Content Updates for February 2026

These are the content changes we made in February 2026.

Additions and Movements

These are all the items we’ve added, moved and removed during February.

Wed, February 4th, 2026 (7 additions and 4 movements)

New Items

• Broom/帚 radical - added to level 15
• 儲 kanji - added to level 33
• 儲ける vocab - added to level 33
• 金儲け vocab - added to level 34
• 唾 kanji - added to level 35
• 唾 vocab - added to level 35
• 僅か vocab - added to level 35

Level Changes

• Level 12: 者 / Someone radical - moved down to level 8
• Level 28: 家政婦 vocab - moved up to level 29
• Level 28: 主婦 vocab - moved up to level 29
• Level 35: 垂れる vocab - moved down to level 28

Content Changes

• The new radical Broom/帚 was added, so the components and mnemonics of the kanji using this radical was updated accordingly.
• The radical Someone/者 was moved down to appear before the kanji 者, so the components and mnemonics of the kanji were updated accordingly.
• The kanji 婦’s primary meaning was updated from “wife” to “lady” to better match the kanji’s meaning, as well as how it’s actually used in most vocab words.

Reasoning

• The radical Broom/帚 is used in 帰, 婦, and 掃. Adding this radical can reduce kanji components and simplify mnemonics, making them easier to remember. Additionally, “broom” is its actual meaning, so it can improve some mnemonics, such as 掃 (Fingers + Broom = Sweep).
• We moved up the vocab 家政婦 and 主婦 to improve the learning order of the 婦 items.
• We added the kanji 儲, and the vocab 儲ける and 金儲け to introduce new common kanji and vocabulary.
• The vocab 垂れる was moved down to improve the learning order of the 垂 items. It is also being reordered to come before 垂らす, as we believe 垂らす’s nuance is easier to understand if learners become familiar with 垂れる first.
• We added the vocab 僅か to teach the kun’yomi reading of the kanji 僅.

Wed, February 11th, 2026 (5 additions and 5 movements)

New Items

• 潰 kanji - added to level 35
• 潰す vocab - added to level 35
• 鞄 kanji - added to level 38
• 鞄 vocab - added to level 38
• 軟らかい vocab - added to level 53

Level Changes

• Level 34: 貴重 vocab - moved up to level 35
• Level 34: 貴族 vocab - moved up to level 35
• Level 34: 貴い vocab - moved up to level 36
• Level 34: 貴様 vocab - moved up to level 37
• Level 36: 貴 / Valuable radical - moved down to level 34

Content Changes

• The radical Valuable/貴 was moved down to appear before the kanji 貴, so the components and mnemonics of the kanji were updated accordingly.

Reasoning

• We added the kanji 潰, the vocab 潰す, and 軟らかい to introduce new common kanji and vocabulary. Along with this change, we moved the radical Valuable/貴 to appear before the kanji 貴, and also reordered the vocabulary with the kanji 貴 to improve scaffolding.
• We already have the kana vocab カバン, but we also added its kanji version 鞄 as both versions appear pretty commonly in the real world and are therefore both useful to know.

Wed, February 18th, 2026 (7 additions and 4 movements)

New Items

• Outfit/衤 radical - added to level 11
• 儲かる vocab - added to level 35
• 唾液 vocab - added to level 37
• 潰れる vocab - added to level 37
• 后 vocab - added to level 52
• 蚕 kanji - added to level 57
• 蚕 vocab - added to level 57

Level Changes

• Level 20: 被る vocab - moved up to level 22
• Level 22: 被害者 vocab - moved down to level 21
• Level 33: 垂らす vocab - moved down to level 30
• Level 59: 蔑む vocab - moved up to level 60

Content Changes

• The new radical Outfit/衤was added, so the components and mnemonics of the kanji using this radical were updated accordingly.
• The kanji 被’s primary and alternate meanings were switched so that “cover” becomes the primary meaning and “incur” becomes the visible alternative. This switch helps to better convey the kanji’s basic meaning, as well as to reduce the negative connotation that “incur” tends to convey in English — a connotation which is not inherent to 被.

