How many Kanji do you know?

[BamaFan2989]

Hey guys I was wondering how much Kanji you knew.. thanks.

[okaeri_man]

easily 500+! if i can do it you can do it too!

[BamaFan2989]

lol, thanks.

[kisu]

200-300 I can write myself. But I'm sure I could recognize at least a hundered more.

^^

~Kisu

[Maciamo]

I have edited your poll a bit, as many people here know more than 500 kanji, I think (then it is "how many" and not "how much").

[Elizabeth]

Between 1500-2000, if anyone wants to amend my response from the 500 + category.

[DoctorP]

hmmmm? maybe it should be ammended one more time. I think the first choice should be zero since I am sure that some people do not know any kanji! I myself know only about 150.

[MeAndroo]

It all depends...can I use my cell phone?

[Faustianideals]

I know no kanji at the moment. :relief:

[puKKa]

I know a few right now, trying to learn kana first then kanji :cool: :cool:

[Kamisama]

Who knows over 2000 kanji?
Does anyone have any good websites that teach kanji and the many sentences it can be related to? Not just words but examples a whole kanji broken down.

I was working on a tutorial I had over 50 lessons.. but i lost them in a virus.

[PaulTB]

Who knows over 2000 kanji?
I think the correct spelling is "What bastard knows over 2000 kanji?" :blush:
I don't know who you are - but I'm going to be there next year.
覚えておくぞ！
I was working on a tutorial I had over 50 lessons.. but i lost them in a virus.
Your next lessons will be in Data Recovery, Redudancy in Backup Systems and Virus Protection, will they? :sorry:

[Maciamo]

Btw, I voted 1500-2000.

[PaulTB]

Btw, I voted 1500-2000.
Hmm, me too.

What this needs is a totally unfair tie-breaker.

What is the full kana version and rough meaning of the following words?

(They are all from my 'nasty vocab' list for moderately common words that I keep forgetting - I got them all wrong last time I tried them and I haven't tried these for at least four or so days.)

頑な
戊戌
緊迫
宣誓
主催
礎
啓蒙
連邦
颯爽と
柑橘類

copy and paste (not quote) the above list and enter your answers - then see my answers and what EDICT said below.

MY ANSWERS: ('hidden' by white text).











頑な かたくな stubborn TICK
戊戌 ぼじゅつ 6th of the sexagenary cycle CROSS (35th)
緊迫 けんはく tense CROSS (きんぱく
宣誓 せんせい oath TICK
主催 しゅさい supervisor of meeting CROSS (Organisation, sponsorship)
礎 いにしえ foundation, basis CROSS (いしずえ foundation stone
啓蒙 けいごう luxury CROSS (けいもう enlightenment)
連邦 れんぽう Commonwealth TICK
颯爽と さっそうと Jauntily TICK
柑橘類 かんちつるい citrus fruits CROSS (かんきつるい)

4 out of 10. (Not so good)

[mad pierrot]

not enough! I'm stuck in that kanji "No man's land" between 500 and 1,000. Not enough to read, but more than just a few.

[Stutz]

Just around 50 at the moment. I hope to be around 200 by the end of the spring semester in May.

[Emoni]

Good poll. I was curious to the amount of Kanji the posters here knew as well.

[Mike Cash]

Btw, I voted 1500-2000.

That's because you're a redneck.

(Oh, wait a minute.....wrong thread. Sorry)

[blade_bltz]

eh 750 or so. I'm getting lazy >_<

[BrennaCeDria]

Just under 50. T.T

[Buntaro]

Hey, how about a poll for how many kanji we have forgotten!!!

[PaulTB]

Hey, how about a poll for how many kanji we have forgotten!!!
All of them. Several times.

Luckily I've memorized most of them again at a later point. :p

[serewen]

around 2k+

[SajberJohan]

Well, Iｴm supposed to know like 45 or 60, and although I recognize allmost all of them I only remember how to write like half of them... :okashii:

Kanji is really bothersome, and sometimes itｴs straight up useless! I mean comeon, if you want to write tabemono itｴs like 10 times more bothersome to replace the "ta" with the kanji than just plain writing "ta" in hiragana. I think whoever made these kanjis up was having a real fun time thinking of how we gaijins would have trouble understanding and learning them (or atleast I have :relief:). :banghead:

[Bekkichan]

I went with 400-499, because in the middle of my next-to-last quarter in college (somewhere between 1/04 and 3/04), I finished the JWL (Japanese: the Written Language) text, which covers 400 kanji. Throughout the next 3 or 4 months I learned some supplementary ones from various sources... and since graduating in June '04 I've been translating some website content every week, as well as regularly chatting with Japanese people via email, forums, and MSN... all of which helped me learn to recognize LOTS more. I wouldn't say I'm over 500 though... mainly because I lost count months ago. :p Plus, if we're talking about writing, I probably remember less than half that amount, so... heh.

[BamaFan2989]

What is the hardest Kanji to you guys???

[countess_d]

I should know 300+ But can only read around 200, if I'm lucky :D I can write like... 100, if I'm feeling very bright that day... :p

[sl0815]

What is the hardest Kanji to you guys???

一 (one). Can't write it properly and it has a dozen readings!


Jan

[MtoM]

It is impossible for me to say exactly how many kanji I memorize since every week I memorize about a dozen or half a dozen of kanji. then I forget a number of them and study other kanji then re-studying what I forgot...there are kanji I studied more than 10 times an still forgeting them, in the other hand there are kanjis that I studied them once and learned them by heart(although that happens rarely).
I memorize over 600 knji from the six grades kanjis and some more dozens from the other jouyou kanji and jinmei lists. Quite impressive, isn't it?

[ベ-ネ]

ohh i can only read about 20kanzi :((

[Fantt]

I know the "meanings" of about 150 kanji, but I can't read any (pronounce) at all. When I saw the word '外人' on my Homer Simpson samurai shirt (it says '馬鹿外人' :D) I figured that it meant foreigner because the first kanji means outside and the second kanji means person. I asked the Japanese girl in my aikido class and she said I was correct and then she told me the baka part. I guess knowing the kanji meaning is like being half-literate or something...

[senseiman]

I voted 1500-2000, but that is just the number I can read, if you asked me to write them down off the top of my head I would only get about half of them right.

