What is the Kanjimori Method?

Here at Kanjimori, we understand kanji by breaking them down into their components and tracing the history of the character’s composition over time. An important term we use on this site is “root” – a kanji root is a component that can be traced back to an original irreducible pictogram or ideogram in oracle bone script, the oldest form of Chinese characters. These roots are combined into compound kanji, often to hint either at the character’s meaning or sound.

Evolution of Kuruma (車) Root Over Time

In addition to these roots, we also use the term “corrupted root” to refer to a character that was once a compound kanji but became wonky at some point and lost its links to the past. But don’t be sad! Modern research to reconnect these corrupted roots with their historical forms is ongoing and often succeeds at reminding us of where they came from. Corrupted roots are furthest point back that the modern character form has meaning, so we treat these similarly to true roots.

An important part of our method of study is the use of kanji trees. These can be found in the Kanji Trees tab. Think of kanji trees like family trees for kanji – they tell us about which kanji inherited components from each other. At the top of every kanji tree is a root, either a true root or a corrupted root. In subsequent generations, that root is compounded once, twice, and so on with other roots to produce compound kanji.

When a root or compound kanji is further compounded with other roots, traits of that kanji are often passed down as well, such as related meanings or similar pronunciations. It is especially important to notice when pronunciations are passed down within a kanji tree, as this is an immensely helpful tool for memorizing kanji readings. These “phonetic” relationships are indicated within each kanji tree.

How Does Kanjimori Handle Leveling?

To ensure we are introducing kanji in roughly the same chronological order they may be learned in Japan, we use the Japan Kanji Aptitude Test’s (kanji kentei, 漢字検定) kanji list as a reference for constructing kanji study levels. Each kanji level builds on the preceding levels, introducing new roots as well as compound kanji incorporating roots from the levels before. Occasionally, roots will be taught earlier than they might in kanji kentei order if they are needed to understand the composition of kanji within a level. For roots that are not commonly written alone in Japanese kanji, we will teach only the root’s meaning, not its readings.

How Do I Classify a Kanji Root’s Role?

We classify the role a kanji root plays in the modern form of a compound kanji into 6 categories:

Proper root – a root that exists in the modern kanji and has historically existed.
Phonetic root – a root that exists in the modern kanji and lends it a similar reading.
Emergent root – a root that exists in the modern kanji but has not historically existed.
Historical root – a root that does not exist in the modern kanji but has historically existed.
False root – a root that does not exist in the modern kanji but may appear to be part of the kanji.
Pseudo-root – a “root” that has no historical meaning but visually appears to be part of the kanji. Pseudo-roots are often formed by the corruption of one or more roots.

To classify a kanji root’s role within a kanji, use the following guidelines:

Does the root appear to exist within the modern kanji?
Y - Jump to 3.
N - Continue to 2.
Has the root existed in the kanji historically?
Y - The root is a historical root.
N - The root is not a root for this kanji.
Has the root existed in the kanji historically?
Y - Jump to 6.
N - Continue to 4.
Is this root actually part of another root within the kanji?
Y - The root is a false root.
N - Continue to 5.
Did the root appear midway through the kanji's history through corruption/simplification?
Y - The root is a pseudo-root.
N - The root is an emergent root.
Does the root lend a similar sound to the kanji? Or has it historically?
Y - The root is a phonetic root.
N - The root is a proper root.