Journal -- Conquering RTK LITE in 17 Days

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Hey y'all,

Although this forum is surprisingly hardened against the need for TL;DR's, here it is: This is a journal for my progress of completing RTK LITE at a pace of 63 kanji a day. Come watch my progress.

Too long have I been illiterate in Japanese. The height of my non-applicable kanji knowledge was the summer of 2013-- where I had gotten all the way to kanji number 1000 in normal keyword-to-kanji RTK. A short study abroad in Japan proved this knowledge to be less useful than I thought.
In an effort to increase my vocabulary, practical kanji knowledge, and to pass the JLPT N2 this December I will learn the 1115 of kanji and primitives in RTK LITE in 17 days.

The following is the method:
1115 Kanji + Radicals are required to complete RTK LITE.
I will spend 15 days studying and 2 days resting at my discretion.
Every day I will "learn" 63 kanji.

Two months ago I played around with this idea, and reviewed 180 kanji and have been actively reviewing them in Anki. This leaves me 935 to study in 15 days. A completed day consists of reviewing/re-learning 63 kanji and an associated vocabulary word for the kanji I don't know. Because my university schedule is top-heavy throughout the week, any kanji I learn during my two days off will roll over into fulfilling the next day's requirements. This about learning the kanji after all.

I vaguely know a lot of kanji from my past RTK expeditions. Because of this not every kanji will be added into my Anki deck. I will simply gloss over many as review, but with every kanji that I can't instantly connect a Japanese word to or can't pick apart into primitives will go into my Anki deck. I will also add a sentence containing an example word composed of that kanji to another deck. I'll probably get most of the example words from KanjiDamage.com

My card will be formatted as such:
Front:
-- Multiple words written in hiragana that contain the specified kanji
-- The RTK and possibly Kanji Damage keyword

Back:
-- Kanji
-- Radicals
-- Stories
-- Example words written with kanji

The review will be successful if I can write the kanji correctly with the reference to the vocabulary on the front of the card. I know learning to correctly write them is not required in the JLPT, but we all just use the JLPT as a prop to actually become fluent, right?

I will begin day 1 on October 6th, 2014 and finish day 17 on October 23rd, 2014.

Love to get feedback on this plan. Thanks y'all! <3

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

For completeness's sake, here's my initial test run:

Day -2 8/26

1. 一,2.二,3.三,4.四,5.五,6.六,7.七,8.八,9.九,10.十,11.口,12.日,13.月,14.田,15.目,16.古,17.吾,18.冒,20. 明,23.品,24.呂,26.早,28.世,29.胃,30.旦,35.旧,36.自,37.白,38.百,39.中,40.千,41.舌,42.升,43.昇,44.丸,45.寸,46.専,47.博 ,48. 占,49.上,50.下,52.朝,54.貝,56.員,57.見,58.児,59.元,60.頁,62.凡,63.負,64.万,65.句 ,66.肌,68.勺,69.的,70.首,71.乙,72. 乱,73.直,74.具,75.真,76.工,77.左,78.右,79.有,83.刀,84.刃,85.切,86.召,87.昭,88.則,89.副,90.別,91.丁,92.町,93. 可,94.頂,95.子,97.了,98.女,99.好,101.母,102.貫,103.兄,105.小,106.少,107.大,108.多,109. 夕,111.外,112.名,113.石,114.肖,117.砂,119.光,120.太,121.器,

77

Day -1 8/27
124.省,125.厚,126.奇,127.川,128.州,129. 順,130.水,131.氷,132.永,133.泉,134.原,135.願,136.泳,143.活,144.消,145.況,146.河,147. 泊,148.湖,149.測,150.土,152.圧,155.圭,156.封,158.寺,159.時,160.均,161.火,162.炎,165.灯,166.畑,168. 灰,169.点,170.照,171.魚,172.漁,173.里,174.黒,177.量,179.埋,180.同,

41

Radicals
吾冒呂旦舌升寸博頁凡句勺乙刀刃昭丁
17

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 125
Today's Anki Cards Added: 28
Total Anki Cards: 28
Kanji Remaining: 997

Last edited by datrukup (October 06, 11:37 pm)

Stansfield123 Member

From: Europe Registered: 2011-04-17 Posts: 799

Good luck. If you don't give up towards the end, it should be perfectly doable. Half of RtK in 17 days should be significantly easier than all of RtK in 34 days.

