Content

Content Updates for June 2026

Written by Mami Suzuki·June 1, 2026

These are the content changes we made in June 2026.

Additions and Movements

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

Wed, June 10, 2026 (5 additions, 11 movements)

New Items

  • 腹痛 vocab - added to level 24
  • 空腹 vocab - added to level 24
  • 頭脳 vocab - added to level 24
  • 支払う vocab - added to level 15
  • 懐 vocab - added to level 32

Level Changes

  • Level 18: 木曜日 vocab - moved up to level 19
  • Level 18: 水曜日 vocab - moved up to level 19
  • Level 51: 胃 / Stomach radical - moved down to level 31
  • Level 27: 胃 kanji - moved up to level 31
  • Level 27: 胃 vocab - moved up to level 31
  • Level 27: 胃痛 vocab - moved up to level 31
  • Level 27: 腹 kanji - moved down to level 24
  • Level 27: 腹 vocab - moved up to level 29
  • Level 29: 腹切り vocab - moved up to level 30
  • Level 27: 痛 kanji - moved down to level 23
  • Level 27: 頭痛 vocab - moved down to level 23

Content Changes

  • Radical Stomach/胃 and kanji 胃 moved to the same level, so the radical components and mnemonics for the kanji were updated accordingly.

Reasoning

  • Adding 腹痛 and 空腹 means more reinforcement for the primary ふく reading that’s taught with kanji 腹, which until now has only had 切腹. Related 腹 movements also allow us to better separate and scaffold the different readings for that kanji, so that ふく can be consolidated first, followed by なか, then はら, with minimal interference.
  • Kanji 痛 and 頭痛 moved down to facilitate the 腹 movements, and to better reflect their own frequency and usefulness. Meanwhile, 胃 subjects moved up to prevent interference with similar 腹 subjects, and to reflect their somewhat advanced contexts and lower frequency relative to 腹 vocab.
  • 頭脳 was added as a second word to consolidate the ず reading for kanji 頭.
  • The single-kanji vocab 懐 was added to teach the kanji’s kun’yomi reading ふところ, as well as to provide more context for why 懐 appears in words like 懐中電灯 (new addition in Batch 3).
  • 支払う was added to bring a common and useful daily-life word to WaniKani.
  • Moving up 水曜日 and 木曜日 helps space out the 曜日-related vocabulary words better, as they are currently concentrated in level 18.

Wed, June 17, 2026 (6 additions, 9 movements)

New Items

Level Changes

  • Level 29: 街道 vocab - moved up to level 44
  • Level 13: 空き缶 vocab - moved up to level 14
  • Level 18: 金曜日 vocab - moving down to level 16
  • Level 31: 地下街 vocab - moved down to level 29
  • Level 27: 切腹 vocab - moved down to level 25
  • Level 48: 灯 kanji - moved down to level 30
  • Level 48: 電灯 vocab - moved down to level 30
  • Level 48: 街灯 vocab - moved down to level 30
  • Level 29: お腹 vocab - moved down to level 26

Reasoning

  • Two of this round’s additions focus on consolidating under-represented readings: 頭突き is a fun word that further consolidates the ず reading of 頭, and 空き家 provides support for the や reading of 家.
  • 付き合う and 真面目 were added to bring more common, useful, and long-overdue vocab words to WaniKani. 真面目 also has an unusual reading that makes it particularly worth teaching.
  • Though not jōyō, 惹 is a commonly used kanji, so we added it along with the relatively high-frequency vocab 惹く.
  • Various movements were carried out to improve level distribution and teaching order: 空き缶 moved up a level for separation from 空く and to be placed in the same level as 空き家; 金曜日 moved down to improve the teaching order of 曜日-related vocabulary, which is currently concentrated in level 18; 切腹 and お腹 moved down as part of 腹-related movements to better order its various readings; 街道 moved up to reflect its unusual かい reading and relatively lower frequency compared to other 街 vocabulary, while 地下街 moved down to replace it; and the kanji 灯 and its vocabulary 電灯 and 街灯 moved down to reflect the frequency and visual simplicity of 灯. 街灯’s movement also helps with reinforcing the がい reading of 街.