Reasoning

• The radical Outfit/衤 is used in 被, 初, 袖, 補, 複, 裸, and 襟. Currently, spirit (ネ) is used in these kanji, but this is inaccurate.衤 comes from 衣 and has a distinct meaning and stroke pattern. Adding 衤 (Outfit) as a new radical corrects this and aligns better with traditional radical distinctions. This also helps because many of the kanji using this radical are related to clothing (被, 袖, 襟) or the lack thereof (裸).
• We added the kanji 蚕, the vocab 蚕, 儲かる, 唾液, 潰れる, and 后 to introduce new common kanji and vocabulary.
• We added the vocab 后 as a counterpart to the vocab 妃. Both vocab words use the reading きさき, but they have different (albeit overlapping) nuances, and adding 后 helps to make those nuances clearer. Additionally, having both helps consolidate the きさき reading, which isn’t used in any other words.
• The vocab 垂らす was moved down as part of the 垂 item scaffolding. It is included in this batch to give it some space from the other verb in its transitivity pair, 垂れる.
• The vocab 被る was moved up while the vocab 被害者 was moved down so that users can become familiar with 被’s on’yomi before moving on to learning its kun’yomi.
• The vocab 蔑む was moved up a level so that users can become familiar with 蔑’s on’yomi before learning its kun’yomi.

Other Updates

These are all the other changes we made to WaniKani content in February.

Radicals

• Old - Updated the mnemonic.
• Someone - Updated the mnemonic.
• Skin - Updated the mnemonic.
• Body - Added “oneself” to the allow list, added “somebody” and “animal flesh” to the warning list, and updated the mnemonic.
• Line Up - Added “ordinary” to the warning list.
• Valuable - Updated the mnemonic.
• Cow - Updated the mnemonic.

Kanji

• 先 - Added “before” as an alternative meaning, moved “past” and “former” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 申 - Updated the meaning mnemonic and meaning hint.
• 皮 - Updated the meaning mnemonic and meaning hint.
• 必 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 者 - Changed the radical component to Someone, added “person” and “something” as alternate meanings, moved “somebody” to the allow list, and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 身 - Changed the primary meaning to “body”, added “oneself” as an alternative meaning, added “self” to the allow list, moved “somebody” and “someone” to the warning list, added “animal flesh,” “social standing,” “position,” and “person” to the warning list, added Barb as part of the radical combination, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 転 - Added 軽 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 標 - Added 煙 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 帰 - Updated the radical components to Knife and Broom and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 告 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 叶 - Updated the meaning mnemonic and meaning hint.
• 宅 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 株 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 貸 - Added “loan” to the allow list, and added “borrow” to the block list.
• 婦 - Updated the radical components to Woman and Broom, changed the primary meaning to “lady,” moved “wife” to the alternate meanings list, added “woman,” “married woman,” and “adult woman” to the allow list, and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 板 - Updated the meaning mnemonic.
• 掃 - Updated the radical components to Fingers and Broom and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 賂 - Added 敗 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 茂 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 殊 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 鋳 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 洗 - Added 法 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 貰 - Added “give” to the block list.
• 貴 - Updated the radical components to Valuable and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 働 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 初 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Sword and updated the reading mnemonics and hints.
• 昆 - Added 混 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 被 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Skin and updated the reading mnemonics and hints.
• 袖 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Reason and updated the reading mnemonics and hints.
• 補 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Wedding and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 玄 - Added “dark” as an alternative meaning, added “black” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 複 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Black Hole and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 諸 - Added 儲 and 諾 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 潰 - Added “crash” to the block list.
• 厄 - Added 危 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 嘩 - Added 唾 and 睡 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 糾 - Changed the primary meaning to “twist together”, moved “twist” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 裸 - Updated the radical components to Outfit and Fruit and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 隔 - Updated the meaning mnemonic.
• 襟 - Updated the radical components to Outfit, Tree and Jackhammer and updated the meaning and reading mnemonics and hints.
• 丹 - Changed the primary meaning to “rust-colored”, added “cinnabar” as an alternative meaning, moved “red” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 祭 - Updated the meaning mnemonic and meaning hint.
• 喫 - Moved の reading to the warning list, added す and く readings to the warning list, added “partake” as an alternative meaning, and added “eat,” “drink,” “smoke,” and “receive” to the warning list.
• 護 - Added “defeat” to the block list.
• 迅 - Updated the radical combination to Scooter + Cape + Cross , updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
• 卸 - Added 御 to the visually similar kanji list.
• 轄 - Moved くさび to the warning list, and added “wedge” to the warning list.