And don't forget to keep reviewing, and keep adding Kanji as you need them, even after the 17 days.

JapanesePod101 Sponsor

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 1
Complete!

Learn Time: 2:30
Anki Review Time: 0:02
Today's Time: 2:32

Kanji Reviewed:

183.向,185.字,186.守,187. 完,190.安,192.寄,193.富,194.貯,195.木,196.林,197.森,205.植,206.枯,208.村,209.相,210. 机,211.本,212.札,214.案,215.燥,216.未,217.末,219.味,220.妹,223.若,224.草,225.苦,227.薄,228.葉,232.暮,234.苗,235.兆,238.犬,239.状,241.然,244.猫,245.牛,246.特,247.告,248.先,249.洗,250.介,251.界,252.茶,253.合,254.塔,255.王,256.玉,257.宝,259.現,262.呈,263.全,265.理,266.主,267.注,268.柱,269.金,272.銅,274.針,277.道,278.導,281.造,283.逃,

Kanji Reviewed Outside of RTK LITE:
231.墓

Kanji + Vocab Learned:
植　植民地＝しょくみんち＝colony
札　名札＝なふだ＝nametag
案　提案＝ていあん＝proposal
燥　any useful word other than 乾燥？
末　結末＝けつまつ＝conclusion, end
薄　薄暗い＝うすぐらい＝dim, gloomy
苗　なえ＝seedling
兆　一兆＝一〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇〇
状　状態＝じょうたい＝state, appearance
告　告白＝こくはく＝confession
合　割合＝わりあい＝ratio, proportion
塔　とう＝tower
呈　ていする＝to present, give (文語？)
主　主義＝しゅぎ＝~ism
注　注ぐ＝そそぐ＝to pour
柱　はしら＝pillar
銅　どう＝copper
針　針金＝はりがね＝wire
導　誘導＝ゆうどう＝lead, guide
造　製造＝せいぞう＝production, manufacture
逃　逃亡者＝とうぼうしゃ＝refugee
墓　墓地＝ぼち＝graveyard
暮　野暮

Notes:
Out of the 64 Kanji I reviewed, I added 23 to Anki. It took more than two hours just to do twenty cards. The time suck is really around finding a useful vocabulary word to learn with the kanji, since I normally know the most common word associated with the kanji. I hope I can make a system to pick up the pace, because I'm sure in the later days a majority of the reviewed kanji will also be kanji I have to add to Anki.

@Stansfield123 Thanks for the encouragement and advice!

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 64
Today's Anki Cards Added: 23
Total Anki Cards: 51
Kanji Remaining: 933

Last edited by datrukup (October 06, 11:47 pm)

Vempele Member

Registered: 2013-06-16 Posts: 615

燥　any useful word other than 乾燥?

It can apparently be used to spell はしゃぐ but I've never seen it in kanji.

暮　any useful word other than 暮らす?

暮れる, 日が暮れる being the most common use. 野暮.

導　誘導=ゆうどう=lead, guide

And induce (lots of induction-* compounds).

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 2
Complete!

Learn Time: 4:00
Anki Review Time: 0:05
Today's Time: 4:05

Kanji Reviewed:

284.辺,286.車,287.連,289.輸,290.前,291.各,292.格,293.略,294.客,295.額,296.夏,297.処,298.条,299.落,300.冗,301.軍,303.運,305.夢,307.高,311.亭,312.京,313.涼,314.景,316.舎,317.周,318.週,319.士,320.吉,323.売,324.学,325.覚,326.栄,327.書,331.敗,332.枚,333.故,334.敬,335.言,336.警,337.計,341.訓,343.詰,344.話,347.語,348.読,349.調,350.談,353.式,354.試,356.域,360.茂,361.成,362.城,366.減,369.浅,370.止,371.歩,374.肯,376.歴,377.武,379.正,381.政,382.定,

