c) bragging rights and last but not least d) I don't even think the Heisig Kanji are enough to be considered literate here. I encounter Kanjis not on the Jouyou List on a near daily basis. On the other hand though there are of course some Jouyou Kanji which are practically useless. Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - vosmiura - 2008-11-20 I did all RTK1, but in retrospect it might have been better to do the lite version first, then work on readings, and then move to finish the second half. It would have reduced the amount of RTK kanji I reviewed all year that I don't use yet. After almost a year after RTK1 I still don't make use of half the kanji in RTK1 - not because they're not common, but because I didn't yet get around to learning words that use them yet. Granted, some will be able to spend more time studying than me and will get to use their kanji knowledge sooner. Ofcourse I could have focused on learning 1 word for every kanji & then I would have used all of them, but I think that is not the most efficient order to learn words. 1000 kanji is enough to use to learn thousands of the most common words. Learn 1000 most frequent Kanji from RTK1 - usis35 - 2008-11-20 KO takes several months of study, and it only uses 1100 kanji, so, it's not the best use of time to keep reviewing the 900 rest of RTK for all those months. Not counting that you can begin KO much sooner. It all depends on your learning speed. I would say the limit is 3-4 months to finish the whole RTK. If it is going to take much longer, it is best to cut with K LITE and start asap with KO.