Abstract
The aim of this study is to clarify how intermediate to advanced-level Japanese language learners whose native language is Vietnamese use Sino-Vietnamese words when learning Japanese kanji characters and vocabulary. Interviews with seven intermediate to advanced Japanese language learners revealed that while all of them recognized the effectiveness of using Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary for learning kanji, some Sino-Vietnamese words cannot be associated with the Japanese meanings of the respective kanji, so this method cannot be used with all Sino-Vietnamese words. Furthermore, some learners at the intermediate to advanced levels did not use this method for fear of interference from related Sino-Vietnamese words with different meanings.