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Title: The Learner's Kanji Dictionary by Mark Spahn, Wolfgang Hadamitzky, Rainer Weihs, Seiko Harada, Yoko Nagai-Hintz ISBN: 0-8048-3556-X Publisher: Tuttle Publishing Pub. Date: March, 2004 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (3 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: Radical Radicals
Comment: When I first started studying kanji, this dictionary was all I could ever possibly want. I still use it even after several years of (semi)-constant study. BUT I find that there are some discrepencies (spelling?) in the radical classifications. As in, the classifications that Japanese learners of Japanese make are sometimes different that what this dictionary says.

For example the kanji for "before" ('O) is classified by the "ri" (‚è) in Japanese kanji dictionaries, but in the Spahn book, it's classified under the two little "tens" at the top. This really doesn't matter in the long run, but if you want to be 110% perfect in your kanji study (meaning looking up and classifing kanji the way the Japanese are taught) then be aware of this dictionary's weaknesses.

Maybe there is some explanation for this in the introduction, which I failed to read (sorry Mr. Spahn!). But just be aware of the radical discrepencies. There aren't that many, and maybe finding them will give you more confidence in your Japanese ability. All in all, it is a pretty solid dictionary and I intend to keep using it until the binding falls off again.

Rating: 4
Summary: Easy-to-use, uncluttered dictionary for beginners
Comment: I like this reference a great deal, especially because it is laid out in a clear fashion. The stroke order of the characters are given as are both the printed and cursive forms. The combinations are given in a logical order. I especially like that the combinations are listed down the page, not running across the page, one after the other, as in other dictionaries. The characters are also printed very sharply, whereas the printing in many dictionaries is not good at all. These features make this a pleasure to use. Contrary to the other reviewer, I don't mind the romanized style of index at all, but it would be handy for the beginner if all pronunciation variations of kanji readings were consistently given. (For example, if the kanji is in second place in a combination, "se" might become "ze", but the index seems to only give pronunciations for the kanji when in first position.) My one serious criticism is that there are not enough entrees, but that is probably one reason this is a "Beginner's" dictionary.

Rating: 3
Summary: A fairly good kanji dictionary
Comment: This dictionary is a good start for people learning Japanese that need to read actual written material. It contains about 2,900 characters and 12,000 compounds, and can be looked up by radical or reading. It also lists the compounds that include the current character at any position, not just the first one.

The only problem in my opinion is that I use the wonderful Kodansha's Furigana Japanese-English and English-Japanese dictionaries, and this kanji dictionary uses romanization. Getting the readings for a character in romanized form is irritating at most, but looking up a reading in a romanized index when one is used to the kana a-i-u-e-o order is very annoying.

This dictionary is very useful nontheless.