Think of it this way: Heisig is merely putting all the kanji into your head; this will GREATLY facilitate learning later on. The keywords are his way of creating 'slots' in your brain to hold the kanji. These aren't always correct, but they're not bad to the point of causing confusion or trouble when readings and compounds are learned.

Kanji are very flexible and can have various meanings in different contexts and compounds. Heisig tried to pick an English keyword that matches what that particuar kanji would usually mean. However, sometimes the keyword does not suit the kanji at all if it's in a compound. You won't be able to understand Japanese just by learning all the kanji through the Heisig method. It's just a good way to remember how to write them all and be able to recognise them.

Ah I understand!
One of the things I'd like to point out:
"You don't need to know the keyword if you see a kanji, but you need to be able to write the kanji if you see the keyword."

Why is this? If we can't recall a keyword if we see the kanji in daily life, you won't know what it means right? Why even bother linking all those kanji to keywords at all then? It not like I see english words and want to write them in Kanji... Only for the review this is used.
I am still vague in understanding the purpose in learning all the keywords, what does it accurately help you then?

-Mesqueeb

Mesqueeb wrote:

Ah I understand!
One of the things I'd like to point out:
"You don't need to know the keyword if you see a kanji, but you need to be able to write the kanji if you see the keyword."

Why is this? If we can't recall a keyword if we see the kanji in daily life, you won't know what it means right? Why even bother linking all those kanji to keywords at all then? It not like I see english words and want to write them in Kanji... Only for the review this is used.
I am still vague in understanding the purpose in learning all the keywords, what does it accurately help you then?

-Mesqueeb

Memory, in general, works best with associations.  Generally speaking, the more associations you have to a piece of knowledge, the harder it is to forget that piece of knowledge.  Think of the keyword as "scaffolding" - you build it in place initially so you have an anchor for your image, for the purposes of writing that Kanji from the keyword.  As you practice more and more, and as you approach the end of RTK1, some of your stories will fall away, and you will go directly from keyword to writing the Kanji.  Eventually, you will become so proficient that even the keyword will fall away.  Someone will ask you, how do you write the Kanji for Kirin (giraffe), and you will simply write out 麒麟 without having to think about the keywords...

Technically, you could associate 中 with the onyomi ちゅう, the kunyomi なか, the vocabulary 中国, the color red, or even to your Uncle Sam, if that helps you, somehow.  But for someone who has no knowledge of Japanese, Heisig decided what is best is probably an association from an English keyword (which invokes a story or imagery) to a Kanji.  Assuming you already know English, that is the minimum you need to make an association from something you already know to something you don't know yet:  the writing of that Kanji.  You can learn all the other things that go with 中 later on.

This way works well with Japanese because there are so many other things that "go with" 中.  You will see in some other threads for Hanzi (you can think of them as Chinese Kanji) that some learners, like Serge, suggest that you learn the readings along with the Hanzi - because the extra things that "go with" 中 is very minimal in Chinese, compared to Japanese.  There is so little extra to learn, in fact, why not learn the Simplified character, too?  But I am going off topic here...

If you don't have the RTK1 book already, you should buy it and read the introduction carefully.  He explains it in much better and deeper terms.  He even explains why going from 中 the Kanji to the keyword is not as important, initially.  Go buy the book and read it - it will also help explain all the radicals and the reasoning behind many, many more questions you may have.

Last edited by kfmfe04 (2008 October 21, 11:35 am)

The point of RTK is well said in its name. "Remember" the kanji. RTK will help you remember them. Recognizing the kanji is muuuuch easier. Writing they from memory is much much harder. That is RTK's goal.

Once you finished RTK your work will still not be over. The path is a bit longer:

keyword -> KANJI -> meaning/reading -> japanese.

RTK covers the keyword -> KANJI part. After doing RTK you'll still have to learn how to read them, and of course, learn the language.
The reason it is worthful to do RTK is that it can be done quickly and it fits well with SRS reviews. Some do it in 1 month, you should aim for that.

mentat_kgs wrote:

Once you finished RTK your work will still not be over. The path is a bit longer:      keyword -> KANJI -> meaning/reading -> japanese.

RTK covers the keyword -> KANJI part. After doing RTK you'll still have to learn how to read them, and of course, learn the language.
The reason it is worthful to do RTK is that it can be done quickly and it fits well with SRS reviews. Some do it in 1 month, you should aim for that.

I think mentat's reminder that RTK is just one step really good - it helps manage expectations (before the investment ). Similarly, I wouldn't want people to underestimate the time commitment. Most people are not able to manage it in 1 month (see other threads). This would involve a massive number of reviews and hours/day (and completing the 4 reviews/kanji may not even be possible?). The point is: find a workable pace without losing momentum.

Hi Mescqueeb: The intro to the RTK book  is available here.   , but you'll want to have a copy.

Most keywords do reflect a specific or general meanings of the kanji and having a sense of the meanings is helpful when learning vocabulary later on. Eventually you'll retain the meanings (where appropriate) without the English keyword.

Another use of keywords:
You can type a kanji into your computer even if you don't know its reading. It's much faster than using a kanji pad, or browsing by components.

I use anki search with RTK keyword.

I understand it now I think, however, I am obliged to stop using RtK for a little while, because I am having 3kyu test in December here in Japan. And it's really something else.
^^
I live in Japan until July, I hope to be able to start RtK once more, and finish it around end February. Then comes the learning how to say it. Is that something that occupies the rest of your life? Or is there also a method to do it in a few months? (all the onyomi and kunyomi I mean)
By this time I already speak basic Japanese, because I go to a Japanese High school, and it's funny how I sometimes only know the Kanji instead of the word. xD
^^
(my name is Mesqueeb, not Mescqueeb >,<)

-Mesqueeb