An application for the iPhone or iPod touch for study of Kanji in Context, iKIC is now available for sale at the App Store! Using your iPhone or iPod touch, you can work on mastering kanji anytime, anywhere.

• The iKIC software is designed to help users acquire mastery of 1,947 everyday-use kanji (all of the 1,945 characters designated as essential by the Japanese Ministry of Education plus two more characters) and approximately 10,000 vocabulary words that employ those kanji. Ability to read a newspaper is an important indicator of literacy in any language, and as Japanese newspapers are composed almost entirely of vocabulary based on everyday-use kanji, iKIC is a powerful aid to achievement of literacy in Japanese.
• Essentially iKIC is the same as SKIP, the computer-based software for teaching kanji that is used at the IUC. All of the contents of the reference book and the workbook for Kanji in Context (both published by The Japan Times) are included in iKIC. In addition, the iKIC application features audio recordings of the correct pronunciation of vocabulary words and sample sentences, written glosses of the Japanese pronunciations and English definitions, and illustrations of the proper stroke order for writing each kanji.
• The 1,947 characters in iKIC are presented in 143 lessons. Users learn the kanji introduced in each lesson unit and the vocabulary words that incorporate those kanji. To facilitate study, each vocabulary item is presented in two forms, a basic dictionary form and an applied form.
• In each lesson (unit), the student can use iKIC flashcards to review. Three kinds of flashcards are available, one showing the reading of a kanji, another the meaning, and the third the kanji itself. By double-tapping a card, the student can access an audio recording and review the correct pronunciation of the item.
• In each lesson (unit), the top screen is a list of the vocabulary items presented in that lesson. By shaking the iPhone or iPod touch, a user can activate the iPhone interface and cause iKIC to display the readings and the English definitions of all items on the screen.
• Audio has been added to all the items in Japanese in iKIC. This makes it possible for users to learn the correct pronunciation as they learn a vocabulary item.
• An index function makes it possible to use the iKIC application as a dictionary.

Features of iKIC

Lesson-based study

Lessons contain both basic and advanced group of vocabulary. Students may choose to study basic, advanced, or both groups as the same time.

Convenient lesson layout

Kanji are presented through new vocabulary in each lesson. Target kanji are under lined for quick recognition by students.

Detailed study

Selecting an individual word in a top screen of each lesson brings up the vocabulary screen. From here, the reading, English meaning, and example sentences are displayed. Single-tapping a sentence reveals its furigana reading.

Audio playback

Users may play back unlocked audio by double-tapping a word or sentence on the vocabulary screen. Unlocked audio is also automatically played during lesson quizzes. Audio for the first lesson is provided along with iKIC. Further audio content is available from within iKIC's In-App store.

Kanji explanations

Selecting a kanji in search, or touching an individual kanji on the vocabulary screen will display a detailed breakdown of the kanji. Onyomi, Kunyomi, English meaning, stroke order, as well as Shinkanei and Nelson indexes are provided.

Lesson quiz

Users can test their ability on a single lesson or multiple lessons, optionally testing their kanji recognition, kanji writing, or English to Japanese translation abilities.

Full search

Users may search across kanji and vocabulary for refined study.

Extra content available through the In-App Store

Obtain all 143 lessons featuring thousands of audio samples, sentences, and vocabulary by using the In-App Store in iKIC. Don't need all the audio from iKIC? Then feel free to purchase only the text lessons. Want to upgrade to all 143 lessons with full audio? Special discounted combinations are also available within the store.

Available Content in iKIC

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