Looks like the Great Firewall or something like it is preventing you from completely loading www.skritter.com because it is hosted on Google App Engine, which is periodically blocked. Try instead our mirror:

legacy.skritter.cn

This might also be caused by an internet filter, such as SafeEyes. If you have such a filter installed, try adding appspot.com to the list of allowed domains.

a comprehensive list of words

brucejackson   September 5th, 2010 10:39a.m.

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I can't find an easy solution.
I don't really want to study a book. I just want a big list of characters thrown at me at random.

I feel that if I study from several book-based lists, there is some doubling up, and some dross (names, etc) to gradually filter through. Using this method also tends to be dominated by simple characters and it isn't comprehensive.

Is there a way to do this?

FatDragon   September 5th, 2010 10:42a.m.

The HSK lists are pretty good for that.

dfoxworthy   September 5th, 2010 11:00a.m.

Skritter knows when there is doubling up so don't worry about that. Though the Putonghua and Beijing Accent doubles get through regardless. It takes about a second to remove a character.

I'd suggest first do the radicals. Then go onto the HSK list. The problem with the HSK list is you're just learning characters with no application of them. There has been times when I learn a character and try to use it in a sentence based on its meaning and people look at me like I'm crazy. Also later you'll know a word has 'Yi' but you'll always mix up which 'Yi' it is. Using a book's list, you will learn the characters and the words together so it's more practical if you are willing to filter it out slowly.

brucejackson   September 5th, 2010 11:04a.m.

yes, I got all 4 of them added already.

The problem with them is they start from the start. In other words, they force you to go through the really easy stuff step be step, with insufficient challenge.

I'd like them to be randomized.

jww1066   September 5th, 2010 12:00p.m.

@brucejackson if something's too easy, you can hit "4" for "too easy" and it'll be scheduled far out in the future. Or you can delete it if you really don't want to study it I do this for random personal names that come up in books, for example.

It sounds like you're already fairly advanced, there are tons of advanced/specialized vocab lists, some of which should pose at least some challenge. And if you don't want to start a list at the beginning you can skip sections or practice only certain sections.

http://www.skritter.com/vocab/tags?tag=advanced
http://www.skritter.com/vocab/tags?tag=chengyu
http://www.skritter.com/vocab/tags?tag=most%20common

James

brucejackson   September 5th, 2010 10:40p.m.

thanks for the suggestions. It seems doing a combo of these things will be a good plan for me.

I have already learned well over a couple of thousand character over the past 3-4 years. But of course, at least half have dropped out of my memory through lack of fluent language skills and infrequent use. And I never get the tones right on these ones. hahaha

I don't mind getting the easy ones thrown into the mix, because it makes you feel good to blitz them confidently. But that's got to be balanced by a challenge.

Overall, I am really enjoying skritter. By far the best memory-bashing and writing method I've tried.

This forum is now read only. Please go to Skritter Discourse Forum instead to start a new conversation!