Contents
Online resources to learn Chinese
- Dictionaries
- Pinyin
- Digital Flashcards for quizzing yourself on vocabulary
- Writing Characters
- Scritter: Practice writing Chinese and Japanese characters on your phone or tablet. Very Helpful for quizzing yourself, but not free [website]
- Reading Comprehension
- Hacking Chinese: Study Tips and Tricks [website]
Online resources to learn japanese
- Kanji Alive. Search for kanji by entering the kanji itself or the reading in English, hiragana or katakana. This link explains how to use the app and includes a Resources pull-down menu (as well as a link to the search engine). If you want to jump right in and start searching, go here.
- How kids learn kanji in Japan Ever wonder how kids in Japan learn kanji? Find out here.
- デザインあ This is a really wonderful TV show produced by NHK. You can view full episodes, including back numbers, as well as individual segments. The show is focused on interesting design and music with basic language. (Quick recommendation: If you want to learn the Japanese terms for camera angles and framing, check out “Shoot and Edit” (シュート・アンド・エディット), which is currently sixth from the top on this page.
- NHK School Programs This page contains organizes videos by category (e.g., Social Studies, Morals, Japanese Language), and you can sort by target age level if you wish (from kindergarten to HS). If you select a video, a new screen will pop with the video ready to play, and then you will see additional episodes if you scroll down. Many have an option for closed captioning (in Japanese, of course). Here’s a fun one on たのしい and うれしい.
- NHK News Web Easy Up to date stories with simple Japanese, pronunciations for all kanji, and definitions that pop up for challenging words. You can also listen to the story read aloud.
- Well Said Short Japanese lessons in the Japan Times.
- Fujisankei videos Japanese-language programming based in the U.S. (affiliate of Fuji TV in Japan), includes news, food reviews, entertainment news, and more. From this link select your category (News, Trend, etc.) and check out the videos.
- Wasei-eigo Here is a list of words that are based on English source words but which have taken on their own special meaning and pronunciation in Japanese.
- スズキクン Pitch accent practice. Enter text, select “Analyze,” and you will see a readout of how to say the selection with correct pitch. There is also a read-aloud option.
- 今日の昔話 Enjoy Japanese fairy tales? This is the site for you. Select the month and then scroll down to find which stories you’d like to hear. Many have videos that also feature a closed-captioning (in Japanese or English) option.
- Genki textbook vocabulary exercises
- Genki textbook grammar videos
- Learn Japanese Online, Japan Foundation [website]
Summer Language Programs
- Intensive Chinese and Japanese Language Institute, Washington University of St. Louis in Partnership with the Allex Foundation [university website] [Allex Foundation website]
- Middlebury Language School Summer Program [website]
- South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI), University of Wisconsin-Madison [website]
- Southeast Asian Studies Summer Insititute (SEASSI), University of Wisconsin-Madison [website]
- Language Program, American Institute of Indian Studies [website]
