Workshop:

Learning Chinese Characters with

Anki
Siniša Bosanac
bosanac.sinisa@gmail.com

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

University of Zagreb

Studentski sinološki simpozij „Kina i regija: odnosi, iskustva i perspektive”

Zagreb, 28/05/2011
 Content
1. Overview
2. Installation
3. Adding content
4. Learning
5. Advanced

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 1. Overview
Anki - 暗記 ( あんき) = memorizing

• Spaced repetition flashcard program

• Purpose:
– to decrease time spent studying
or
– to greatly increase the amount you learn
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 1. Overview
• Latest stable release: 1.2.8 / March 28, 2011
• OS: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD
• Platforms:
– PC / Mac
– iPhone
– Android
– Maemo (Nokia)
– Windows Mobile/CE
– Nintendo DS
– Palm
– Zaruses

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 1.1. Features:
• Types of content:
– text
– images
– sounds
– LaTeX equations
• Data stored as „facts”, displayed as „cards”
and organized in „decks”
• Synchronization with a free online server
• Reading generation for Japanese and Chinese
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 1.2. Possible applications:
• learning a language
• studying for medical and law exams
• memorizing people's names and faces
• brushing up on geography
• mastering long poems
• practicing guitar chords

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 2. Installation
• Anki 1.2.8
• Plugins:
– Pinyin toolkit
• Chinese-Lessons.com sound files
– Hanzi stats (New HSK 20110411)

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 2.1. Install Anki
Download latest version of Anki from
http://ankisrs.net/ and install it

To install it on a flashdrive refer to:

http://ankisrs.net/docs/FrequentlyAskedQuestio
ns.html#_can_i_run_anki_from_a_flashdrive

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 2.2. Install Plugins
1. Open Anki
2. “File” → “Download” → “Shared Plugin”
3. Download and install „Pinyin Toolkit (0.6.6)”
4. Download and install „Hanzi Stats (New HSK
20110411)”
5. Restart Anki
6. Install Audio:
“Settings” → “Pinyin Toolkit Preferences”, tab „Audio” →
“Install Chinese-Lessons.com Mandarin Sounds Pack”

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 3.1. Adding shared content
1. “File” → “Download” → “Shared Deck”
2. Select desired content from a list and
download
– „Hanyu Jiaocheng 1-3 +sound (2009) vocabulary
(alle ModChin)”
– „Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi - Entire Word List”

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 3.2. Adding own content
1. Download „Pinyin Toolkit Sample Deck”
– Advanced Model (6 types of flashcards)
– Simple Version (3 types of flashcards)
2. Add own content by:
– Importing from a list (characters only)
– Adding characters manually one by one
– „Tools” → „Pinyin Toolkit” → „Fill missing card
data”

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 4. Studying
1. Select a deck
2. Set study options
– New cards per day
– Display order
– Selective study (according to tags and models)
• Eg. Writing the characters from lessons 4 and 5
– Max failed cards in a cycle
– Study session limits (number of cards, time)

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 4. Studying
1. Try to guess the answer
2. Self-evaluate and schedule the review
• Display:
– Failed Cards
– Old Cards
– New Cards
– Estimated time for completion of all cards
– Sucess rate (current session / overall)
– Duration of the session

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 5. Advanced
• Tracking progress
– Charts
– Statistics
• Editing the content
• Editing the models
• Synchronization
– „Settings” → „Preferences” , tab „Network”
• A free account needed
• Set sync for individual decks
• http://ankiweb.net/

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 Video Tutorials
• Anki 1/7: Reviewing and Shared Decks
• Anki 2/7: Adding Material
• Anki 3/7: Models and Templates
• Anki 4/7: Browsing and Editing
• Anki 5/7: Syncing Between Computers
• Anki 6/7: Statistics
• Anki 7/7: Japanese Support

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 Similar tools
• SuperMemo
• Mnemosyne

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 References
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anki
• http://ankisrs.net/
• http://batterseapower.github.com/pinyin-
toolkit/getit.html
• https://github.com/batterseapower/pinyin-
toolkit/wiki/installation

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