Vocabulary

• 一月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 二月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 四月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 五月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 六月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 十月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 今月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 年内 - Added “before year’s end” to the allow list.
• 先月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 先々月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 気分 - Changed the primary meaning to “mood”, moved “feeling” to be an alternative meaning, updated the meaning explanation, added three common word combinations, and updated one context sentence translation.
• 何月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 来月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 毎月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 西ヨーロッパ - Added “east Europe” to the block list.
• 仕方がない - Added “nothing can be done” to the allow list.
• 正月 - Updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 身 - Added “somebody,” “someone,” “meat,” and “flesh” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 気持ち - Added “feelings,” “mood,” “sensation,” “state of mind,” “frame of mind,” “how you feel,” and “how one feels” to the allow list, added “somewhat,” “a little,” “slightly,” “a bit,” “just a bit,” and “just a little” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, and updated two common word combinations.
• 心持ち - Changed the primary meaning to “mindset”, moved “feeling” and “somewhat” to be alternative meanings, moved “mood” and “slightly” to the allow list, added “a little,” “a bit,” “just a bit,” and “just a little” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, updated three common word combinations, added three common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
• 気持ちいい - Changed the primary meaning to “feeling good”, moved “good feeling” to the warning list, added “feeling nice,” “feels nice,” “feels pleasant,” and “feeling pleasant” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 酒飲み - Added “heavy drinker” and “alcohol drinker” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 酒好き - Added “alcohol lover” as an alternative meaning, added “boozer,” “drunkard,” “big drinker,” and “heavy drinker” to the allow list, moved “alcoholic” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 感情 - Changed the primary meaning to “emotion”, moved “feeling” to be an alternative meaning, updated the meaning explanation, updated one common word combination, and updated one context sentence translation.
• 感じ - Updated the meaning explanation, and updated one context sentence translation.
• 塩水 - Added “salty water” as an alternative meaning, added “saline water,” “saline,” “sea water,” and “saline solution” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 塩味 - Added “saltiness” as an alternative meaning, added “salt taste” and “salt flavor” to the allow list, moved “tastes salty” and “salty” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 刺身 - Added “sliced raw fish” as an alternative meaning, added “sliced raw seafood” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 婦人 - Changed the primary meaning to “woman,” moved “lady” to the alternate meanings list, added “adult woman” and “madam” to the allow list, added “adult female” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 夫婦 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 垂れる - Changed the primary meaning to “to droop,” moved “to dangle” to the allow list, added “to sag” to the allow list, added “to ooze,” “to excrete,” and “to bestow” to the warning list, and updated the meaning and reading explanations.
• 主婦 - Added “homemaker” to the alternate meanings list, updated the meaning explanation, updated one of the context sentence translations, replaced one of the context sentences, and removed one of the context sentences.
• 家政婦 - Updated the meaning explanation and one of the context sentences.
• 除外 - Updated one context sentence translation.
• 垂らす - Updated the meaning and reading explanations.
• 奈良 - Added a new context sentence.
• 患う - Updated the reading explanation.
• 妊婦 - Added “pregnant lady” to the allow list and updated the meaning explanation.
• 珍しい - Updated the reading explanation.
• 発泡 - Added “fizzing” as an alternative meaning, added “foam,” “foamy,” “fizz,” “fizzy,” and “sparkling” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 庄園 - Added “agricultural estate” as an alternative meaning, added “medieval manor,” “medieval estate,” “estate,” “agricultural manor,” “rural estate,” and “rural manor” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 車掌 - Added “conductor” as an alternative meaning, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 諭す - Updated the context sentence translation.
• 洗浄 - Updated the context sentence translation.
• 寡婦 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 千 - Added ち as a warned reading.