Kanji + Vocab Learned:
辺
連　国連＝こくれん＝United Nations
輸　輸入＝ゆにゅう＝import
各　各々＝おのおの＝each differing thing
格　合格＝ごうかく＝passing an exam
略　省略＝しょうりゃく＝omission, abbreviation
額　がく＝picture frame
処　処理＝management
条　条件＝じょうけん＝condition, stipulation
冗　any useful word other than 冗談？
運
涼　涼む＝すずむ＝to cool oneself
亭　亭主＝ていしゅ＝one's husband, proprietor
景　背景＝はいけい＝background
舎　校舎＝こうしゃ＝school building
周　一周＝いっしゅう＝once around
吉　末吉＝すえきち＝uncertain luck[おみくじ]
栄　栄える＝さかえる＝to flourish
枚
故　故障＝こしょう＝breakdown
敬　敬老＝けいろう＝respect for the aged
警　警告＝けいこく＝admonition, warning
訓　教訓＝きょうくん＝lesson, precept
詰
調　強調＝きょうちょう＝emphasize
談　any useful word other than 冗談、相談？
式　葬式＝そうしき＝funeral
試　試みる＝こころみる＝to attempt, try
域　地域＝ちいき＝region, area
茂　茂る＝しげる＝to grow thick/lush/rampant
成　成長＝せいちょう＝growth
城　any useful word other than しろ？
減　いい加減＝いいかげん＝irresponsible, etc.
浅　浅い＝あさい＝shallow
肯　肯定＝こうてい＝to affirm
歴　履歴書＝りれきしょ＝work resume
武　武士＝ぶし＝Samurai

Notes:
I've stopped searching for vocab for kanji that I really can't find a seemingly useful word that I don't already know. Compared to my normal "immersion" learning style, it's been slightly tougher to have to memorize "newspaper words" and other vocabulary our of context. Adding 37 cards this day took longer than yesterday. I think most of today's time can be attributed to lack of sleep. My goal for tomorrow is to maintain more intense focus on getting the kanji and vocab into Anki.

@Vempele, Thanks for the suggestions! I've added those words to my vocabulary deck.

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 63
Today's Anki Cards Added: 37
Total Anki Cards: 88
Kanji Remaining: 870

yogert909 Member

From: Los Angeles, Ca Registered: 2013-05-03 Posts: 270 Website

Cool idea datrukup!

Keeping a journal is a good way to keep yourself on track and doing it publicly raises the stakes. It's also a good resource for beginners to see in detail what they are getting into. Maybe mods should make a journal category in the index...? Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see how your experiment progresses.

Vempele Member

Registered: 2013-06-16 Posts: 615

辺 - discounting あたり, へん, -べ　(窓辺, 上辺...), maybe you don't know 周辺?
冗 - I've seen 饒舌, which can also be spelled 冗舌.
運 - discounting 運動, 運 and 運ぶ: 海運 (maritime), maybe? Seems to be mostly used in compounds. Don't think I've ever seen it myself.
詰 - discounting 詰まる/詰める: 詰るなじる
談 - 談話
城 - じょう, with the same meaning as しろ. Mostly in compounds, e.g. 王城.

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 3
Day Off

Days Off Remaining: 1

Notes:
A busy schedule and deadlines kept me from studying today. When I re-start tomorrow, I'm going to first print out the kanji and meanings out on one page. I'll review these during the day to get maximum exposure, and I'll save the Anki work for a continuous chunk time. I feel that separating the conceptualizing from the drudge work will help remedy the mental sluggishness that learning just 64 kanji has imposed on me.

@yogert909 Thanks for the support! Nice blog by the way. Keep it up!

