Vocab Study

Hey, so I’ve been using Bunpro for grammar for a decent bit now (just got through n5 grammar, starting n4 now) and I’ve been considering using the vocab feature too. So, my question is: Is Bunpro better for vocab, or Wanikani? Specifically speaking for like JLPT items; I’m taking the N5 in December, and I wanna be as ready as possible for it until then

Thanks in advance!

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bunpro’s vocab feature is great for the different JLPT levels imo :slight_smile: though i’d suggest wanikani might be good if you find yourself really struggling with memorizing the meanings or readings of kanji.

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If you actually value production, I think that using WaniKani and Bunpro are both valuable. WaniKani focuses on reading/interpretation, but I often find myself unable to recall vocabulary that I only know through WaniKani in real-time conversations while speaking. Bunpro vocab focuses on recall, which is a skill you dont train through WaniKani. So I use both actively everyday, and since adding Bunpro vocab to my daily routine, my ability to have real conversations with my friends has skyrocketed compared to when I was only using WaniKani.

TL;DR:
WaniKani = Japanese input/reading
Bunpro = Japanese output/speaking/writing

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I would say that depending on what style of review type you choose, the Bunpro vocabulary feature can be exceptionally useful.

In terms of the JLPT, seeing as this is your immediate goal, I would choose either the recognition or reading type of review (my personal favorite is reading). The JLPT is mostly about reading and recognizing words/sentence patterns after all.

All of the example sentences are written using a range of level appropriate grammar that progressively get harder, so you will be reviewing grammar/improving your reading at the same time as you are learning the vocabulary.

Good luck with the JLPT! :blush:

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One big thing to note is that while WaniKani does teach you a lot of vocabulary, it is by no means comprehensive. WaniKani is a kanji tool first, and the purpose of the vocabulary, while also being useful common words, is to give you examples of how that kanji is used.

WaniKani also won’t teach you by JLPT level. The vocab is scattered about. You’ll find N2 and N1 words in lower levels, and N3 words in higher levels.

If your goal is to prepare specifically for the JLPT, then I would recommend Bunpro’s vocab feature. They have decks for each JLPT level. After the test (or even now if it doesn’t feel overbearing for you), you can use wanikani as well to learn more vocab as well as a lot of kanji.

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Ok, so maybe still using Wanikani for like kanji and stuff and using Bunpro as my main source of vocab and grammar would be a good option?

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I agree with the above. I’ve completed wanikani to level 40 and just finished bunpro JLPT N5 and N4 vocabulary today. Wanikani is great at teaching kanji and great at teaching recall, but it doesn’t help at all with grammar or production, which are essential.

The other problem is, kanji is only a small portion of the JLPT, where all the grammar and vocab questions will have the answers written in hiragana except for specific kanji questions. I found (as I failed JLPT N4 by 4 points last year), that knowing the kanji does not translate into knowing the word when written in hiragana.

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Oo ok! Yeah I always noticed how sometimes I just would see the word in hiragana and have no clue what it was without the kanji, so I guess that means I need to like truly know the word, which bunpro helps a ton with! Tysm :smiley:

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