Tofugu Comments - Latest Comments in iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

NintendoExpedition — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:11:53 -0000

This site is awesome! I have learned every hiragana character (in combination of Tae Kim's Encyclopedia) by simply using this site which makes it just what the doctor ordered.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

James — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:34:25 -0000

Thank you for the reference. This has helped me to improve my vocabulary.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

ActiveAero — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:20:52 -0000

iKnow is only superficial if you cheat yourself on answering the quizzes. If you click "yes" when you really aren't sure of a Kanji compound, only hoping that seeing the answer list will jog your memory, then you aren't using it correctly. Any method of self study can be equally superficial if you are cheating yourself. Vocabulary learning isn't magic, it requires hearing and reading it over and over again in various different contexts which is exactly what iKnow does. iKnow isn't some tool that will make you a vocab master on your own but when used in combination with a solid Japanese study regiment I fail to see how anything else can really match it for it's well roundedness (yes I know that is not a word lol) and ease of use. A slightly easy program that you will actually use every day is better than any supposedly "superior" method that bores you to the point of never using it.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

tindra — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:45:25 -0000

so i finally got the time to try iKnow out, and i'm hooked. i'm loving the fact that you get to both hear a word, see how it is written AND type it yourself! (aesthetic details, like being able to choose background colour for the application, are also nice. they give the learning experience a nice personal touch, i think.) admittedly i'll probably have forgotten about half of the words i learned by the time i wake up tomorrow, but hey, repetition is the mother of learning, as they say. anyway, thanks a bunch for sharing!

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

St — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:24:46 -0000

In that sense than iKnow is the perfect tool for people who want to "learn Japanese NOW!!!" because it allows them to vastly overestimates the vocabulary proficiency.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

St — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:20:35 -0000

I'm not saying I want to "learn Japanese NOW" and I think I'm more patient en serious than the average student of Japanese. All I'm saying is that IKnow tests your knowledge in a very superficial way that is so unchallenging it doesn't do much to exand your vocabulary.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Tyler_bRoKeN — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:50:19 -0000

St, this is an awesome application. Just because you go through it in a hurry, you shouldn't expect to keep the words in memory. It's for people who really want to learn Japanese, and as a huge thing Koichi said, and I completely agree, you shouldn't rush to "Learn Japanese NOW!!!". It takes tons of practice and hard dedication, and iKnow is the perfect tool for learning Japanese vocabulary.
"Simply too easy". How is the person studying supposed to know what they are studying if iKnow doesn't give the reading and meaning? iKnow tests that you remember the information; it isn't supposed to give you information to work with, it lights the fire that reveals the language, and most importantly it gives you the satisfaction of Japanese vocabulary proficiency.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

St — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:07:31 -0000

To be more precise, I find myself mostly hitting the cursor and enter keys on my keyboard like crazy when I use iKnow. I feel like the pigeons in psychologist B.F. Skinner's pigeon pingpong experiment who eventually stumped their beaks by mindlessly pressing buttons all the time.

Brainspeed, while not particularly educational, is great fun though.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

St — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:56:42 -0000

Koichi I'm sorry but I think you are often far too generous in most of your reviews. iKnow is not great SRS-software, because it is simply too easy to get the words right. It gives you the reading and meaning beforehand and then lets you pick the reading or meaning from a multiple choice list. You kan pretty much get it right by just looking at the number of kanji in the jukugo or looking at the okurigana. I've now "learned" over 1500 new words according to iKnow but I'm pretty sure that I forgot 90% of the words I didn't know before after about 10 minutes.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

fredydb327 — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:47:36 -0000

Really really like this one. :) Favorite so far... Tons of fun.
I wish there were more subjects like this... Like music theory stuff... or history stuff...
I'm really pro flash card. ha.
I haven't commented on stuff in a while. But so far things are cool! I just realized I used a lot of ellipses...