@Vempele Thanks for helping me out! I'm adding these vocab to my deck.

jessem Member

Registered: 2014-01-21 Posts: 29

がんばって！

This should be perfectly possible...although it seems like you've got school kicking your ass too, so you know, don't kill yourself over this. I hope this goes well! If it does, I might use this method to re-do RTK. I've gone through it one and a half times now, but I just can't keep up with reviewing 2k kanji. The ones I actually use in my immersion I remember, but all those others just don't seem worth it...at least not at my level.

You're making the anki cards yourself, right? That is a lot of extra work, in addition to reviews.

Thanks for sharing this project! Best of luck!

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 4
Day Off

Days Off Remaining: 0

Notes:
This project is NOT over. Today was another busy day consisting of job interviews and tests, but I was able to get 49 new kanji reviewed, but it's not the minimum so I'm calling today a day off. Tomorrow will prove much more fruitful.

@jessem Thanks for the encouragement! I am making my own cards. That is the most time consuming part. I hope you can get your RTK all mastered some day

Last edited by datrukup (October 10, 4:33 pm)

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 5
Complete!

Learn Time: 4:15
Anki Review Time: 0:15
Today's Time: 4:30

Kanji Reviewed:

384.走,385.超,387.越,388.是,389.題,391.建,392.延,396.衣,398.装,399.裏,402.遠,404.初,405.布,407.幅,408.帽,412.市,413.姉,415.帯,417.刺,418.制,419.製,420.転,421.芸,422.雨,423.雲,424.曇,427.冬,428.天,429.橋,431.立,432.泣,433.章,434.競,436.童,439.商,441.適,442.滴,444.匕,445.北,446.背,447.比,448.昆,449.皆,450.混,455.旨,456.脂,458.毎,461.海,462.乞,463.乾,464.腹,465.複,466.欠,467.吹,469.歌,470.軟,471.次,473.資,479.音,480.暗,482.識,484.境,485.亡,

Kanji + Vocab Learned:
超　超える＝こえる＝to exceed
越　追い越す＝おいこす＝to overtake
是　any useful word other than 是非？
建　建築＝けんちく＝architecture
延　延期＝えんき＝postpone
装　装う＝よそおう＝to feign, pretend
裏　裏切る＝うらぎる＝to betray
幅　大幅＝おおはば＝drastically
帽　any useful word other than 帽子？
制　制度＝せいど＝system
製　＿＿製＝せい＝made from/in
芸　芸者＝げいしゃ
雲　any useful word other than 雲？
曇　曇る＝くもる＝become cloudy
章　文章＝ぶんしょう＝sentence
競　競走＝きょうそう＝race
適　適度＝てきど＝moderate
滴　水滴＝すいてき＝drop of water
昆　昆虫＝こんちゅう＝insect (science)
混　混乱＝こんらん＝confusion
脂　脂肪＝しぼう＝fat/grease
乞　乞食＝こじき＝beggar
乾　乾く＝かわく＝to dry
複　複数＝ふくすう＝multiple
軟　柔軟＝じゅうなん＝flexible
資　資料＝しりょう＝primary source
識　常識＝じょうしき＝common sense
境　さかい＝border
亡　亡くなる＝to pass away

Notes:
BOOM. Knocked these out in what seems like my standard slow pace. I plan on getting ahead this weekend and maybe looking for a premade deck that fits my needs so I don't have to make new cards.

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 63
Today's Anki Cards Added: 29
Total Anki Cards: 118
Kanji Remaining: 807

kazuki Member

From: New Jersey Registered: 2008-05-23 Posts: 29

I found a deck a while ago that helped me at the time, but it doesn't seem to be available anymore. However, I did find a deck that probably has what you are looking for, since you're interested in putting in example vocab. Top 2 Koohii stories are also included. Of course, you can remove whatever fields you don't need and pick only 1 or 2 of the words that seem to be the most popular in the example vocab field.

https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/2126335352

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 6
Complete!

