Abstract: Kanji is an important component of Japanese language learning, but it also poses many difficulties for learners, particularly students learning Japanese at Nguyen Tat Thanh University. This study aims to investigate the current situation of Kanji learning, identify the main groups of difficulties, the learning strategies currently being used, and learners’ support needs. The analyzed dataset consists of 155 valid responses, including 80 students specializing in Japanese Studies and 75 students studying Japanese as a Second Foreign Language. The results show that the overall difficulty level reached M = 3,78/5. The most prominent difficulties were quickly forgetting Kanji without review (M = 4,18), difficulty remembering multiple readings of the same character (M = 4,05), confusing characters with similar shapes (M = 4,00), and difficulty remembering characters with many strokes or complex structures (M = 3,99). The most frequently used strategy was repeated writing (M = 4,07), whereas spaced review was used the least (M = 2,64). The highest support need was for more exercises connected with vocabulary, sentences, and real-life contexts (90,3% agreed or strongly agreed). The comparison between the two groups showed that students studying Japanese as a Second Foreign Language had a higher overall level of difficulty than those specializing in Japanese Studies (p = 0,002). Based on these findings, the article proposes strengthening the teaching of Kanji through character structure, placing characters in vocabulary and context, providing guidance on spaced review, applying technology, and organizing frequent short tests.
Keywords: Kanji, Japanese language, students learning Japanese, learning difficulties, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, teaching solutions.