For my purposes though writing them isn't at all important. My Japanese is never going to be good enough for me to become a English-Japanese translator (though I have some professional Japanese-English experience) and I'm not going to be composing anything important myself in Japanese so there really isn't much point. Knowing how to read (or at least knowing the meaning of) about 2000 kanji is enough to be able to enjoy novels and magazines with only occasional reference to the old Kanji dictionary and its also enough for you to be able to translate documents at a speed fast enough to make it worth your while. So I'm quite happy with not being able to write half the Kanji I know.

[MtoM]

For kanji study I HIGHLY recommend The Kanji Learners Dictionary.

[飛火龍]

Well, I can recognize something like 350 kanji I think,
but when it comes to writing and knowing all the readings, only about 150.

Plus I've already forgotten (again) the ON readings of most of the kanji I learned last week. (*sniff*)

[MtoM]

To make my point clear, I would say it's a real pain in the nick to master kanjis without "The Kanji Learners Dictionary". People who really wants to study kanji must buy it at any cost, you sure will be amazed it's almost flawless...
漢字を習うについて、本気なら早くこの字典を買えよ！！きっとこうかいしないと、誓うんだよ！

[TZed9]

一 (one). Can't write it properly and it has a dozen readings!


Jan

Oh god, what have I bitten off here?!

For me first objective is the Kana, second is conversational vocabulary.

I have read children in JP learn 200 kanji a year for six years at school, then have to finish off themselves to bring to the requisite 2200-ish. Can anyone confirm this for me? I have also heard of a book from about 200 years ago with 60,000 different kanji, thank god for the standardisation initiative if that is true!

:souka: :souka: :souka:

[Fantt]

I agree 100% with MtoM - that dictionary is awesome and well worth the price. I have two copies of it, actually.

TZed9, I've seen pictures of a kanji dictionary which comes in multiple volumes (big thick books too) that covers 50,000+ kanji.

[Jin X]

I know like 5 kanji :okashii:

[senseiman]

I agree with MtoM and Fantt about the Kodansha Kanji learner's dictionary, it is definitely worth the price (I paid 4900 yen for mine 5 years ago or so when it first came out but I think it is cheaper now). It has a much MUCH easier to use look up system than most other dictionaries that are based on the radical system. Its main weakness though is that it isn't very comprehensive so if you want to read a novel or something about 20% of the tougher kanji you'll come across won't be in there. This is a major drawback, as even the kanji for some common words like buddo (grape) and hotondo (almost) aren't in it. But for the basics it is good and I beleive that all of the kanji likely to occur on level 1 of the JLPT are included in it.

[Fantt]

What's the next step up from the Kodansha Kanji learner's dictionary? i.e. What would I need for that next tier of kanji? Not that I'm at that point yet, of course.

[senseiman]

There are a few comprehensive dictionaries out there. I've heard that the Nelson one is the best, though I don't own a copy. It has about 7,000 or so listings. The one I've got has about 6,000 kanji listing in it and is published by Cheng and lee. I do not recommend it. Kenkyusha also publishes a dictionary with about 5,000 characters, but it isn't as comprehensive as the others and costs just as much.

I wish Kodansha would make a comprehensive dictionary based on the same system it used in making the learner's dictionary. That would be the best.

[ToMach]

About dictionaries, Japanese character dictionnaries (kanwa jiten 漢和辞典) are the best : more characters, more words, more details and explanations. English dictionaries become insufficient when you reach a high level in Japanese. But of course, since they are in Japanese, you can't use them before reaching a high level. So my advise would be : if you plan to study Japanese for a long time, don't buy too expensive English dictionnaries, because you may not use it anymore after some years.

About the subject of the poll, "How many kanji do you know?", nobody has raised the problem of what "know" does mean. To each kanji is associated a form, a reading, and a meaning, but it happens often that you forget/don't know one of them. Even Japanese people don't know how to write some kanji, or some readings. Personally, I can read far more kanji than I can write, and I can understand the meaning of many kanji while I forgot their reading. And there are some characters I can guess the reading, but I don't know the meaning.
So I can't say how many kanji I know.

[mad pierrot]

I've got a short question for all the hard-core kanji people here: Do you use an electronic dictionary? I've found that whenever I'm reading it's much more efficient to an electronic one, as looking everything up in a regular dictionary takes so much time. Of course, everything I'm reading has furigana, so I understand without it might be impractical. Btw, have you seen the Sharp G50? It shows the friggin stroke order. What an awesome pocket dictionary!

[PaulTB]

About the subject of the poll, "How many kanji do you know?", nobody has raised the problem of what "know" does mean.

Have you been reading the same thread?

"Well, I can recognize something like 350 kanji I think,
but when it comes to writing and knowing all the readings, only about 150.

Plus I've already forgotten (again) the ON readings of most of the kanji I learned last week."

"I voted 1500-2000, but that is just the number I can read, if you asked me to write them down off the top of my head I would only get about half of them right."

"But can only read around 200, if I'm lucky I can write like... 100"

"Plus, if we're talking about writing, I probably remember less than half that amount, so... heh."

"200-300 I can write myself. But I'm sure I could recognize at least a hundered more."

[ToMach]

Have you been reading the same thread?
Ok, I read a bit too quickly... sorry.
But the problem still remains : what means "to know a kanji"?

[Elizabeth]

What's the next step up from the Kodansha Kanji learner's dictionary? i.e. What would I need for that next tier of kanji? Not that I'm at that point yet, of course.
I rely for the most part on Tuttle's Kanji Dictionary with around 47,000 main entries plus 30-40 much more fascinating apendices (ed. : Mark Spahn & Wolfgang Hadamitzky) for which there's also a very good scaled down Learner edition probably comparable to Kodansha. :cool:

[PaulTB]

what means "to know a kanji"?
Whatever gets you the highest score. :D

[yorkii]

had to put the lowest :'( as i only just started to learn (only been about a month now) but im sure it will get better as i go on :)

[tha_rippa1be]

i know the meaning for about 10 kanji but how you prenounce it i know 1 or so :relief:

[miu]

I know soemthing like 85+ kanjis but I've been studying Japanese only for about three months, so maybe that's understandable ^^;

[Vinylhoer]

I recognize about 250 kanji, but I know the reading and stroke order of only a few.
I use the white rabbit press kanji flashcards to learn them, but unfortunately I'm almost through the first set and they are not going to publish the next set until next spring. But I guess that will give me time to focus more on the readings and compounds :-)

[Glenn]

It's funny to me that my group (1000-1500) is the second smallest, behind the 300-399 group. Why do so few people know that number, but there are 9 of us who know above 1500?

