Now Out: Essay 2109 on 蜂 (bee), Kanji Kaimono Relaunch, Revisions, and 7 New-Monics

Lots of news to report today, as I've been a busy bee! The 166th essay has posted! Essay 2109 on 蜂 (bee; hornet; wasp) is now available for purchase. Here's a preview:

Find out why some Japanese eat bee larvae and "royal jelly," what traditional Japanese beekeeping involves, how Japanese and Western honeybees differ, and where bees thrive in Japan. Learn to count bees and to say that they're buzzing or that a swarm has attacked! Read about "buzzing" in the ears and bee uprisings, and see why a figurative queen bee seems sexy and marketable in Japan.

Using the accompanying Phrase Maze game on the Character Home Page, you can practice the vocabulary in the essay after reading it. 

Six essay revisions have also posted:

essay 1011 on 芋 (potato; sweet potato; taro; yam; tuber)    

essay 1047 on 菓 (confection; cake; sweets)

essay 1081 on 穫 (to harvest, reap)

essay 1189 on 掘 (to dig, excavate)

essay 1749 on 怖 (fear; scary; afraid)

essay 1836 on 抹 (to rub away, erase; to paint)

You'll find details at the links. If you've bought these essays in the past or if you have a subscription, you can download the revisions for free.

Ulrike has produced a terrific batch of new-monics (which are free!):

正 (41: correct)
天 (58: sky)
直 (349: to repair)
是 (910: right)
誠 (912: sincerity)
奏 (918: to play music)
値 (933: price)

For the first time in quite awhile, I posted an updated list of errata for Crazy for Kanji. You can download it from the link at the very bottom of the Crazy for Kanji page.

Finally, I'm thrilled to announce the relaunch of Kanji Kaimono! The home page is brand-new and should give a much better idea of all that the site has to offer. You'll find a special deal there: