Bao Hua

Posts by Bao Hua

• Learn Hiragana: Inku's Complete Guide

  Learn all 46 hiragana in three days with this complete illustrated guide. Audio, mnemonics, stroke order, and a printable worksheet.

  2026-04-21 · 28 min read

• Learn Katakana: A Practical Guide for Adults

  The complete katakana guide. 46 characters, side-by-side with hiragana, pronunciation audio, and the loanword patterns that make katakana click.

  2026-04-21 · 22 min read

• JLPT N5 Vocabulary: The Definitive List

  The 515 N5 vocabulary words Inku's N5 deck is built on, organized by category with pronunciation and frequency notes.

  2026-04-21 · 35 min read

• How to Learn Japanese: An Honest Roadmap

  If I had to learn Japanese from scratch again, this is exactly what I would do. Six phases, real time estimates, specific tools.

  2026-04-21 · 32 min read

• Spaced Repetition, Explained Without the Hype

  The memory science behind Anki, WaniKani, and Inku. Why spaced repetition works, where it breaks, and how to use it without wasting your time.

  2026-04-21 · 18 min read

• Japanese Particles: The Masterclass

  A complete, example-dense guide to every core Japanese particle: は, が, を, に, で, へ, と, から, まで, の, も, や.

  2026-04-21 · 26 min read

• Japanese Numbers 1 to 100 (and Beyond), With Readings

  Every Japanese number from 0 into the millions, with kanji, kana, and romaji readings. The build pattern, the alternate readings, and the sound changes that trip people up.

  2026-06-01 · 11 min read

• Kanji Radicals for Beginners: The Building Blocks

  What kanji radicals are, why they make kanji learnable, the position names, and ten common radicals with example characters for beginners.

  2026-06-01 · 9 min read

• JLPT N3 Vocabulary: The Bridge Level

  What JLPT N3 vocabulary covers, how it differs from N4, representative example words, and how to study the bridge level without stalling. Estimates only, since the JLPT publishes no official list.

  2026-06-01 · 9 min read

• Can You Actually Learn Japanese in 10 Minutes a Day?

  A brutally honest answer to the question every language app dodges. With real numbers from six months of self-logging.

  2026-04-21 · 9 min read

• Duolingo for 100 Days: What I Learned, What I Wish I'd Done Differently

  A journal, a scoreboard, and a reckoning. Ninety-eight green owls later, what actually stuck.

  2026-04-21 · 11 min read

• The Spaced Repetition Mistake That Wastes 90% of Learners' Time

  Most people set up SRS wrong on day one. Here is the fix that took my retention from 60 percent to 94 percent.

  2026-04-21 · 8 min read

• Wasei-eigo: 50 English Words the Japanese Changed Beyond Recognition

  Why マンション (manshon) means apartment, not mansion. A tour through the English words Japan quietly rewrote.

  2026-04-21 · 12 min read

• Moshi Moshi: Why Japanese Phones Aren't Answered Like Yours

  The real story behind もしもし, where it came from, and the ghost-related reason it sticks around.

  2026-04-21 · 7 min read

• Why I Stopped Using Anki (and What I Built Instead)

  Anki works. It is also a blank sheet of graph paper. After three years, here is why I stopped opening it.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• How Long Does It Take to Learn Japanese? A Brutally Honest Timeline

  Working adults, be warned. Here is a realistic month-by-month plan from zero to conversational Japanese.

  2026-04-21 · 13 min read

• The Best Way to Learn Hiragana in 3 Days

  A schedule, a method, and a set of guardrails against the mistakes that cost most people a week.

  2026-04-21 · 9 min read

• Japanese Pitch Accent: Why Most Apps Skip It and Whether You Should Care

  Pitch accent is Japanese's invisible grammar. Here is when to study it, when to ignore it, and how to hear it for the first time.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• Kanji Learning Strategies That Actually Stick

  Radicals, stories, writing practice, and the one strategy nobody recommends but everybody needs.

  2026-04-21 · 11 min read

• I Built the Japanese App I Wanted After Quitting Noisy Language Apps

  A short launch note about why Inku exists: Japanese that sticks, without a phone that yells at you.