Wed, June 24, 2026 (8 additions, 7 movements)

New Items

Level Changes

  • Level 18: 土曜日 vocab - moved down to level 17
  • Level 18: 日曜日 vocab - moved down to level 17
  • Level 46: 庄 kanji - moved up to level 60
  • Level 46: 庄園 vocab - moved up to level 60
  • Level 48: 灯り vocab - moved down to level 33
  • Level 53: 丹誠 vocab - moved up to level 55
  • Level 54: 荘厳 vocab - moved up to level 55

Content Changes

  • In light of the 丹精 addition, we updated 丹誠 content with an improved explanation and meanings to underscore the difference with 丹精.

Reasoning

  • 大家 was added as a common word that further consolidates the や reading of 家.
  • お腹が空く was added as a useful everyday expression which also introduces the すく reading of 空く.
  • The single-kanji vocab 街 was added to introduce that kanji’s まち reading, and 街並み’s addition helps consolidate this while also providing a second vocab word using 並み (the first being 軒並み, which is already on WaniKani).
  • 懐中電灯 was added to introduce the かい reading for 懐, and further help to consolidate the とう reading of 灯.
  • We added the new kanji 賜 and supporting vocab 賜る and (in Batch 4) 賜物. The vocab associated with 賜 are somewhat advanced but common, and 賜 is a jōyō kanji that native speakers learn in junior high school.
  • 丹精 was added as the third word to consolidate kanji 丹. We also moved 丹誠 up to separate it from the new 丹精 subject.
  • Several other movements were also carried out to improve level distribution and teaching order: 庄 and 庄園 moved up to reflect their advanced level and lower frequency and prevent interference with 荘 items; 荘厳 moved up to improve the teaching order of 荘 readings; 灯り moved down as part of other downward movements for 灯 subjects; and 土曜日 and 日曜日 moved down to improve the teaching order of the 曜日-related vocabulary words, which are currently concentrated in level 18.

Other Updates

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

Radicals

  • Lineage - Added “system,” “line,” “group,” “descent,” “category,” “genre,” “descendant,” and “affiliate” to the warning list, and updated the mnemonic.

Kanji

  • 化 - Added け as an alternative reading, and added “transform” as an alternative meaning.
  • 使 - Updated the meaning mnemonic.
  • 利 - Added 刺 and 制 to the visually similar kanji list.
  • 面 - Added つら as an alternative reading.
  • 史 - Added ふみ to the warning list, and updated the meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 履 - Added くつ and ふ to the warning list, added “shoes,” “put on,” “put on shoes,” “wear shoes,” “put on the feet,” “put on the legs,” “wear on the feet,” and “wear on the legs” to the allow list, added “boots,” “footgear,” “execute,” “perform,” “complete,” and “to step on” to the warning list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 歴 - Moved へ to the warning list, added りゃく to the warning list.
  • 復 - Added かえ, また, and ふたた to the warning list, added “return to,” “resume,” and “revert” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, and reading mnemonic.
  • 靴 - Moved か to the warning list, added “shoe,” “footwear,” “boot,” and “boots” to the allow list, added “sneakers,” “sneaker,” “plimsolls,” “plimsoll,” “trainers,” “trainer,” and “footgear” to the warning list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 系 - Added つな and すじ to the warning list, added “descendant” and “affiliate” to the allow list, added “tribe” and “style” to the warning list, and updated the reading mnemonic and reading hint.
  • 胃 - Updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 頻 - Added “request” to the block list.
  • 鎌 - Updated the meaning mnemonic.
  • 署 - Added “signature” as an alternative meaning, moved “office” to the allow list, added “public agency,” “department,” “division,” and “signing” to the allow list, moved “political office” to the warning list, added “station” and “public office” to the warning list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 案 - Added 安 to the visually similar kanji list.
  • 影 - Added よう to the warning list, added “silhouette” to the allow list, added “shade,” “reflection,” “image,” “presence,” “figure,” “shape,” and “trace” to the warning list, and updated the reading mnemonic and reading hint.
  • 陰 - Added おん as an alternative reading, added あん, くら, and ひそ to the warning list, added “shadow,” “negative,” “dark,” “gloomy,” “gloom,” “genitals,” “sex organs,” “behind,” “background,” “in the shadows,” “behind the scenes,” “the shade,” “shadows,” “in the background,” “behind the back,” and “behind someone’s back” to the warning list, and updated the meaning hint and reading hint.
  • 萌 - Changed the primary meaning to “bud”, moved “sprout” to be an alternative meaning, moved きざ and めばえ readings to the warning list, added ぼう, めば, めぐ, たみ, and きざし readings to the warning list, added “show symptoms of” and “show signs of” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 水 - Updated the meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.
  • 武 - Added 式 to the visually similar kanji list.
  • 健 - Added すこ as an alternative reading and added したた and たけ as warned readings.
  • 街 - Added “city streets” to the allow list.
  • 納 - Added な as an alternative reading, and added とう, い, and なん to the warning list.
  • 棋 - Changed the primary meaning to “japanese chess”, added “shogi” and “go” as alternative meanings, moved “chess piece” to the allow list, added “shogi piece,” “go piece,” and “japanese chess piece” to the allow list, and updated the meaning mnemonic, meaning hint, reading mnemonic, and reading hint.

