Mastering kanji is the biggest hurdle for Japanese language learners. The Japanese Ministry of Education mandates 2,136 characters for basic literacy, known as the Jōyō kanji. However, to read advanced literature, academic papers, historical texts, or specialized professional documents, you need to expand your vocabulary to around 5,000 kanji.

Anki or specialized apps are crucial for managing the volume of 5,000 characters.

A is a map, not the territory. Owning the map does not mean you have walked the road.