  2026-04-28 · 4 min read

• Why Inku Teaches Five Cards at a Time

  Why small review sets make Japanese easier to start, easier to finish, and easier to remember.

  2026-04-28 · 4 min read

• The Difference Between a Streak Trap and a Study Habit

  A simple way to tell whether your Japanese app is helping you learn or just helping you come back.

  2026-04-28 · 4 min read

• JLPT N4 Vocabulary: What to Learn After N5

  What changes when you move from JLPT N5 to N4, how many words to expect, and how to study the next set without burning out.

  2026-06-03 · 9 min read

• The Japanese Te-Form, Explained Simply

  The te-form is the one conjugation that unlocks requests, linked actions, and the progressive. Here is how to form it and when to use it.

  2026-06-06 · 9 min read

• Japanese Greetings: The Phrases You Actually Need First

  The Japanese greetings worth learning first, from ohayou gozaimasu to itadakimasu, with when to use each and the casual and polite forms.

  2026-06-01 · 10 min read

• Days of the Week and Months in Japanese

  The seven days of the week and twelve months in Japanese, plus the irregular days of the month, with kanji, kana, and romaji and the patterns that make them easier.

  2026-06-01 · 8 min read

• The Masu Form: Polite Japanese Verbs Made Simple

  How to conjugate the polite masu form of Japanese verbs: the three verb groups, the u-verb sound shift, the two irregulars, and the four masu endings.

  2026-06-01 · 9 min read

• What Is FSRS? The Spaced-Repetition Algorithm, in Plain English

  FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) predicts the moment you are about to forget a card and schedules the review for then. A plain-English explanation, and how it compares to SM-2.

  2026-06-02 · 8 min read

• How to Stay Consistent Learning Japanese Without Streaks

  A calm, research-backed way to stay consistent with Japanese without streak pressure: set a tiny daily minimum, make returning shameless, and protect the habit, not the number.

  2026-06-02 · 8 min read

• How Long Does It Take to Pass JLPT N5? A Realistic Estimate

  A realistic estimate of how long it takes to pass JLPT N5: about 150 to 300 study hours, or three to six months at 30 minutes a day. Plus the real pass marks and the variables that change the timeline.

  2026-06-02 · 9 min read

• How Many Words Do You Need for JLPT N5?

  About 800 words is the commonly cited count for JLPT N5, but it is an estimate, not an official figure. Here is what the number means, why a high-frequency core matters more, and what else N5 tests.

  2026-06-02 · 8 min read

• Is Anki Good for Japanese? An Honest Look

  Is Anki good for Japanese? An honest breakdown: the pros (free, customizable, huge deck library, FSRS support) and the cons (setup friction, variable deck quality, rough default audio). Who it fits and who should pick something simpler.

  2026-06-02 · 8 min read

• How to Say Thank You in Japanese (Casual to Very Formal)

  How to say thank you in Japanese, from casual to very formal: arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu, the gozaimasu vs gozaimashita nuance, sumimasen as thanks, and when to use each.

  2026-06-02 · 9 min read

• How to Say Sorry in Japanese: Sumimasen vs Gomennasai vs Moushiwake

  How to say sorry in Japanese: sumimasen, gomennasai, and mōshiwake arimasen compared by register, plus shitsurei shimasu and the gomen kudasai false friend.

  2026-06-02 · 9 min read

• Anime Japanese vs Real Japanese: What's Safe to Actually Say

  Which anime Japanese phrases are safe to say in real life and which are rude. Two clear tables, the polite default to use instead, and why pronouns are the trap.

  2026-06-02 · 9 min read

• 100 Most Common Japanese Words for Beginners

  The 100 most common Japanese words for beginners, grouped into greetings, family, food, time, travel, body, weather, numbers, verbs, and adjectives. Each shows kana, romaji, and English.

  2026-06-02 · 9 min read

• Japanese Colors: Every Color Word, With the Adjective Trap Explained

  A clear guide to Japanese colors, with the i-adjective vs noun rule explained. Six colors can modify a noun directly; the rest, including midori and murasaki, need の.

  2026-06-02 · 8 min read

• Inku vs Duolingo for Japanese

  An honest side-by-side. Which one is right for your first week, and which one you will outgrow.

