WaniKani teaches the “radical meanings” right when it introduces each radical, but those names are mainly mnemonic labels, not the traditional dictionary meanings. In practice, you usually don’t get the real, dictionary-style radical meaning first; you get whatever name WaniKani uses to help you remember kanji later.

What that means

  • WaniKani’s radicals are building blocks for mnemonics, so the labels are chosen for memory, not accuracy.
  • Some shapes are later reused as kanji, and WaniKani may reintroduce them with a new radical name when they’re used inside other kanji.
  • The system keeps teaching radicals throughout the course, though they become less frequent after the early levels.

Practical takeaway

If you’re waiting for WaniKani to “finally explain the real meaning,” that often never comes as a main teaching goal. The platform is mostly saying: “use this shape-name to remember the kanji,” not “learn this as the official radical definition.”

TL;DR

They teach the radical names immediately, but those names are mnemonic tools rather than the true traditional meanings.