Learn Time: 1:40
Anki Review Time: 0:20
Today's Time: 2:00

Kanji Reviewed:

488.荒,489.望,490.方,492.坊,495.訪,496.放,499.説,500.鋭,501.曽,502.増,503.贈,504.東,506.凍,508.廷,510.燃,512.歳,513.県,515.地,516.池,517.虫,522.独,524.風,525.己,526.起,528.改,529.記,530.包,535.電,541.家,545.場,546.湯,547.羊,548.美,549.洋,552.達,554.差,555.着,559.集,561.進,562.雑,564.準,567.確,568.午,569.許,571.権,572.観,573.羽,574.習,575.翌,576.曜,577.濯,579.困,580.固,581.国,582.団,583.因,585.園,586.回,588.店,589.庫,590.庭,591.庁,592.床,

Kanji + Vocab Learned:
荒　荒い＝wild, reckless
訪　訪問＝formal visit
鋭　鋭い＝sharp, pointed
曽
増　増加＝increase
贈　贈り物＝present
凍　凍る＝to freeze
廷　法廷＝law court
独　独身＝single (relationships)
己　自己＝self--
改　改める＝change + improvement
差　差別＝discrimination
集　編集＝to edit
進　進化＝evolution
雑　雑音＝noise
確　確認＝confirmation, double-check
観　観測＝observation
翌　翌朝＝the following morning
濯　any useful word other than 洗濯？
団　集団＝official group
因　any useful word other than 原因、要因？
庭　校庭＝schoolyard
庁　都庁＝metropolitan government
床　床屋＝barber

Notes:
Today was faster than normal. I added 24 cards but mostly kept the distractions down to a minimum. If I can get to this pace every day, this will be a piece of cake

@kazuki Thanks for the link. That is one comprehensive deck.

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 63
Today's Anki Cards Added: 24
Total Anki Cards: 143
Kanji Remaining: 744

Vempele Member

Registered: 2013-06-16 Posts: 615

濯 - 濯ぐ=to rinse, to wash out
因 - 因果=cause and effect, karma. 因果律 = the law of cause and effect
曽 - Only ever seen it in a name, 小木曽 (おぎそ).

Edit: I fail at recognizing 改.

Last edited by Vempele (October 12, 1:21 pm)

Sauzer Member

From: Maryland USA Registered: 2011-04-03 Posts: 82

Vempele wrote:
曽 - Only ever seen it in a name, 小木曽 (おぎそ).

I have seen 曽遊 [having visited somewhere before] before and 曽孫 [great-grandchild] gets a fair few results in google (including ja.wiki)

Last edited by Sauzer (October 12, 7:01 am)

john555 Member

Registered: 2014-03-18 Posts: 295

Vempele wrote:
濯 - 濯ぐ=to rinse, to wash out
因 - 因果=cause and effect, karma. 因果律 = the law of cause and effect
曽 - Only ever seen it in a name, 小木曽 (おぎそ).

Your definition for 攻める is wrong, it's "to attack; to assault; to assail".

Interesting to see 攻める mentioned. Sorry to get off topic, but I came across the phrase "攻めのコンサバ" in a magazine recently. It was in connection with an article about a soccer player. I interpreted the phrase to mean "offensive save" ie., a move made in a soccer game. Is that correct?

Last edited by john555 (October 12, 7:34 am)

Vempele Member

Registered: 2013-06-16 Posts: 615

コンサバ is conservative ("especially about fashion" according to 広辞苑), short for コンサーバティブ, I have no idea where you got "save" (which would be セーブ) from.

攻めのコンサバ appears to be a (currently fashionable?) style - lots of hits for 攻めのコンサバジャケット in particular (an article about 10 reasons why your jacket isn't "in", even though it's 攻めのコンサバ).

Last edited by Vempele (October 12, 1:35 pm)

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

Day 7
Complete!