[PaulTB]

It's funny to me that my group (1000-1500) is the second smallest, behind the 300-399 group. Why do so few people know that number, but there are 9 of us who know above 1500?
My guess is that below 1000 people are still slowly adding kanji in order to read 'real Japanese' while above 1500 people have enough to read 'real Japanese' and consequently can slack off on learning extra kanji.

1000-1500 is a sort of no-mans land - just beginning to approach enough for everyday Japanese kanji usage at the low end. I suspect once you get significantly over 1000 your reading material suddenly starts to take off and you learn the next 500 kanji relatively quickly until you hit the 'Meh, that's enough kanji for me' group at 1500+.

Of course I have no proof of any of the above and I've just thrown it together on a whimsy. The real answer is probably "Totally random variation which just shows up more because it's a relatively small sample size." :blush:

[mad pierrot]

Of course I have no proof of any of the above and I've just thrown it together on a whimsy. The real answer is probably "Totally random variation which just shows up more because it's a relatively small sample size."

:D Funny! However, I bet you're right.

[MtoM]

日本語が読めば、Paul's ramblings in Japaneseに行ってくださいね。
===========
why didn't you use (yomereba) ??

[PaulTB]

日本語が読めば、Paul's ramblings in Japaneseに行ってくださいね。
===========
why didn't you use (yomereba) ??
Good question. I'll let you know when I come up with a good answer. :p




.... I've got nothing. :bawling:

[Mikawa Ossan]

Honestly, I have no idea. What is the standard for "knowing" a kanji? That you can read it? That you can read and write it? I don't know the answer for either standard, but I know for certain that there's a gap. (Perhaps now it's obvious that I didn't take the time to read all of the posts on this thread... :blush: )

I know for certain that I can read a Japanese newspaper without difficulty. I can read many books without too much difficulty in terms of kanji.

BUT

Truly, the more I learn, the less I seem to know. Knowing kanji in isolation is nice and all, but knowing what combinations mean seems much more practical to me. I have a book of 4 character phrases, and I know so few of them...

[studyonline]

Honestly, I have no idea. What is the standard for "knowing" a kanji? That you can read it? That you can read and write it? I don't know the answer for either standard


漢字の読み書きのできる能力は、日本人がその人の学歴 を見る基準とでも言うべきほど、広く一般的に知られて いる事実です。　私がまだ、受験勉強という非人間的、 拷問的な孤独な戦いの中にいた時、ほとんど毎日という ほど、漢字の復習を欠かしませんでした。

If I remember right, somewhere around 1,000 Kanji's are so-called 常用漢字, which basically let you read Japanese newspaper with no problem-supposedly. Most 1,000 Kanji's are learned in elementary schools in Japan. So I guess I "used to" know easily 3000-4000　of them...I think.

It was actually almost a shocking fact that I could (?) recognize so many of them. I didn't even know the first 240 of them are for 1st and 2nd graders.

そんなに沢山の漢字をだだひたすらと覚えまくって過ご していたとは、全く気が付きませんでした。

I have a book of 4 character phrases, and I know so few of them...

いわゆる四字熟語ですね。　確か私も、四字熟語一覧表 を用いてよく勉強しました。　その学習の楽しさは、時 として見られる独特の漢字の意味と格言的な教訓です。 　 Knowing them is probably beyond knowing Kanji's in my opinion. Well educated people know many, but you can still live in Japan without them. :blush:

[Takakoo]

I define "knowing" as being able to write the kanji as well, so I'd say about 150 kanji for me.

In an off topic question; what is the best order to learn kanji in, given that I am in a non-Japansese-speaking environment? There are so many indecies there (just look at Jim Breen's WWJDIC!), it can become very confusing.
* * *
I have the Reading and Writing Japanese kanji dictionary (second edition), which uses the Sakade index.

[Gaijinian]

I know about 1200? (still so many more to learn... :relief: ) Voted in the wrong place... :souka:

[crunch]

Voted 500-1000, know about 800 or so, I'd say. I can probably only write around 500 of those with ease however and my vocabulary with their compound usage could use some definite work. I agree in full with mad pierrot calling this stage "kanji no man's land" as it's so close yet so far. Oh well, must keep at it.

[4321go]

I am pool ……，I can only speak some everyday Japanese. can't write or read~ What a pity . I really want to learn Japanese.

[Index]

I use the white rabbit press kanji flashcards to learn them, but unfortunately I'm almost through the first set and they are not going to publish the next set until next spring. )

Why don't you make them yourself? It's easy, just use a word processor to write them, kanji one side, kana on the other, print, get them laminated, buy a cheap guillotine and cut them up. Cheap, fast, and easy.

[Dutch Baka]

Haha, I am a beginner to Kanji. I can write about 15, but I can read about 40 I think.

[Mike Cash]

Hey guys I was wondering how much Kanji you knew.. thanks.

Add one more to the list of teenagers who was burning white hot with a passion to move to Japan and live forever-n-ever-n-ever-n-ever and subsequently burned out and dropped out of sight.

[Dutch Baka]

Add one more to the list of teenagers who was burning white hot with a passion to move to Japan and live forever-n-ever-n-ever-n-ever and subsequently burned out and dropped out of sight.

What does this have to do with the topic?

[jonathancameron]

It's funny to me that my group (1000-1500) is the second smallest, behind the 300-399 group. Why do so few people know that number, but there are 9 of us who know above 1500?
Also, this stat is so crude! You need to have this also rated amongst foreigner, Nikkeijin, and Japanese national. Since if the 9 are all Japanese nationals it would be a pointless observation. What is it for a Japanese national to get a JLPT 1? I expect a nikkei to get there in less than a year, even if he started from zero. It would take me over 4 years.

[Mike Cash]

What does this have to do with the topic?

Nothing, really. I just saw the name of who started the thread and noticed that another shining star had burned itself out.

Back on topic: I know several kanji.

