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Dictionaries

The Three Dictionaries​

The Learner's Dictionary has 3 main components:

1. Kanji Dictionary​

The Kanji Dictionary is designed to help learners understand the fundamental building blocks of Japanese writing. It provides detailed information on individual kanji characters, including their meanings, pronunciation, and usage.

2. Words Dictionary​

The Word Dictionary focuses on vocabulary, offering definitions and translations of Japanese words and phrases, for more practical usage of the language.

3. Sentences Dictionary​

The Sentences Dictionary translates full sentences. It gives the contextual use of words and structures.

Sources​

We use various dictionaries and sources, all downloadable from the Downloads & Caches section of the app, to give you the biggest and most comprehensive source for your Japanese learning:

  • Words Index: The index of Japanese words and phrases used for search suggestions, totaling 289,984 entries commonly used in daily communication, literature, and official documents.
  • JMdict: With 198,621 entries, this is a multilingual Japanese dictionary that provides definitions, readings, and usage examples across multiple languages, primarily designed for non-native speakers.
  • Kanji Index: This index consists of 93,899 entries detailing individual kanji characters. It is used for kanji search grid results and the radical search tab.
  • Kanji Dictionary: Similar to the Kanji Index but with an extensive focus on each kanji's detailed meanings, historical development, and variant forms, totaling 93,899 entries. It is used to display kanji pages.
  • Tatoeba Sentences: Featuring 169,491 example sentences from the Tatoeba project, this collection helps learners see how words and phrases are used in context.
  • Tatoeba Translations: Contains 212,360 entries offering translations of the example sentences provided in the Tatoeba Sentences section, facilitating comprehension and study in multiple languages.
  • On-device Translator: A downloadable Google ML translation model that allows for quick translation of words or sentences without needing an internet connection.
  • Handwriting Recognition: A downloadable Google ML model that helps you input characters by drawing them on the device, which is particularly useful for writing and recognizing complex kanji.
  • Text Recognition: The Google ML text recognition models, used by the image scanner, are built into the app.

Downloading the dictionaries makes search faster and works offline: the app automatically falls back to the downloaded dictionaries whenever a query cannot reach the server. Each store shows its download progress, and already downloaded dictionaries show the number of entries with an option to delete or update them when a new version is available.

Edit Cards​

Each of the dictionaries consists of "Cards" that you can customize. This is designed to give you greater control and personalization of your learning content directly within our dictionary.

Accessing Edit Mode​

Open any kanji/word in the dictionary and tap on the "Overflow" icon at the top of the page. Then click "Edit Cards."

Drag and Sort​

Easily rearrange the order of the cards on your dictionary. Whether you prefer to see meanings, radicals, or examples first, you can organize your cards to match your study style. Use the drag handles to reorder the cards on the page.

Hide/Unhide Information​

You can choose to hide the cards that you are less focused on, creating a cleaner and more tailored learning interface. Use the visibility toggles to show or hide specific cards.

Change Card Settings​

Edit the settings of each card by tapping on the settings button. A sheet that is similar to the one on the Settings page will appear.

In-Card Customization​

You also have the ability to customize cards directly from the "Overflow" menu of a card. You don't even have to enter "Edit Cards" mode to find customization options. You can hide it, access its settings, or refer to the help manual for that specific card.