Kanji

There's a mathematical precision to kanji that's a lot of fun. In math, if I try to understand exactly how an equation works right from the start, I just end up confused. However, after I become familiar with the process, the underlying logic slowly becomes clear.

For example, I memorized the multiplication tables long before I realized why the 9s table looks so funny. I guess knowing the answer gave me the chance to think about how I got the answer.

In math, there's a lot of techniques that you can combine like building blocks to solve a problem. An equation might seem long and complicated at first, but each step is actually simple once it becomes familiar.

However, the downside in both math and kanji is that you have to get every step right, or the whole thing turns out wrong. I'm still struggling with getting stuck in the middle of a seven stroke or thirteen stroke kanji, wondering what comes next, if I have to make a closed box or open box and so on.

Now complicated kanji don't look like just a mess of lines to me, even if it's a symbol I've never seen before. I see little chunks from other kanji and katakana I already know.

There's a picture of the character for "love" or "affection" above, just because it's cute. Actually, I've never written it, but from looking at it I can guess the stroke order.

--backslash like beginning katakana chi　
--katakana tsu
--short line for the left side of the roof
--left to right, make the top and remaining side
--underneath is a slightly squished version of "kokoro" or "heart"
--katakana ku
--slash left to right

People who are good with numbers must see the world in an interesting way. I wish I could do this with math.