• 用 - Moved “duty” and “service” to the allow list and added もち as a warned reading.
• 図 - Added はか and え as warned readings.
• 〜以上 - Added “no more” to the block list.
• 〜以下 - Added “no less” to the block list.
• 大仏 - Updated one common word combination.
• 同期中 - Updated one of the context sentence translations.
• 履歴書 - Added “résumé” to the allow list.
• 断る - Added “to renew” to the block list.
• 差す - Added “to store” to the block list.
• 時代 - Added suffix as a word type, moved “epoch” and “time period” to the allow list, added “times,” “-hood,” “the times,” and “span of time” to the allow list, added “days,” “time,” “day,” and “hood” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 相変わらず - Added “unnusual” to the block list.
• 被害 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 所載 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 記載 - Added “recording” and “documenting” as alternative meanings, added “document,” “note,” and “noting” to the allow list, added “recorded” to the block list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 玄米 - Added くろごめ to the warning list, moved “unmilled rice” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, and added eight common word combinations.
• 潰す - Added “to crash” and “to crash something” to the block list.
• 糾弾 - Changed the primary meaning to “condemnation”, added “denunciation” and “censure” as alternative meanings, moved “blame” to the allow list, added “blaming,” “censuring,” “condemn,” “condemning,” “denounce,” and “denouncing” to the allow list, added “accusation,” “accuse,” and “accusing” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, and added three context sentence translations.
• 紛糾 - Added “turmoil” as an alternative meaning, added “become complicated,” “becoming complicated,” “be complicated,” “being complicated,” “get complicated,” “getting complicated,” “fall into confusion,” “falling into confusion,” “be thrown into confusion,” “being thrown into confusion,” “be thrown into turmoil,” “being thrown into turmoil,” and “imbroglio” to the allow list, added “chaos,” “disarray,” and “deadlock” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, and added three context sentence translations.
• 粘り - Updated one of the context sentence translations.
• 肯定 - Changed the primary meaning to “affirmation”, moved “positive” to be an alternative meaning, added “affirming” as an alternative meaning, added “affirmative” to the allow list, added “confirmation,” “confirming,” “say yes,” “yes,” and “saying yes” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, and updated two context sentence translations.
• 丹念 - Moved “elaborate” to the allow list, added “detailed” and “painstaking” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 醸す - Updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 半分 - Updated one context sentence.
• 出かける - Added “to head out” as an alternative meaning, added “to head off,” “to go off,” “to set out,” and “to set off” to the allow list, and added “to depart” to the warning list.
• 一気に - Updated subject from 一気 to 一気に, changed the primary meaning to “in one go”, added “at once” and “in one breath” to be alternative meanings, added “in one sitting,” “in one fell swoop,” “in 1 go,” “in 1 breath,” “in 1 sitting,” “in 1 fell swoop,” “in a single sitting,” “in a single go,” “without pausing,” “without a rest,” and “at a stretch” to the allow list, added “suddenly,” “all of a sudden,” “instantly,” “in an instant,” “one gulp,” “1 gulp,” “one breath,” “one go,” “one sitting,” “1 breath,” “1 go,” and “1 sitting” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 二世 - Added “2nd gen” to the allow list.
• 三世 - Added “3rd gen” to the allow list.
• 三日月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 麦 - Added ばく to the warning list, moved “oats” to the allow list, added “rye” to the allow list, added “cereal grains” and “grains” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 電車 - Added “electric train” as an alternative meaning, added “electric locomotive” to the allow list, added “electric vehicle,” “electric car,” “streetcar,” “trolley,” “subway,” and “subway train” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 私自身 - Moved “as for me” to the allow list, added “I myself” and “me myself” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
• 心身 - Changed the primary meaning to “mind and body”, moved “body and mind” to be an alternative meaning, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 全身 - Added “the whole body,” “one’s entire body,” “one’s whole body,” “one’s full body,” and “every part of the body” to the allow list, added “the full length” and “full length” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 出身 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 一ヶ月 - Updated the reading explanation.
• 着く - Added “to raise” to the block list.
• 責任感 - Updated the meaning explanation, and added three common word combinations.
