Did you know it only takes 270 kanji components to form all the 3,500 most important kanji? Once you become familiar with these basic component shapes, each new kanji you encounter will change from a bunch of random squiggles into a combination of meaningful elements.
Enter a kanji in the form at the top to see its constituent components, including the helpful but frequently overlooked sound components. Each component is assigned a unique mnemonic keyword based on its historical meaning or its shape to help you keep it firmly in your memory.