FreeMdict_Requested Book List for Learning Japanese

Can be considered a guide for extensive reading/listening in Japanese.

FreeMdict_Recommended Reading List for Learning Japanese_Backup of Response#

This is a backup of my response on Recommended Reading List for Learning Japanese.

Question#

After graduating, I am working in a Japanese company and striving to improve my Japanese for the language allowance. The Japanese dictionaries downloaded from this site have been quite helpful. I have been studying for half a year and have grasped the basics. However, I am a bit lost regarding my next learning goals, and memorizing textbooks is not very effective. So I am seeking help here. My current needs are as follows:

Main requirement: I need some simple, basic Japanese materials or book recommendations that I can read extensively.
Self-study materials for correcting pronunciation. Since I am completely self-taught, my pronunciation issues are quite serious. Although I work in a Japanese company, there aren't many opportunities to speak Japanese daily, unless I talk to my boss. It wouldn't be appropriate to seek out my boss just to practice Japanese...
Currently, I am aiming for certification, starting directly from N2, so I would appreciate recommendations for exam-related materials. The sooner I obtain the certification, the sooner I can earn money, and my progress in the Japanese company will be faster.
Thank you all, and I would be even more grateful if you could send electronic materials directly.

Response#

Learning Materials#

Main requirement: I need some simple, basic Japanese materials or book recommendations that I can read extensively.

How to find suitable Japanese materials and books for learning
1. Moe Path Japanese: Not only explains how to find them but also what constitutes "good materials."
2. Tatsumoto's guide to learning Japanese: Only recommends open-source, free resources.
3. Saigo's Japanese Learning Tools: A Japanese learning guide for Chinese speakers. In addition to translating [[Moe Path Japanese]], it will also share good articles about learning Japanese from domestic and international platforms.
Recommended books:
1. I strongly do not recommend "Aozora Bunko," but if you have read the Chinese translation repeatedly, you can challenge yourself to read the corresponding pieces.
  1. I am not against reading "Japanese Modern Literature," but I oppose reading the "original texts" included in Aozora Bunko. The vocabulary difficulty of the originals is not only very high but also consists of expressions that are rarely used today.
2. For N3 and below: Start with "reading" the "Japanese subtitles" of anime/dramas you have watched. The following are all srt and ass format subtitles; I won't discuss image formats (as looking up words can be quite troublesome).
  1. Anime:
    1. Since I don't watch many dramas or comics, I won't list specific titles; you can find them on the two resource websites recommended in point 1.
    2. Silver Bullet Data Site: Only does "Detective Conan," updated every Sunday.
    3. Gods Subtitle Group: Has both documentaries and anime, but not many recent series.
    4. Mikan Project: A search tool that aggregates resources released by major subtitle groups; use "simple Japanese" as a keyword to find mkv format (some mp4 may also have subtitles).
      1. Meow Meng Milk Tea House: Basically does all new series, and may have external subtitles when collaborating with other groups; subtitles can be downloaded from Github.
    5. https://jimaku.cc/ If you find Japanese-Chinese bilingual subtitles easier, you can look for pure Japanese subtitles here. If you only find Chinese subtitles, you can also search for Japanese subtitles here, although the timing may not always match.
  2. How to "read" subtitles: Download the video and external subtitles, use jidoujisho to automatically look up words in the subtitles by clicking, and you can directly add them to Anki, saving a lot of time.
  3. If you can understand about 70% of the anime/drama/comic even without having seen the Chinese version, you can move on to the next stage.
3. For N2 and above: Start with "reading" the "original works" of the anime you have watched.
  1. If it's a relatively new novel, you may need to buy the official version from Amazon Japan.
    1. Payment method https://www.zhihu.com/question/427084661/answer/2337004493
  2. ZLibrary
    1. Access method: Z-library Full Guide, No Episode, Directly Have 31T Resources
4. If you find the speed of anime and dramas not fast enough, you can look for talk shows on [[TVer]].
  1. Our Era https://tver.jp/series/srfb2taet8: A program where three people chat, covering a wide range of topics.
  2. Stories That Go Well with Alcohol https://tver.jp/series/srvqbemjx1: A post-drinking chat show with many people and a fast pace (possibly due to the alcohol 2333).
  3. Remember to set your IP to Japan; you can use Downie on Mac to directly download videos and subtitles.

Judging Article Difficulty#

If you really can't find content you like or don't know what is "suitable" for you, you can use the following tools to find "difficulty" that suits you. Generally speaking, extensive reading materials should be slightly below your current level.

Chuta's Toolbox
- Determines the difficulty of the vocabulary used in the article, categorized according to JLPT levels.
Japanese Text Difficulty Judgment System
- Can also determine the difficulty of the vocabulary used in the article, but not categorized by JLPT levels, and will return more data.
Learning Item Analysis System
- Can determine the difficulty of the grammar used in the article, but not categorized by JLPT levels.

About Pronunciation#

Self-study materials for correcting pronunciation. Since I am completely self-taught, my pronunciation issues are quite serious. Although I work in a Japanese company, there aren't many opportunities to speak Japanese daily, unless I talk to my boss. It wouldn't be appropriate to seek out my boss just to practice Japanese...

3B: Pronunciation - Ye Junyao's article - Zhihu https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/580682047: Although it's in English, it also applies to Japanese; however, it's better to enroll in a class at the foundational stage.

About Certification#

Currently, I am aiming for certification, starting directly from N2, so I would appreciate recommendations for exam-related materials. The sooner I obtain the certification, the sooner I can earn money, and my progress in the Japanese company will be faster.

If you have a foundation in N3, you can skip buying textbooks.
1. Red Book for vocabulary.
2. Blue Book for grammar.
3. Green Book for grammar exercises.
Be sure to do past papers: Buy organized question banks from MOJi Test, or buy high-definition printed versions online, or find scanned PDF versions yourself.
If you are in a hurry to get certified, directly enroll in N1 or N2 classes; if not in a hurry, still consider enrolling in N3 classes (if you have a foundation in N3, you can skip this), and then rely on extensive reading and doing past papers.
For recommendations on which institution's classes to enroll in, you can refer to [[Which Japanese Online School is Better?]] https://www.zhihu.com/question/40309204/answer/1125981412. Although it's an article from 2020, it still holds significant reference value.

Finally: [[Remember, you will never be able to learn a foreign language]] https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/564422318

Happy studying, and I hope you find joy in learning Japanese!