But what do you do about the reverse card? Do you have to get all 4
meanings to consider it a successful recall? 菜  isn't so bad but I
think I've got around 10 definitions for 上 and it's growing.

On Nov 3, 9:59 am, Oisín <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 3 November 2011 03:59, Lindsey <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I'm learning Chinese. You have to memorize at least a couple thousand
> > characters to have even a chance of reading anything but a carefully
> > selected educational text.
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm also learning Chinese and I struggle with this problem sometimes.
> Murray's idea is interesting and probably better for learning, but I'd
> probably find it difficult to gather all the required sentences.
>
> In my cards, I lump meanings together on the front side (unless there are
> way too many in which case they might get split into a few cards, but in
> practice this rarely happens)
>
> Since there are usually many Chinese characters which could suit the
> definition, I narrow it down by indicating the number of strokes (and
> sometimes, mentioning which sounds it does not begin with).
>
> e.g. (don't have access to my deck ATM but roughly)
>
> Front:
>
> vegetable
> dish (of food)
> cuisine
> (11 strokes; not z/p/d)
>
> Back:
>
> 菜
> cai4
>
> This works ok for me, but I'd be interested to hear of other strategies
> people are using. I'd definitely agree that this work should be
> supplemented with outside reading (and TV etc!)
>
> Good luck!
> Oisín
>
> > On Nov 1, 6:39 am, Murray James Morrison <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> > > Lindsey,
>
> > > Unless you're supplementing your flashcard study with heavy reading in
> > your
> > > target language, I would be cautious about learning words absent from
> > > context. Say you were learning English, and wanted to learn the word
> > "bear".
>
> > > Q1:
> > > bear (not the large, omnivorous mammal)
> > > A1:
> > > to be burdened with; to suffer, endure
>
> > > Q2:
> > > bear (but not the verb that means to suffer or endure)
> > > A2:
> > > a large, omnivorous mammal
>
> > > (This is unwieldy. Instead of that, try this.....)
>
> > > Q1:
> > > The pain was too much to bear.
> > > A1:
> > > bear: To be burdened with; to suffer, endure.
>
> > > Q2:
> > > I saw a bear up ahead.
> > > A2:
> > > bear: A large, omnivorous mammal
>
> > > These latter cards reinforce both definitions *in* context, which is
> > after
> > > all how you'll be using the word in conversation.
>
> > > --murrayjames
>
> > > On Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 2:12 PM, Peter Bienstman <
> > [email protected]>wrote:
>
> > > > > Interesting. Would it still work if it was Q: foreign word (not
> > > > > meaning B,C,D,E,F,.....N)?
>
> > > > Of course, but it would become unwieldy. However, you should ask
> > yourself
> > > > if
> > > > you really want to learn that many meanings. Perhaps many of them are
> > > > somewhat
> > > > synonymous?
>
> > > > Peter
>
> > > > --
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>
> > > --
> > > =================
> > > Murray James Morrison
> > > Saxophonist, Composer, Music Educator
>
> > > Tel. 780-791-4651 (Canada)
> > >       +86-18608001531 (China)
> > > Email. [email protected]
> > > Website:http://www.murrayjames.net
>
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