[jonathancameron]

I am pool ……，I can only speak some everyday Japanese. can't write or read~ What a pity . I really want to learn Japanese.
You being chinese, you will learn Kanji with speed of lightening. I might have 4 years on you, but come around christimas time, if you start, you could have me beat. I can read and recognize 1500 characters, but I write these kanji characters by hand very slow, and forget the strokes so fast. I bet I would be lucky to produce 250 kanji if I had to write it by hand. Thank god the JLPT is multiple choice for many kanji. The Japanese have to write in their Kanji Kentei and get a blank. In my class, we get a box to choose the kanji from, but the Nikkeijin get a test where they get nothing to choose from, and have to write the kanji by hand. They are also required to write the vocab we learn in Kanji, or they get no marks, whereas we get half for writing it in hiragana, and another for kanji. For translations, we don't need to produce it in Kanji, but the Nikkeijin have to produce the many of the words in Kanji when translating from English to Japanese.
I am surprised that none of the Nikkeijin have reported this as an act of discrimination. They accepted the fact that since we don't have a native track that is separate from us, at our university, the teacher has to do this to make the best of the situation.
The teacher smiles at me lots and tells me, well done, etc. Usually if the nikkeijin has the same grade as we do, they are often much better, and they only got a lower grade because they are marked harder. It is like playing a videogame where the difficulty is put on medium for us, and difficult for the Nikkeijin. Also, the teacher gives the caucasian students a bit of a break with the kanji and gives us a bit of a break with translation, since we have the same standards as the koreans and the chinese. So far, it is only made harder on the Nikkeijin, but it should be improved to be three tierd for the caucasian students to not compete with chinese and koreans who time and and time again prove to be faster at learning Japanese.
It is still like having an Italian taking spanish, when you are Tibetan.

The Langage departments need to make language acquision more level, and this game of golf handicaps are only put on the native speakers, and Nikkeijin. This I feel is not good enough.

[jonathancameron]

Honestly, I have no idea. What is the standard for "knowing" a kanji? That you can read it? That you can read and write it? I don't know the answer for either standard, but I know for certain that there's a gap. (Perhaps now it's obvious that I didn't take the time to read all of the posts on this thread... :blush: )
I know for certain that I can read a Japanese newspaper without difficulty. I can read many books without too much difficulty in terms of kanji.
BUT
Truly, the more I learn, the less I seem to know. Knowing kanji in isolation is nice and all, but knowing what combinations mean seems much more practical to me. I have a book of 4 character phrases, and I know so few of them...
For us Hakujin, just to be able to read it, and pick it out on the Word IME multiple choice when using windows. For the Japanese, and Nikkeijin, to be able to write it and natually. You might feel that this may be discrimination, but it is the Japanese who decided this amongst themselves. They really are upset with Brazilian nikkeijin and kikokushijos not trying to learn Japanese. The ones that are Issei and are passport holders are given the worst of this, as they are put through "gaijin hakashi" to help this chuutohampa no nihonjin rehabilitate as a Japanese in accordance to the Nihonjinron.
I will forever be pardoned as a Okyakusama and can always pull the gaijin card, but those kikokushijos are told they have a "sekinin" to enculturate themselves and rehabilitate. They have giri to do this, we dont. Language aquisition is one of their duties. I know one fellow who really learned it at record time and I was jealous of him, but this jealousy turned to feeling sorry when I discovered that his father would slap him and give him the "oofukubintan" if he lost to me on a test. (Little the father knows that they are simply marked much harder for the same grade, and the grading is adjusted.)

On reading where we get graded for pronounciation, they get graded how "surasura" they read the stuff. They are also not allowed an electronic dictonary to bring to the exam, whereas we are, along with 1 page of cheatsheats.

[Mike Cash]

The soft bigotry of low expectations rears its ugly head.....

[Mikawa Ossan]

For us Hakujin, just to be able to read it, and pick it out on the Word IME multiple choice when using windows. For the Japanese, and Nikkeijin, to be able to write it and natually. You might feel that this may be discrimination, but it is the Japanese who decided this amongst themselves. They really are upset with Brazilian nikkeijin and kikokushijos not trying to learn Japanese. The ones that are Issei and are passport holders are given the worst of this, as they are put through "gaijin hakashi" to help this chuutohampa no nihonjin rehabilitate as a Japanese in accordance to the Nihonjinron.
I will forever be pardoned as a Okyakusama and can always pull the gaijin card, but those kikokushijos are told they have a "sekinin" to enculturate themselves and rehabilitate. They have giri to do this, we dont. Language aquisition is one of their duties. I know one fellow who really learned it at record time and I was jealous of him, but this jealousy turned to feeling sorry when I discovered that his father would slap him and give him the "oofukubintan" if he lost to me on a test. (Little the father knows that they are simply marked much harder for the same grade, and the grading is adjusted.)
On reading where we get graded for pronounciation, they get graded how "surasura" they read the stuff. They are also not allowed an electronic dictonary to bring to the exam, whereas we are, along with 1 page of cheatsheats.
I am as white as the next white-guy, and let me tell you, if you truly believe what you wrote, then you are just making excuses for yourself.

Let me tell you that when I took college level classes in Japan in Japanese, I was never allowed a dictionary nor a "cheat sheet".

Whenever I have ever had to write anything in Japanese for work, nothing less than perfect Japanese was ever acceptable.

If you are content with only being able to pick out a kanji from an IME, then you will never progress further than that.

And I feel obliged to tell you that as a youth, I was under pressure to learn German. This is not purely a nikkei phenomenon.

[jonathancameron]

Yes, but them Nikkei are so unbeatable! I envy their speed in this linguistic aquisition, and the way they learn to write Kanji like some chinese dudes. They even learn to write kusushi, I certainly have not. The Nikkeijin do get a harder time in our school, Mikawa, how about at your university? Don't tell me that them Nikkeijin were given the same treatment as you were! Also, when I ask the Ritusmeikan exchange students to help me, they do it for free as I pull the gaijin card saying I can't possibly do this on my own without their Japanese help. Seeing how hard these 3rd year textbooks are that look like grade 9 to them, they can't believe that they make us study it to this level, and feel only compassion. I hope Japanese employers will be forgiving saying "済みません、私は白人なのでこんな難しい漢字なんかそ う刊単に学べないので、読めるだけでもさすがだと思っ て、許してくださいませ。　でも、私は白人としては上 手と思いませんか。” And they will be more forgiving to me than some Kikokusha who they have little patience for learning Japanese. I have been used as an example by few Japanese parents, and I even told their parents. 済みませんけれども、私でも白人としてこれぐらい出来 るのですから、貴方の子供様に私よりも日本語を出来な いと情けないじゃないですかと言って、私は、よく日本 人達に言います。そして、そうですねとしか答えないで 、恥をかきたくないから、緊張をしながら、僕を抜いて がんばります。　僕に負けてそれでも日本人か！と僕は 述べます。
It makes them work super hard. Nothing makes them work harder than seeing hakujinsama do better than them, and I say to them, and ask them if they still consider themselves Japanese in front of their parenets.

I have seen lazy Japanese students turn out spectacular. I am sure they will thank me in the end. I like to find humour in this as they have their prejudices to push that shame button and really get them going. I know how to make a Japanese work hard. Perhaps these parents should pay me to shame them into learning.

