Effective kanji learning
Learn kanji through words and context.
Take small daily steps that compound.
Take small daily steps that compound.
Small steps lead to large accomplishments
The phrase 積小為大 (seki-shō-i-dai, “small efforts become great achievements”) comes from
Sontoku Ninomiya (二宮尊徳), a Japanese agriculturalist and philosopher who helped rebuild
more than 600 villages. He taught the value of steady daily effort — that even small,
consistent actions can lead to great results.
積
accumulate, stack, pile up
小
small, little
為
become, make, achivement
大
large, big
Vocabulary for kanji learning
Memorizing kanji in isolation — their on-yomi, kun-yomi, radicals, or meanings
— is difficult and rarely effective. A better approach is to learn kanji through
words. This way, we can see when each reading is applied and how characters combine to
form actual vocabulary.
Contexts for deeper understanding
Repetition with flashcards — cycling through the same characters or words
— is a familiar study method, but not the most effective one. When we see
those same characters and words used in short, meaningful phrases, we begin to
grasp how they actually work together. This deeper exposure makes them easier
to understand and remember.