  2026-04-21 · 14 min read

• Inku vs Anki for Japanese

  Anki is infinitely flexible. Inku is opinionated. Here is how to choose, and when to use both.

  2026-04-21 · 15 min read

• Inku vs WaniKani

  WaniKani is the gold standard for kanji. Inku starts earlier. Here is who should use which.

  2026-04-21 · 13 min read

• Inku vs Bunpo

  Bunpo owns grammar drilling. Inku owns kana plus vocabulary. Which you should start with.

  2026-04-21 · 11 min read

• Inku vs LingoDeer

  LingoDeer is a full curriculum. Inku is a focused flashcard deck. Here is what that means for you.

  2026-04-21 · 12 min read

• Inku vs Renshuu

  Renshuu is a wonderful web-first tool. Inku is native iPhone. Who each is for.

  2026-04-21 · 12 min read

• Inku vs Busuu

  Busuu teaches through full lessons and human review. Inku teaches through flashcards and voice. A clear-eyed comparison.

  2026-04-21 · 11 min read

• Inku vs Lingopie

  Lingopie teaches through TV shows and native media. Inku teaches through spaced cards. How they stack up for Japanese.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• Inku vs Noji

  Noji is a powerful web flashcard tool with a tool library. Inku is iPhone-first with Japanese audio.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• Inku vs JapanesePod101

  JapanesePod101 is the audio-lesson catalog with thousands of episodes. Inku is a calm flashcard app for iPhone.

  2026-04-30 · 11 min read

• Inku vs Memrise

  Memrise teaches Japanese through native speaker videos. Inku teaches through curated flashcards with bundled audio.

  2026-04-30 · 10 min read

• Inku vs Drops

  Drops is a beautiful 5-minute illustrated vocabulary app. Inku is a calm flashcard app with audio and FSRS.

  2026-04-30 · 9 min read

• Inku vs Pimsleur for Japanese

  Pimsleur is the audio-only Japanese course. Inku is a visual-plus-audio iPhone flashcard app.

  2026-04-30 · 11 min read

• Inku vs Rocket Japanese

  Rocket Japanese is a one-time-purchase audio-and-text course. Inku is a calm subscription flashcard app for iPhone.

  2026-04-30 · 10 min read

• The Best Duolingo Alternative for Japanese

  If Duolingo's gamification burned you out, here is the calm, grown-up alternative for learning Japanese.

  2026-04-21 · 12 min read

• The Best Anki Alternative for Japanese (if You Want Less Setup)

  Anki is infinitely flexible and infinitely bare. Here is the Japanese-specific alternative that has the cards built for you.

  2026-04-21 · 11 min read

• A Rosetta Stone Alternative for Japanese (at 1/10th the Price)

  Rosetta Stone's immersion method is decades old and $200. Here is the modern alternative that fits in your pocket.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• A Babbel Alternative for Japanese Learners

  Babbel's Japanese catalogue is limited. Here is a Japanese-first alternative built by someone who learned Japanese as an adult.

  2026-04-21 · 10 min read

• A Pimsleur Alternative for Japanese (for Visual Learners)

  Pimsleur is audio-only. Inku is audio plus visual plus writing. A side-by-side for the kind of learner who needs to see the kana.

  2026-04-21 · 9 min read

• A WaniKani Alternative for the Phase Before Kanji

  WaniKani is the gold-standard kanji SRS but assumes you already know kana. Inku is the alternative for the prerequisite phase WaniKani skips.

  2026-04-30 · 10 min read

• A Bunpo Alternative for Vocabulary and Kana

  Bunpo is the grammar-drill specialist. Inku is the vocabulary-and-kana alternative that pairs with Bunpo's grammar drills.

  2026-04-30 · 9 min read

• A Memrise Alternative for Focused Japanese Learners

  Memrise teaches Japanese inside a multi-language platform. Inku is the Japanese-only alternative with FSRS scheduling and bundled audio.

  2026-04-30 · 9 min read

• A Drops Alternative for Serious Japanese Learners

  Drops is a beautiful 5-minute vocabulary app. Inku is the alternative for learners who want unlimited daily study and modern spaced repetition.

  2026-04-30 · 9 min read