Vocabulary

  • 一年生 - Added “first year pupil” and “1st year pupil” to the allow list.
  • 海外 - Added “foreigner” to the block list.
  • 仮に - Added “oppose” to the block list.
  • 平日 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 死体 - Added “remains” to the allow list, added “body” to the warning list, updated two common word combinations, added one context sentence translation, and updated one context sentence translation.
  • 東口 - Added “north entrance,” “north exit,” and “north gate” to the block list.
  • 一千万 - Added “1 million” to the block list.
  • 絵文字 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 使う - Added “to utilize,” “to utilize something,” “to make use of,” “to make use of something,” “to put to use,” and “to put something to use” to the allow list, and added “to employ,” “to handle,” “to manage,” “to manipulate,” and “to consume” to the warning list.
  • 不自由 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 必勝 - Updated two context sentence translations.
  • 立場 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 試験 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 辛子 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 道具 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 部分 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 天使 - Updated the meaning explanation, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 使用 - Added “using,” “utilizing,” “utilising,” “applying,” “employing,” “make use of,” and “making use of” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation, added four common word combinations, and updated three context sentence translations.
  • 去る - Added “to go away” and “to pass” as alternative meanings, added “to depart,” “to have gone,” and “to be gone” to the allow list, added “to quit,” “to resign,” “to retire,” “to pass away,” and “to die” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, and updated one common word combination.
  • 求める - Updated the meaning explanation.
  • 〜向け - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 当て字 - Updated two context sentence translations.
  • 高度 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 曲線 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 重い - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 地下鉄 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 主語 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 使い方 - Added “how to spend,” “way of spending,” and “way to spend” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, and updated one common word combination.
  • 西洋 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 共同 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 電波 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 初歩 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 話し方 - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 問題 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 学歴 - Added “educational background” as an alternative meaning, moved “academic background” and “academic record” to the allow list, added “academic credentials” and “educational credentials” to the allow list, added twelve common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
  • 履く - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 履歴書 - Updated the reading explanation, added four common word combinations, and updated four context sentence translations.
  • 歴史 - Added せんし to the warning list, added six common word combinations, updated one context sentence translation, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 履き物 - Added “footgear” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added four common word combinations, and updated three context sentence translations.
  • 安値 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 回復 - Added sixteen common word combinations, and updated three context sentence translations.
  • 復習 - Added さらい and さらえ to the warning list, added “reviewing” and “revising” as alternative meanings, updated the meaning explanation, added six common word combinations, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 靴 - Added か to the warning list, added “footgear” to the warning list, and added five common word combinations.
  • 長靴 - Added ちょうか to the warning list, added “wellington boots,” “wellies,” “wellingtons,” and “gumboots” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added four common word combinations, updated one context sentence translation, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 靴下 - Updated the meaning explanation, added four common word combinations, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 靴屋 - Added “footwear shop” and “footwear store” to the allow list, added “footgear shop” and “footgear store” to the warning list, added thirteen common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
  • 回復する - Added “to restore” and “to regain” as alternative meanings, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added four common word combinations, updated one context sentence translation, and added one context sentence translation.
  • 〜系 - Added つな and すじ to the warning list, updated the reading explanation, added five common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
  • 太陽系 - Updated the reading explanation, added eight common word combinations, and updated two context sentence translations.
  • 棒 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 裏 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 遺体 - Added “human remains” to be an alternative meaning, moved “remains” to the allow list, added “dead body” and “cadaver” to the allow list, added “body” to the warning list, added “crops” to the block list, updated the meaning explanation, added four common word combinations, and added four context sentence translations.