Learn Time: 2:10
Anki Review Time: 0:30
Today's Time: 2:40

Kanji Reviewed:

594.磨,595.心,596.忘,597.忍,598.認,600.志,601.誌,605.思,607.応,608.意,609.想,610.息,612.恵,613.恐,615.感,616.憂,618.忙,623.怖,626.憎,627.慣,635.必,637.手,638.看,640.我,641.義,642.議,645.抱,649.批,650.招,653.打,655.捨,659.指,660.持,666.損,667.拾,668.担,671.操,672.接,675.研,676.戒,677.械,678.鼻,679.刑,680.型,681.才,682.財,683.材,684.存,685.在,686.乃,688.及,689.吸,691.丈,692.史,693.吏,694.更,695.硬,696.又,697.双,702.奴,703.怒,704.友,705.抜,

Kanji + Vocab Learned:

忍　忍者＝ninja
志　意志＝will, volition
誌　any useful word other than 雑誌？
応　応援＝cheer on
想　感想＝impression, thought
恵　恵む＝to do a favor
憂　憂い＝grief, sorrow
忙　any useful word other than 忙しい？
憎　憎む＝hate, detest
慣　慣用句＝idiom
看　看守＝prison guard
抱　抱く＝hug
批　批評＝review of a performance
招　招く＝invite, summon
損　損害＝damage
担　担当＝be responsible for, in charge of
操　操る＝manipulate
接　間接＝indirect
刑　刑務所＝prison
材　素材＝raw material
存　保存＝preserve
及　及び＝…as well as…
更　夜更かし＝staying up late
硬　any useful word other than 硬い？
双　any useful word other than 双子？
奴　やつ
怒　怒り＝anger, wrath

Notes:
Another relatively short session. Lots of mid-terms this week, but I'll still chug through these. The Anki review portion of my study sessions has become more irregular due to time constraints. For now I think this is okay as I mostly have time away from a computer to review my notebook that I write all my kanji down in.

@Vempele thanks again! Adding these vocab to my Anki deck

Today's Kanji Reviewed: 63
Today's Anki Cards Added: 29
Total Anki Cards: 171
Kanji Remaining: 681

Vempele Member

Registered: 2013-06-16 Posts: 615

忙 - 忙しない
誌 - 週刊誌
硬 - 強硬, though I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen it.
双 - 双眼鏡

yudantaiteki Member

Registered: 2009-10-03 Posts: 3619

If you want an on-yomi word there's 多忙 which is used in letters (as ご多忙中 or ご多忙のところ)

datrukup Member

Registered: 2010-12-29 Posts: 21

@Vempele 忙しない is new to me, as are the others. Thanks!
@yudantaiteki Thanks! I knew the vocab word from a core deck but I had no idea of the actual usage. I'm learning so much actually having people explain words rather than an English-->Japanese keyword.

I'm postponing the rest of this journey until I have some more free time and have matured these anki cards a little more. Never start a resolution at the beginning of midterms.

Thanks y'all!

JapaneseRuleOf7 Member

From: Japan Registered: 2012-01-06 Posts: 201 Website

Wait, so just like that it's over?

Just when I was getting inspired.

Sauzer Member

From: Maryland USA Registered: 2011-04-03 Posts: 82

Vempele wrote:
硬 - 強硬, though I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen it.

Don't forget 硬貨!

datrukup wrote:
I'm postponing the rest of this journey until I have some more free time and have matured these anki cards a little more. Never start a resolution at the beginning of midterms.

Thanks y'all!

You gotta do what's right for you, but if your intention is to stick with it, I might recommend keeping a new card every day or something. I find Anki review time a lot more tolerable when there's always a trickle of fresh content to see. Might just be me though!

sholum Member

Registered: 2011-09-19 Posts: 265

Sauzer wrote:
You gotta do what's right for you, but if your intention is to stick with it, I might recommend keeping a new card every day or something. I find Anki review time a lot more tolerable when there's always a trickle of fresh content to see. Might just be me though!

This works for me too; My courses are only seven weeks long, so I'm always busy keeping up with them, but I've found that I can still easily add ten or twenty cards a day (vocab; slightly easier to add than what you're doing, OP). I'd say try and add five cards per day and keep up on your reviews, or else you'll be swamped when you come back to it.

Whatever you do, though, good luck in your classes and I hope to see this continued when you have more time.

Last edited by sholum (October 14, 4:11 pm)

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