One cognitive strategy that has gained much attention in recent research is that of component analysis. Kanji components are also referred to as graphemes, which are the smallest unit a kanji can be broken down into. As the majority of kanji contain similar components/graphemes to other kanji, researchers argue that students need to develop awareness that complex kanji can be broken down into these smaller units. Toyoda (1998: 156) calls this understanding graphemic awareness, which can be described as ‘awareness that kanji can be segmented into graphemes and that graphemes can be the subject of analysis’. Table 6.1 provides a few examples of commonly occurring kanji, which have been broken down into their graphemes.

In many cases, a radical is one of the graphemes in a kanji. A radical is a component of the kanji that is used to organize the kanji by grouping it with others that contain the root component. Many kanji dictionaries, for example, are provided with an index that organizes kanji according to radicals. There are seven types of radicals in kanji categorization, based on where they are positioned in the overall kanji:

• (1) Hen, which appear on the left-hand side of a kanji.

• (2) Tsukuri, which appear on the right-hand side of a kanji.

• (3) Kanmuri, which appear in the top half of a kanji.

• (4) Ashi, which appear in the bottom half of a kanji.

• (5) Kamae, which enclose a kanji.

• (6) Tare, which wrap around the top and side of a kanji.

• (7) Nyo, which wrap around the side and bottom of a kanji.

Sometimes it is difficult for a learner to understand which part of the kanji is the radical, as it is not always obvious, even to a native speaker. Table 6.2 illustrates some examples of common radicals of each type listed above.

Radicals are often useful in accessing the meaning of the kanji, as radicals are connected to its root meaning.