[Mikawa Ossan]

Yes, but them Nikkei are so unbeatable! I envy their speed in this linguistic aquisition, and the way they learn to write Kanji like some chinese dudes. They even learn to write kusushi, I certainly have not. The Nikkeijin do get a harder time in our school, Mikawa, how about at your university? Don't tell me that them Nikkeijin were given the same treatment as you were!In the classes I took, everyone was treated the same. There were no nikkei in my classes; everyone was Japanese except for myself. Also, when I ask the Ritusmeikan exchange students to help me, they do it for free as I pull the gaijin card saying I can't possibly do this on my own without their Japanese help.I'm sure you know my opinion of using the gaijin card.I hope Japanese employers will be forgiving saying "済みません、私は白人なのでこんな難しい漢字なんかそ う刊単に学べないので、読めるだけでもさすがだと思っ て、許してくださいませ。　でも、私は白人としては上 手と思いませんか。” And they will be more forgiving to me than some Kikokusha who they have little patience for learning Japanese.This would never have worked anywhere I have worked.

I see you strive for mediocrity. Godspeed, sir!

[Kid Chrono]

Well I've studied the reading and writing of over 2000 kanji, but I still need to do a lot more review before I could comfortably say I "know" that many. Due to not using them as much as I should(and having too small of a usable vocabulary) I also have a lot of trouble remembering how to write a lot of them on the fly as well. I would say I am comfortable with around 2000 kanji, and that's what I choose from the list. However, I still need a lot of work ^^'.

[Kinsao]

I only know about 100 kanji! :bluush: Still, I've been really slacking off on my study recently. Time to get back into gear, methinks. :blush:

[JimmySeal]

The Langage departments need to make language acquision more level, and this game of golf handicaps are only put on the native speakers, and Nikkeijin. This I feel is not good enough.

I'm having trouble understanding your thinking, and that of your school. Where is this place, and specifically, in what type/level course is this happening?

A class should treat all of its students equally. People with Japanese blood have no genetic disposition for learning the Japanese language, and certainly not kanji, and anyone who says differently doesn't belong outside the Japanese borders. The same goes for Koreans, Chinese, and anyone else inside the kanji culture sphere. If Koreans and Chinese happen to know kanji ahead of time from learning their own respective languages, they shouldn't be penalized for it.

If people are coming to the class with some extra prior knowledge of the material, they shouldn't be given a grading handicap for the benefit of the other students. Imagine someone trying to pull that in a literature or computer science class.

Sheesh.

[Yoko_Kisaragi]

Unfortunately, I only know about 700 or so >O< I wish I knew more!!!! :blush:

[Ghik]

If "knowing kanji" means to know their meanings - I know about 300-400.
But if you ask me about kanji readings - muuuuch less.
About stroke order and ability to write - only a few.

[jonathancameron]

In the classes I took, everyone was treated the same. There were no nikkei in my classes; everyone was Japanese except for myself. I'm sure you know my opinion of using the gaijin card.This would never have worked anywhere I have worked.
I see you strive for mediocrity. Godspeed, sir!
Mikawa, so how many Nikkei did you beat out in your class? You must have had a tough time in a class that has all Japanese. But I doubt a Japanese majoring in Japanese would not get much respect. You know the jump they make from second to third year really messed me up as there should be two grades or so in between. When I see that, I wonder to myself if these programs are designed for the Japanese or Nikkei students who want to take courses in their own mother tounge rather than lets say study french. I see many Japanese coming in as first year students taking Japanese at the third year level if they speak Japanese. Many begin by knowing less Kanji, but their vocabularies are often exceptional. I have heard many times, when this is the case, that because they are only needing to work their kanji and learn the terminology for grammar (In english and Japanese) the teachers have told them to go to the bookstore and learn the Kanji on their own time and catch up the 2 years that we had to learn. Amazingly, by the end of the term, most have not only caught up, but write kanji more naturally than I could after 7 years (counting high school).
Some have actually not learn the kanji, but because the marks are weighed only 7-8 percent on the actual writing of it, they manage to get through. A Japanese who is fluent and can has natural command of grammar can get even as high as an A- writing all his exam material in hiragana and katakana, using no kanji, as long as he or she can read it.
I have seen one fellow who took Japanese because he didnt want to learn french or something, and did it and beat me by 5%. I knew way more Kanji than he, and he even told me that growing up in Canada, it is too hard. He even commented how I am finding it, and told him that I forget it usually, and it takes too long to write the exam often. Satoshi told me to not worry about it as no one in Japan is going to laugh to a white guy for not knowing Kanji, and only he would be laughed at. Remebering what he did, I felt that I could relax with the actual writing of Kanji as recognition is enough to type in Kanji, and to date, I discovered that I could only write 213 kanji, if I go from memory. (I took a pen, and paper, and counted it).

I was assured by other Japanese that these days, many Japanese can't write kanji just like how many of us can't spell that well because of the spellchecker. Japanese IME has destroyed them too. So as a foreigner, I am more than excused. I feel that being able to speak and comprehend the Japanese is more important. So what if I write in hiragana lots?

I did hear however, in the Japanese educational system, however, students are more heavily weighed for the actual writing of kanji much more so than we are in the west relying mostly on being able to produce prestine translations.

The Japanese taking Japanese while they know more words, I see that many are less precise (kichomen) in their translation, as they are more careless about translating every word precisely. I still think in English and speak and write in Japanese, so I have to translate in my mind anyway, but the Japanese are less used to translating.

[Mikawa Ossan]

I'm sorry. I really need to stop feeding the trolls.

[IgotitallJp]

A little over 400 but I'm still learning. Ganbarima~su ne.

[Khoi]

If "knowing kanji" means to know their meanings - I know about 300-400.
But if you ask me about kanji readings - muuuuch less.
About stroke order and ability to write - only a few.
Morever me,i haven't known yet 'bout kanji letter,i've just known 9 kanji letters,,ha..ha..i've been joining japanese course and i've already learned 'bout hiragana and katakana and will move kanji in the next level.
By the way,ur state's flag is just the reverse of mine...r u from polland?
Hai,ganbatte kudasai.

[Chabichou]

I can write over 300 kanji, and know their meanings too, but I haven't learned all of their readings. In the course I am taking, we were only expected to know how to know a few words with the kanji were were taught, and hence, never used all the readings. The book, did list all the readings for each kanji, but I didn't bother to remember them all. It helps to learn vocab along with the kanji to cement the readings into your memory, but I have trouble remembering vocab.

