# How should you study cards you get mixed up?

**URL:** <https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057>\
**Category:** Learning Effectively\
**Created:** [November 18, 2024, 5:12am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057 "2024-11-18T05:12:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alecksalecks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58f4c7/32.png) [@alecksalecks](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/alecksalecks)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 5:12am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/1 "2024-11-18T05:12:18Z")

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I am learning Mandarin and I have cards I keep getting mixed up because they look similar, for example:

```auto
- 使， 更，便
- 死， 夜
- 周末，调查
- 道，首
- 王，往，汪，住，主
- 戏，线，钱

```

I have tagged all this cards and made a filtered deck but I find that this approach is not that effective. How would you suggest approaching this?

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**Author:** ![zqk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/278dde/32.png) [@zqk](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/zqk)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 8:02am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/2 "2024-11-18T08:02:05Z")

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I think after you have been familiar with each one then mixing them up seems more reasonable and effective.

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**Author:** ![sorata](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/sorata/32/34115_2.png) [@sorata](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/sorata)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 6:44pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/3 "2024-11-18T18:44:20Z")

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I will practice writing them out. That helps. Other than that, I often give myself hints like “(NOT 死)” if I was studying 夜。

The examples you gave are intersting as some of them are easily distinguishable if you know the components. Have you learnt those?

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**Author:** ![Danika\_Dakika](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/danika_dakika/32/17815_2.png) [@Danika\_Dakika](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/Danika_Dakika)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/4 "2024-11-18T20:20:23Z")

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I try to get around those mix-ups by doing some background research to study the specific differences in a set of words that are causing a problem. Sometimes just spending time with them side-by-side helps me remember that I need to be careful which one I pick.

Usually that results in some extra back-of-card notes like:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/3X/1/8/18984b0263d6f6744a720a85f822127b1608afcf.png) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/3X/a/e/aece14b41e954a66e7bcc651dbc3dc4b38d4a86e.png)

* * *

Or an easy mnemonic will come to mind, like:

- yıkmak \> to destroy, demolish
- yıkamak \> to wash, bathe, launder

So, w **A** sh, b **A** the, l **A** under is the one with the extra “A.”

* * *

Sometimes if I get really desperate, I lean-in to the interference and make another note that puts them head-to-head, like:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/3X/0/7/0752494d29041e46a0a918ef3004e4ec9e42e355.png)

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**Author:** ![alecksalecks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58f4c7/32.png) [@alecksalecks](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/alecksalecks)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2024, 7:07am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/5 "2024-11-19T07:07:32Z")

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Thank you, I do recognise the components and I agree writing them out should be helpful. 🙂

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/1X/8f1279ababc5879d54e4838989f606cfe55af8c7.jpeg) [@system](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2025, 7:07am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/how-should-you-study-cards-you-get-mixed-up/52057/6 "2025-02-17T07:07:42Z")

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Closed on February 17, 2025, 7:07am UTC

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