  • 伸ばす - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 頃 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 欄 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 憂鬱 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 遍歴 - Updated two context sentence translations.
  • 浪人 - Added one context sentence translation.
  • 洋室 - Updated one context sentence.
  • 署名 - Added “signing” as an alternative meaning, added “signing one’s name” to the allow list, added “autograph” and “autographing” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
  • 借家 - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 最後尾 - Added “back of a line” and “back of a queue” to the allow list.
  • 影 - Added “silhouette” as an alternative meaning, added “shade,” “reflection,” “image,” “presence,” “figure,” “shape,” “trace,” and “outline” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added twelve common word combinations, and added two context sentence translations.
  • 腹 - Updated the meaning explanation.
  • 日系 - Updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, and added seven common word combinations.
  • 家賃 - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 縦横 - Updated one context sentence.
  • 陰 - Changed the primary meaning to “shade”, moved “shadow” to the allow list, added おん, あん, くら, and ひそ to the warning list, added “the shade,” “shadows,” “the shadows,” “in the background,” “behind the back,” “behind someone’s back,” “behind,” and “background” to the allow list, added “negative,” “dark,” “gloomy,” “gloom,” “genitals,” and “sex organs” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added twelve common word combinations, and added three context sentence translations.
  • 萌え - Changed the primary meaning to “budding”, moved “moe” and “infatuation” to be alternative meanings, moved “sprouting” and “crush” to the allow list, added “affection,” “cutesy,” “cute,” “adorable,” “precious,” and “endearing” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, added five common word combinations, and added three context sentence translations.
  • 近年 - Added の adjective word type, added “lately,” “in recent years,” “in the last few years,” “in the past few years,” “the last few years,” “the past few years,” “last few years,” and “past few years” to the allow list, added “coming years,” “in the coming years,” and “in a few years” to the warning list, updated the meaning explanation, updated one common word combination, updated one and added one context sentence translation.
  • 近日 - Changed the primary meaning to “in a few days”, moved “soon” to be an alternative meaning, added “in the coming days,” “in coming days,” “in the next few days,” “next few days,” “in next few days,” and “before long” to the allow list, added “recent days,” “in recent days,” “in the past few days,” “in the last few days,” “recently,” and “lately” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
  • 明後日 - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 病む - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 洋室 - Updated the meaning explanation.
  • 注ぐ - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 四季 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 完成 - Added “finished” as an alternative meaning, moved “accomplishment” to the allow list, added “perfection,” “perfected,” “perfecting,” “finishing,” “finish,” “completed,” “complete,” “completing,” and “done” to the allow list, added “perfect” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
  • 舐める - Added “to lick something,” “to underestimate something,” “to look down on something,” “to underestimate someone,” and “to look down on someone” to the allow list.
  • 巻く - Added “to unroll” to the block list.
  • 為に - Changed the primary meaning to “for the sake of”, moved “for” to be an alternative meaning, added “in order to” and “due to” as alternative meanings, moved “to” and “sake of” to the allow list, added “because of,” “on behalf of,” “for the purpose of,” “for the benefit of,” and “on account of” to the allow list, updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation, and added three context sentence translations.
  • 納得 - Added “content” to the block list, and updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
  • 避ける - Updated the reading explanation.
  • 将棋 - Updated the meaning explanation and reading explanation.
  • 棋士 - Updated the meaning explanation.
  • 棋院 - Updated the meaning explanation.
  • 鋼 - Updated one context sentence translation.
  • 邦訳 - Updated the context sentence translation.
  • 丹誠 - Made “sincerity” the primary meaning, added “earnestness” as the alternative meaning, moved “working earnestly” and “diligence” to the allow list, moved “effort” to the warning list, added “doing painstakingly,” “doing with care,” “working painstakingly,” “working with care,” “work earnestly,” “work painstakingly,” “work with care,” “doing earnestly,” “do earnestly,” “do painstakingly,” “do with care,” “utmost care,” “great care,” “meticulous care,” “earnest care,” “sincere care,” “painstaking care,” “heart and soul,” and “heart & soul” to the allow list, added “working hard,” “work hard,” “doing with effort,” “do with effort,” “care,” “do with care,” and “doing with care” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.
  • 棋譜 - Changed the primary meaning to “shogi game records”, added “go game records” as an alternative meaning, moved “game records” to the allow list, added “japanese chess game records” to the allow list, added “japanese chess scores,” “shogi scores,” and “go scores” to the warning list, and updated the meaning explanation.

More in Content

See All