Kanji Fast Finder: This Kanji Dictionary Allows You to Look up Japanese Characters Based on Shape Alone. No Need to Identify Radicals or Strokes!

This Kanji reference book employs a revolutionary and user–friendly new way to look up Japanese kanji by appearance rather than radical.

Kanji (Japanese characters) are a fascinating but frustrating part of the Japanese language. In particular, looking up kanji in a traditional dictionary can be a nightmare as there is no "alphabetical order." With Kanji Fast Finder you can find kanji in seconds from their appearance alone. From the finder chart inside the front cover, you can turn to the correct page immediately, and finding the kanji on that page has also been made as simple as possible. As an optional feature you can make a double thumbnail index, to speed things up even more. The fast finder is designed primarily for those who want to seriously learn kanji and serves as a quick reference for experts, but is also suitable for beginners or people who wish to dip into kanji, browse, or simply discover what a street sign means. With this book you can:

• Find kanji quickly, reliably and intuitively—from their visual appearance alone.
• Quickly check the meanings, readings, stroke–counts and radicals of kanji.
• Look up newly encountered kanji or check ones you have temporarily forgotten.
• Track down elusive kanji more easily than large kanji dictionaries.
• Simply browse and explore, comparing similar kanji.
• Features all 1,945 General Use Kanji as prescribed by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

This book contains hints and suggestions on finding kanji, but the system is so intuitive that you will be able to use it immediately and with very little guidance. By the time you have looked up half a dozen kanji, you will appreciate the speed with which you can locate kanji in the Fast Finder.

Laurence Matthews has worked as a university lecturer, a research manager in an industrial design department, and in Japan as an airport consultant. In his work, he uses his skills in design and the structured presentation of information.