[Niedy]

depends on how "knowing" is defined... for myself "knowing" means to know at least one meaning and one possible reading... in that context 1500 is where I am at the moment... though I was just recently studying up to 2000 (Joyo Kanji exam)... I tend to loose some shortly after ^^;;; I can write around 200 probably... maybe less... I don't need to write Kanji often...

Edit: I obviously didn't know all Joyo Kanji as I failed my exam... got the mark today... :( well I have one try left at the end of this term... ganbarimasu...

[Oats]

I know roughly 50ish which is absolutely ridiculous given that I'm supposed to be JLPT2-3, it really cripples me to the point where I essentially can't read. I'm starting to really focus specifically on the kanji at the moment though

[Arc2004]

I only know like 70 kanji, but im still learning :D

[Wladimir]

I know to write myself about 30 kanjis and I can maybe recognize about hundred. I'm still biginner :D

[dark_secrester]

Barely Any, about 35 I can write and 50 I can read, (that goes for multimeanings)

I haven't even got kana down fully yet :(

Must try harder * must..... beat..... maci....a...mo........ * :D:D:D doubt that'll ever happen :D

[ewomack]

For me knowing a Kanji means being able to write it, knowing the the meanings, and knowing at least some of the kun and on readings. That said, I probably know about 二百 漢字 right now. I try to learn at least one a day, but sometimes that doesn't happen. Whoa do I have a way to go.

[TuRbOxChAz]

its so hard....only took 2 years of high school japanese, kind of tried to memorize some kanji from the back of the book, took a break off of japanese in my first semester in college, and forgot a bunch of japanese as well as kanji :(
guess if i ever want 2000+ i'd need to practice kanji writing and reading it everyday...

btw i probably only can write like 30, but recognize 50-60 lol.....

[Arachanox]

I know and recognize no kanji. And I wish to keep it that way. Hiragana first.





Of course, I'll have to learn some kanji eventually...but seriously. 40,000 useless symbols that you could easily write in hiragana with a few more strokes? Lazy kanji-makers.

[JimmySeal]

I know and recognize no kanji. And I wish to keep it that way. Hiragana first.

Of course, I'll have to learn some kanji eventually...but seriously. 40,000 useless symbols that you could easily write in hiragana with a few more strokes? Lazy kanji-makers.


You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[White Rose]

I recognize and can more or less give the general meanings of 200.

But as for readings? Probably about 5 :-p. Maybe less i couldn't say offhand.

[Mirai Naza-kun]

Maybe... 50? Not really sure.

[orochi]

I put myself down for 1500-2000.
I can probably read well over 2000, but I can only write (most of ) the Joyo Kanji.

[Tsumetai]

Right now I am somewhere between 800-1000. I really need to get around to study kanji again.

[northsider1983]

Maybe... 50? Not really sure.
About the same for me. I'm getting there.... :-)

[northsider1983]

I know people say that 2000 is the magic kanji number, enough to read newspapers and such. Does that mean 2000 single kanji? Or does that include compound kanji?

[JimmySeal]

It means 2000 separate characters.

[GeorgeCostanza]

Gee, let me see how many I know. *Picks each Kanji out of mind and counts them all*
OOH I KNOW 5000
:okashii:

[Soloistic]

I know about 75 漢字 now. When I say that though, I mean I know the meanings, ON, kun readings, stroke order and a few compounds. Not bad considering I started less then two weeks ago.

[Sirius2B]

Uff!!! I just passed the 1300... thats why I came here right now.

I Mexico there is a horrible lack of books for people that, like me, wanted to study the Japanese as a self study thing.

It took me 3 years to collect a number of books (grammar, dictionaries, etc.)... and then I had to fill some gaps with material created by myself (I filled 3 binders).

Then I ordered this out, and began to study... the way you would "study" an indoeropean language... but after one more year, I discovered that I was making really no progress. It was that I thought that I could "study" the Kanji as I went through the material... but it proved wrong approach.

Now I giving me time to memorize the 2000 Joyoo Kanji. It is more than I year that I started, and already know 1300, being careful in recognizing each radical and stroke sequence, using the Heisig method.

Only after I reach the 2000 (hopefully before January 2008), I will retake my study of vocabulary and grammar.

Regards.

[mkd_girl]

im still studying nihongo here in the phil at MKD, so at least I think I know at least 20-30 Kanji's. I'm still a beginner so there... but hopefully as the years go by I can finally learn about 2000-8000 kanji's. :wave:

[Glenn]

What on earth made you choose that range? You'll be fine with way less than 8000 in Japan. Probably 3000-4000 is about right for the average educated adult.

[pjanaway]

I don't know any. :o

[mauron]

About 300 I can write, and maybe another 100 to 200 I can just read.

[Goldiegirl]

two....my last name. :)

[gofai]

中国語は常用漢字が多分３０００−５０００ほどです。 そのうえに、中国語は日本語と漢字について意味はほぼ 同じです。しかも、見るからに意味が分かるが、読み方 はぜんぜん。。。できない　:p

[Skullcrushergurl]

I feel so stupid here but maube around 20.

[Sirius2B]

Uff! today I passed the 1450... :( ...

[HarajukuxBoy]

Um..I know around 20 or so.But I'm still working on it.

[Aki-chan]

I know about 500+ I learn this alone in home Y_Y

[papercut]

I feel so stupid here but maube around 20.

Don't feel stupid,you are not alone. Yeah maybe 20 or so..

[B1ueM4oM4o]

I can write 881, which are the exact characters the Japanese Ministry of Education has selected for grade 1-6 students. And of course, other kanji I use often.

My reading ability goes far beyond that. At least maybe 1400. Enough to read books and stuff.

[hanreisei]

I think I can read and understand about 2500 kanji but maybe I can write about 1500 kanji.

[Petenshber]

I really couldn't say, not many.

[B1ueM4oM4o]

I know roughly 50ish which is absolutely ridiculous given that I'm supposed to be JLPT2-3, it really cripples me to the point where I essentially can't read. I'm starting to really focus specifically on the kanji at the moment though

Anyone going for jlpt2 needs about 800-1000... You don't need writing for the exam though, so if you really want to pass that, just learn to read for now. Learning to write a kanji takes no time if you can read it already.

[orochi]

>Learning to write a kanji takes no time if you can read it already.

I disagree entirely.

[Charles Barkley]

>Learning to write a kanji takes no time if you can read it already.