• 捕まる - Added “to be arrested” as an alternative meaning, moved “to get caught” to the allow list, added “to be captured,” “to get captured,” and “to get arrested” to the allow list, added seven common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
• 独身 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 捕える - Changed the primary meaning to “to capture”, added “to catch” and “to apprehend” as alternative meanings, moved “to capture something” and “to catch something” to the allow list, added “to nab,” “to bag,” “to nab something,” “to bag something,” “to nab someone,” “to bag someone,” “to capture someone,” “to catch someone,” “to apprehend someone,” “to seize someone,” “to grasp someone,” and “to grab someone” to the allow list, added “to get,” “to get something,” and “to get someone” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added five common word combinations, and updated four context sentence translations.
• 身振り - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 並行 - Added “concurrent” as an alternative meaning, added “concurrently” and “alongside” to the allow list, added nine common word combinations, and updated one context sentence translation.
• 並列 - Changed the primary meaning to “side by side”, moved “parallel” to be an alternative meaning, moved “in parallel” to the allow list, added “arranging in a line,” “arrange in a line,” “standing in a row,” and “stand in a row” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, added nine common word combinations, and added two context sentence translations.
• 街道 - Changed the primary meaning to “highway”, added “high road” as an alternative meaning, moved “main road” and “highroad” to the allow list, added “avenue” and “boulevard” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added five common word combinations, updated three context sentence translations, and added suffix to the word type list.
• 未婚 - Added “single” and “not yet married” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, and added nine common word combinations.
• 兄貴 - Added one context sentence translation.
• 交互に - Added “by turns” and “alternating” as alternative meanings, added “one after the other,” “in turns,” “in turn,” “one after another,” and “taking turns” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, added three context sentence translations, and added four common word combinations.
• 踏む - Added one context sentence translation.
• 終身刑 - Updated the meaning explanation.
• 吹く - Added “to blow something” to the allow list, added “to play,” “to play something,” “to whistle,” “to breathe,” “to foam,” and “to puff” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added eight common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
• 黙る - Moved “to stop talking” to be an alternative meaning, added “to stop speaking,” “to become silent,” “to be quiet,” “to become quiet,” “to quit talking,” “to hush,” “to hush up,” “to say nothing,” and “to fall silent” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added four common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
• 補佐 - Changed the primary meaning to “assistance”, added “support” and “assistant” as alternative meanings, moved “aid” and “help” to the allow list, added “assist,” “assisting,” “helping,” “aiding,” “assistant,” “supporting,” and “aide” to the allow list, and updated the meaning explanation.
• 休憩 - Added one context sentence translation.
• 記憶 - Added one context sentence translation.
• 我慢 - Added one context sentence translation.
• 諭す - Added “to reason with” and “to talk sense into” as alternative meanings, added “to reason,” “to talk sense,” “to help understand,” “to help someone understand,” “to make understand,” “to make someone understand,” “to gently admonish,” and “to calmly admonish” to the allow list, moved “to persuade” and “to warn” to the warning list, added “to convince,” “to advise,” “to teach,” “to lecture,” and “to explain” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added three common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
• 洗浄 - Added “wash,” “clean,” “launder,” “wash out,” “washing out,” “cleansing,” and “cleanse” to the allow list, added “irrigate,” “irrigating,” and “irrigation” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added nine common word combinations, and added three context sentence translations.
• 新陳代謝 - Updated the context sentence translation.
• 神髄 - Added “soul” as an alternative meaning, moved “spirit” to the allow list, added “core,” “quintessence,” “true essence,” and “pith” to the allow list, added “heart” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added eight common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
• 真髄 - Added “soul” as an alternative meaning, moved “pith” to the allow list, added “core,” “spirit,” “quintessence,” and “true essence” to the allow list, added “heart” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, added eight common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
• 娘婿 - Added one context sentence translation.