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

SheriffNotic — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:47:48 -0000

Awesome resource, as always Koichi! I didn't see anyone mention it, but your "WWF" lingo is correct, but remember it is now the 'WWE'. You can thanks the World Wildlife Fund for the confusion.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Korey — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:06:12 -0000

I've been using iKnow for only a short time, but I love it. It's a great way to learn vocab and everybody should try it out.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

YoyoKirby — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:43:35 -0000

Hey Koichi, great find! It really helps. So uh... everyone should be friends with me. >_>
http://www.iknow.co.jp/user/yoyokirby

<_< I is bored and need peoplez to talk to

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Hashiriya — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:19:38 -0000

hey i just realized your picture by your name "L" was from Death Note... i loved that anime ^_^

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

ArkyLewis — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:53:03 -0000

I remember months ago when you first showed us this on the EduFire forums, Out of your top ten list this has to by my number 1. Always appreciated as usual =)

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Nukemarine — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:59:52 -0000

Ironically, I found out about iKnow on the Reviewing the Kanji forums (http://forum.koohii.com/viewtopic.php?id=1970). We immediately thought about ripping the sentences and audio and putting them into Anki (which we did). It was during this I realized I could just use iKnow as is.

Anki is the best SRT, but you have to provide the material. Once you figure out how to use it properly, it's versatile and convenient (and can be used offline). As an all around fun learning experience, iKnow has it beat. As I'm a big believer in options, I don't consider one better than the other for everyone. They're both there (and both free) to use and decide.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

2JPN — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:47:21 -0000

Been using them for a month of so now. Very impressed.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

skl8em — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:44:04 -0000

Thanks! i was hoping somebody would tell me where the report a bug link is :)

So far i was separating the writing and "online learning" part completely, your method seems much better, i will try it out.

Thanks for pointing out "review the kanji" going to try it out.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Nukemarine — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:15:40 -0000

There is a link to reporting a bug, but it's not conveniently located. You see it at the top of the iKnow review application.

I've not had an issue with the search function. You can post your problem os the user feedback forum. The link to that is at the bottom of the site and in the users tab.

For replacing writing, I'm not sure what your point here is. I open up my notebook and write down the vocabulary that comes up on each revie (preferably from memory). When I learn a new vocabulary, I write down the whole sentence.

PS: If I get the word written down wrong or cannot remember it, I mark the word wrong even if I can figure it out by context. Very useful as a writing aid in that way.

DO NOT use iKnow to learn Kanji if that's what you're saying. Use a site like Reviewing the Kanji to help out there.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Nukemarine — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:09:20 -0000

I agree. The journal portion allows you to post in Japanese, then native speakers can come in and correct it for you. There's like 200,000 Japanese users on iKnow, so definately use that journal as a resource.

Oh, plus you can meet new friends from Japan.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Nukemarine — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:06:32 -0000

I've been using iKnow for over two months now. Now, I come from a self study background (Kanji via RTK, Japanese via AJATT, using Anki a lot, etc), so I almost immediately saw the benefits of iKnow.

You nailed quite a few good points, but here's some things I think merit mention:

One BIG thing not mentioned is that each vocabulary word makes use of sample sentences, context photos and professional Japanese voice actors reading the sentences. You don't have to guess at the pronunciation using kana, you hear it from the source. This context alone puts it on par or better than the over rated Rosetta Stone.

As I've used Anki and some methods oulined in AJATT, I do think theres some flaws in the system. Not deal breakers, but things that I would like. But then comes the next cool part of iKnow: the developers listen to your problems and either give reasons why it's not done or may even try to implement changes.

Next thing not mentioned is IT'S FREE and intends to stay that way. Plus, all the content is under common creative license so feel free to copy it and use it elsewhere (please read the cc rules though).

Anyway, not going to get into a litany of pros and cons of iKnow. It's worth checking out and using. Be warned, after section 2, the vocabulary kicks into high gear.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Tonio — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:04:50 -0000

This is the coolest study program i've ever used! Thanks sooo much!　本当にありがとうございました！ I especially like the brainspeed game.

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

koichi — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:34:14 -0000

Anki is good, I used it for a while, but then I found iKnow, which I like a lot better.

I dunno if I should be required to provide alternates to things I review...because, I am only reviewing one thing. I'm sure Anki will get it's own review one day, too :)

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

WOTDsctoo — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:32:54 -0000

This looks really fun!
Tracking progress and advancing really clicks with me. Putting studying in a game-type environment is a good idea.

I'll have to try it out, thanks!

Re: iKnow: The Best Japanese Vocabulary Flashcard Site on the Web

Dezzie — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:18:22 -0000

iKnow is simply.... AMAZING! This site beats all the other ones I've ever found, hands down (in terms of vocabulary). I use it all the time! It makes learning fun, and I love talking to all the Japanese people on there too (the journal feature is not as good as Lang-8's, but I'm sure it'll improve). iKnow has helped me so much, and since I combine it with Anki (mentioned by David above), my Japanese is improving a little bit everyday!