I disagree entirely.

I think learning how to write a kanji is easy, even if you can't read it already. But remembering on the other hand...its easy to forget how to write kanji you know how to read...

[davmandy]

Hi

The poll was lighthearted, but really when you start to think of it, it opens up a can of worms. What do you mean by "know"? Does that mean that you recognize the meaning of the kanji, can rattle off every possible pronunciation, and can write the kanji given the pronunciation and meaning? And what good does any of that do in the real world without memorizing a half-dozen compounds incorporating the kanji?

Japanese is definitely a challenge!

David Petersen
"Absolute Beginner's Guide to Hiragana" from Lulu Press

[scorpion da black]

some where between 200 amd 300

[Derfel]

Well its not that bad once you're past the stroke order of a couple of characters, you start to figure it out, but still, im doing flashcards day and night, I really learn fast how to read the symbols, but I couldn't write down most of them.
But still, flashing the information in front of your eyes over and over and thus burning it into your brain seems to be the best solution even with this drawback.

[Hopeanuoli]

Well, I've got a Kanji book and I was looking through it last night and it was really good - telling me how to write letters and New Years cards and letters meaning certain things. I can type them though - also I know about 0-99, that was the lowest I could go for, I think I know at least about 20 or 30-something. Is Kanji the most popular Japanese character?

[ninjinsamax3]

300-399 for now, I can read more than I can write, but I can type more than I can read. ;D

[mika_r]

i know like... 20 xD

but I started my self-teched classes 2 weeks ago!

[-Rudel-]

I can offically say that I know over 100 kanji if I see them.

But when it comes to memorization when writing, I know about 40 of those.

[chin]

hmmmm? maybe it should be ammended one more time. I think the first choice should be zero since I am sure that some people do not know any kanji! I myself know only about 150.
How can that be possible...
常用漢字はどのぐらいでしょう。

日本人なら、１０００を越すはずですが。
そうとは考えられませんか？

[epigene]

How can that be possible...
常用漢字はどのぐらいでしょう。
日本人なら、１０００を越すはずですが。
そうとは考えられませんか？
It's because most of the posters on this thread are studying Japanese and not native speakers.

[Togii]

Hmm.. I can recognize maybe 500-600.. but if I was asked to write them out, I'd be in trouble. XD
I'm teaching myself with fun Slime Forest, though, so my kanji skills are quickly outgrowing my skills in.. pretty much everything else :p

[Thorham]

Guess I know about 50, not that many, I know. Just 1895 more to go! Well at least it's more than the number of kana I know :lol: I only know about five or six of those, believe it or not...

[hideway]

At this moment I can recognize about 100 I guess.

I'm saving my vote until I reach 1000. :D

[Derfel]

Guess I know about 50, not that many, I know. Just 1895 more to go! Well at least it's more than the number of kana I know :lol: I only know about five or six of those, believe it or not...

Wait.... shouldn't be the the way around?

[Thorham]

Wait.... shouldn't be the the way around?Normally, yes. This was just an experiment to see how easily I could memorize them at a rate of ten a day. I think I studied about 70, and I can still recognize about 50, so that's not too bad. I just wanted to know what I would get myself into, if I would start to learn Japanese.

[kameron]

Atleast 500 but no more than 750 and reading them is easier than writing for sure. I would love to know 1000 by December, I'm sure it won't be too hard if I can put in the effort.

Don't forget the library is your friend! As much as I hate it, there's nothing there to distract me from studying, so, it's a good place to study kanji I think.

[ハダカ]

Yeah right, looks like some people forgetting role of kanji ^^ For identifying word they're needed (russian grammatics again:relief: ). Some folks not understand this but kanji is really necessary in nihongo because:
1) Traditions :) ("I must ruin ### year old custom? No way! It's too boring for me") (or something like that :p )
2) Nature Japanese unlove to all new ("I better write this and this like 中国　and 愛, like I did all my life, then like ちゅうごく　and あい. How I should know then, when and which Chuugoku and Ai person wants to say about? Why should I invent smth new? Its non-Japanese style :p")
3) Japanese people love their callygraphy. And they love to boast with this skill:p So think: what they will boast with w/o Kanji? :p

[Derfel]

I lost track of how many kanji I know. I roughly knew the number, but after trying a reader book I learnt loads of readings without fully learning the kanji with all of its readings.

[kameron]

I lost track of how many kanji I know. I roughly knew the number, but after trying a reader book I learnt loads of readings without fully learning the kanji with all of its readings.

Ah I hate learning kanji the old fashioned way ><
Stroke order, chinese reading, japanese reading, write 1000 times.
Your method sounds good.:122:

[Veespin]

Reading Kanji: about 900
Actually writing kanji from memory: probably about 300 to 400

Recently I have been slowing down on my kanji studying, but since I read Japanese all the time, I'm not really "slowing down". ;)

[ハダカ]

Should ask Ma Yuan how many he knows lol :)

[justin]

I use to know alot of them, but I forgot so many of them.

[Jericho Desu]

I agree 100% with MtoM - that dictionary is awesome and well worth the price. I have two copies of it, actually.
TZed9, I've seen pictures of a kanji dictionary which comes in multiple volumes (big thick books too) that covers 50,000+ kanji.

THERE ARE OVER 50,000 KANJI!!?? My God... Well I'm a total beginner so I know no Kanji whats so ever, I'm still learning Hiragana/Katakana via the game 'Slime Forest' (its pretty helpful actually). But I heard you only need to learn about 2000 Kanji for modern life in Japan, so I'm not going to aim so high as friggen 50k. :eek:

[Dutch Baka]

I can now write about 170-200 kanji, and I think I can read about 300-400 kanji.

I hope to reach at least 1000 kanji by the end of this year... it's starting to get more interested and paterns are showing.

[Derfel]

THERE ARE OVER 50,000 KANJI!!?? My God... Well I'm a total beginner so I know no Kanji whats so ever, I'm still learning Hiragana/Katakana via the game 'Slime Forest' (its pretty helpful actually). But I heard you only need to learn about 2000 Kanji for modern life in Japan, so I'm not going to aim so high as friggen 50k. :eek:

AFAIK its 30.000. Also, people who take the Kanji Kentei 1 test know 6000 kanji among other things. And people are supposed to learn 1945 until the end of High School if im correct. So its not impossible, 2000 that is. But that 6000 would take long years of practice.

[Arlet]

Lol, I only know one :p
But I can't write it down, I only know how to pronounce it :p

[Clawn]

Sadly, I know a measly 15. :( But I hope to up that to maybe 40-50 by the time summer rolls around.

