[Elementary School] Let's Learn Kanji with Songs! The Fun Kanji Song
Elementary school students, are you having trouble memorizing kanji?
With kanji, it’s not just the shapes—you also have to learn the correct stroke order, on-yomi and kun-yomi readings, stroke counts, radicals, and more.
On top of that, there are 80 characters in first grade, 160 in second grade… in fact, you need to learn over 1,000 characters by graduation!
Once you develop a dislike for kanji, it can be tough to catch up.
In this article, we’ll introduce “kanji songs” that make learning kanji fun!
They focus mainly on lower-grade kanji, but middle- and upper-grade students should give them a listen for review, too.
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[Elementary School Students] Let's Learn Kanji with Songs! The Fun Kanji Song (11–20)
Radical Song (Nyō and Tare)
A song themed around the radicals nyō and tare, which are composed of a wide range of kanji learned from lower to upper elementary grades.
It carefully explains the origins of nyō and tare, which can be hard to visualize from their shapes alone.
Many of them are derived from things like roads and roofs, as well as buildings and people’s appearances.
Once you learn the song alongside the illustrations and text, it’s also recommended to compare it with the meanings of the kanji you learned at school.
It will not only help you memorize kanji but also give you a chance to understand their meanings.
Try listening while picturing the shapes and meanings of the radicals.
Radical Song (hen / ones to mind their form and name)
A song themed around hen, which is said to be the most numerous among all radicals.
This track gathers radicals from the many hen-type radicals that have special names.
It clearly explains ones that are hard to picture from their shapes alone, such as shimesuhen and koromohen.
The song covers radicals from simple to difficult, so learn them according to your current study level.
Another highlight is that it’s created from a variety of origins, from human and animal movements to the states of objects.
Sing the names of the radicals and have fun memorizing them with gestures and quizzes.
Radical Song (hen / ones whose names are the same as their forms A)
A song about the radical form hen, made up of kanji learned by a wide range of grades from lower to upper elementary.
This installment focuses on radicals that keep their original shapes as names, making it a great introduction for elementary school students who want to learn radicals.
A key point is that many of the radicals depict the shapes of people and objects or natural scenery just as they are.
Alongside the kanji taught in the lower grades, students can use it for preview and review.
If you struggle to memorize kanji, try drawing the origin illustrations that appear in the song.
From easy to difficult, enjoy singing this song about radicals that are used across a wide variety of kanji.
Song of Radicals (hen / ones whose names are the same as their shapes B)
For those who want to learn radicals that originate from people, animals, and nature, “The Radicals Song (Hen/Name Same as Shape B)” is recommended.
It sings about radicals that make up kanji mainly learned in the lower grades of elementary school.
Since the radicals are named exactly after their shapes, it’s easy to picture their origins.
It’s also a good idea to learn the meanings of the words along with the illustrations and lyrics.
By memorizing the commonly used radicals, you can try tackling more difficult kanji without developing an aversion to them.
This is a song that gives you a starting point to study by grouping kanji according to their radicals.
In conclusion
How did you like the kanji song? Even kanji that are hard to memorize might stick in your head smoothly once you put them to a melody.
People often remember on-yomi and kun-yomi incorrectly, so try checking them along with the lyrics.
Here’s hoping you get more circles on your next test…!