[ハダカ]

What do i know now? ^^ In recognizing (mostly 立体忍者話劇天誅-like) maybe not so small amount (i've recently learned things like 旨、意味、悪者、千年殺し、木の葉 etc. from conversations with Japanese via Skype). But in actual writing... hm... りったいにんじゃはなしげきてんちゅう is the most cool thing I know ^^ 悪い外人を誅せよ！ :D

[tokapi]

More than I need for Japanese language :happy::bravo:

[Sirius2B]

1800... today!! :relief:

Little by little... :-)

[ハダカ]

お前は、日本語の上手いね＾＾”　| Right??!

[Gregory Iceson]

I know about 20 very well (know all their readings, and can write them)
I can write about 30 other ones, but don't know all of their readings ...
and I can recognize about 60 other ones, either by meaning or pronunciation, or both...

[Roboto-sama]

None!
:D
*smacks self*

[bali-jin]

I know around 300 - 400 for now, but it is getting harder to remember.
I wonder why...
I usually forget the radical they use.

[tada]

According to a test I took online, about 1000-1100. I've come quite far from 480 last year, and 180 the year before that.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough posts to post the URL...

[emily00]

I just hit the mark of knowing 100. Yay :P

[tamararaven]

123, but I only started seriously studying a few days ago...before that I was slacking off...

[NightVisionGoggles]

I used to know quite a few, but now it's dwindled due to lack of practice, so right now it's down to 50 or so. It's kinda sad, on my part, since I used to take Chinese....

[Chidoriashi]

1.3 billion... oh wait thats the population of China... uhh.. maybe 1800+

[NightVisionGoggles]

It would be crazy if over a billion Kanji existed! :o

[tamararaven]

It would be crazy if over a billion Kanji existed! :o
I would die if they had that many...Now that I got a new printer, I can seriously get studying!

[Koreankisaok]

but I should know more I think...
according to time I am learning ...
I know almost all jouyoukanji,
and some others..
if you wanna learn soemthing :
鮟鱇　あんこう　= monkfish
鸚鵡　おうむ　　＝ parrot
駱駝　らくだ　　＝ camel
蜈蚣　むかで　＝ centipede

[AJBryant]

Gotta tell you -- once you stop counting how many kanji you know, you will be on the way to learning the language. ;)


Tony

[tada]

I like knowing how many kanji I know though; it shows me how much I'm advancing, and I know a great test online to approximate the number you know.

[Mangekyou]

87, but I learn 3 new ones every day. :-)

[alantin]

Heisig-way (can write and have an idea of what it means): about 2042

Of witch can read in a sentence: about 400.

Working on that though. ^^

@tada:
I test myself on a kanji testing website every couple of months. I suppose it is the same one. Can't remember the url though..

@AJBryant
Testing yourself once in a while is a good motivational tool. ^^


Ps. Found the url!
http://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/LevelCheck/Kanji/01.htm

[Ichiro614]

Well I'm a Japanese translator by profession, so I imagine I know more than 2,000 in some way shape or form.

[tada]

Ps. Found the url!
http://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/LevelCheck/Kanji/01.htm

That's the one. I didn't have enough posts to post it at the time, though. I think I'll take it now.

edit: up to 1100-1200. Woo!

[alantin]

Good for you! :cool:
I won't take it yet again. I'll test myself again in a couple of months.

[Kenjirou]

OMG! I'm so envious of the 2000+ plus guys!! I'm taking those Japanese proficiency tests soon and it would help if I knew that much 0.0

[Ichiro614]

It definitely doesn't happen overnight. Keep studying, and you'll get there eventually.
Good luck with your test!

[Kenjirou]

Thank you! I'm studying upwards of 30 new kanji a day for now...I hope i can keep track of them all! lol　死んじゃうぞ！

[tada]

Thank you! I'm studying upwards of 30 new kanji a day for now...I hope i can keep track of them all! lol　死んじゃうぞ！

If you study that many a day, you'll probably get burnt out...

[Kenjirou]

Lol... i already feel burned out, but its chill, because im gonna stop when i reach a certain point.. but i don't know when ill reach it so... I'll just keep going =)

[Mivan]

I know about 10 kanji for a moment.
But im learning Japanese over 2 weeks and I know only hiragana and katakana.
Time will come for kanji :)

[Tsurugi]

I know about 15.000 kanji, because I also study Kangxi dictionary.

[rady]

i voted for the first choice. I knows the meaning of kanji but i tend to forget how they're pronounced. LOL.
I try to list it here.
一、二、三、四、五、六、七、八、九、十、百、人、火 、水、車、馬、好、愛、生、子、手、紙、僕、私、今、 日、本、中、大、上、下、見、国、語、真、斗、田、山 、父、母、女、男、出、友、達、
and th compound
手紙、学生、大学、友達、全部、写真、音楽、お願いし ます、大好
that's all maybe..

[Tomii515]

When I first voted in the poll, i put 0 - 99 since i knew about 20 kanji.

Right now, I know around maybe 200.

[katsumoto]

thanks for thread .. i can study 50 kanji with one set ....

but maybe i know more than 150 kanji

but in meaning only ... but on and kun ... puzzle me sooo much

[gRimmDesu]

around 380 atm. Dont really have a great deal of time to study Japanese atm because of exams XD but im hoping to get upwards of 1000 by the end of holidays (its a 3 month holiday and i dont anticipate doing much so it MIGHT be achievable XD.)

Guess we will see how things go :D

[dreamer]

After 2 months of class, I can write about 300 but I can recognize about 500.
I also know the meaning of 200more without being able to either read nor write them.

[xtremevillan]

I would say I know about fourty. Fifty tops.

[xtremevillan]

Let's make that about 125, shall we? I know their meanings, most of the 125, but still get a little messed up on their on/kun.

[Aurura]

I'm solidifying my first 200. I'm getting there!! :cool:

[AMIGO]

What do one mean about knowing a kanji?
When could you consider to know a kanji?

Well, this is my understanding:

You need to know 4 things.
1 Meaning (general)
2 Writing
3 Reading(s) on
4 Reading(s) kun

After that you would say that you know a kanji.

Maybe you know (for example) the meaning of 300, the writing of 150, the on yomi of 200 and the kun yomi of 180. But maybe you know only 100 in the 4 things (totally).

I consider to know a kanji when I know meaning, writing and the most used readings. You don't need to know uncommon readings to get by.

What's your opinion?