# Hibi: Learn Real Japanese — Hiragana, kanji, sentences > Learn Japanese reading skills through structured lessons and real-world content. (iPhone/iPad app by Frederick Fang.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hibi-learn-real-japanese/id6798402612 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Frederick Fang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849306268) - Category: Education, Reference - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 43 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-09-07 - Data updated: 2026-11-06 - Monetization: subscription - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hibi-learn-real-japanese/id6798402612/reviews.md ## What is Hibi? Back from Japan and still thinking about it? Start with the Japanese you couldn't read. Hibi teaches you to read Japanese: hiragana, katakana, your first sentences, and your first kanji. Then it keeps you in the language with short, real Japanese clips you can read along to. FOUNDATIONS, IN THE RIGHT ORDER Hiragana first, with grammar woven in from the fifth lesson: sentences with です, questions with か, then は, の, を, で and に, and finally your first short story. Every kana lesson teaches real words alongside the characters, so the grammar always has something to stand on. Katakana next, the script of menus and shop fronts: コーヒー, ビール, ラーメン. You meet every character four ways: see it, hear it, trace it stroke by stroke in the order Japanese schools teach, then write it from memory. Already read some Japanese? Five placement questions find your level, and lessons you already know count as done. LISTEN TO REAL JAPANESE The Feed is short clips of real Japanese, picked by level: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. Follow the transcript with reading help, show English when you need it, and loop a line until it clicks. Save a word and it comes back in Review. REVIEW THAT TELLS THE TRUTH A review hides the answer. You read the character or the word from memory, reveal it, and rate yourself: Again, Hard, Good or Easy. Those ratings feed FSRS, the open spaced repetition algorithm, which schedules each card off its own forgetting curve. Get one right and it comes back later each time, from a day out to months. Miss it and it comes back soon. Reviews arrive once a day, in one batch, so they never pile up. THE TABLE Every hiragana and katakana, and every kanji you have met, each cell shaded by how well you know it. Drill a row, a level, your weakest, or a set you saved. Answer with four choices, type the reading, or draw the character from memory and have it checked. KANJI, BUILT FROM PARTS Once your kana have passed, kanji begins: each one built from parts you meet first, with one reading and a story that names its parts. 日 is 口 and 一: a mouth with one line across it, the sun. 33 N5 kanji across levels 1 to 3, with more levels coming as free updates. WIDGETS For Your Main Phone Screens Put today's character on your lock screen and it is there every time you pick up your phone. On the home screen, a small widget for today's character and a large one for your kana board, which fills in as you learn. Nothing buzzes unless you ask for one reminder a day. SUBSCRIPTION Hibi is a paid subscription. Start with 3 days free, then the subscription continues to give you all the features. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Privacy policy: https://learnhibiapp.com/privacy Terms of use: https://learnhibiapp.com/terms Questions, bugs, or feedback: team@learnhibiapp.com ## Key features - Learn hiragana, katakana, and kanji - Grammar woven into lessons - Real Japanese video clips - Spaced repetition review system - Progress tracking with visual table - Kanji built from component parts - Home and lock screen widgets ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Hibi Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days | | Hibi Yearly | $29.99 | per year | | Hibi Yearly | $49.99 | per year | ## Is Hibi safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess Hibi. ## Is Hibi legit? Hibi: Learn Real Japanese has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Hibi is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hibi-learn-real-japanese/id6798402612/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Small daily habit, real progress *2026-09-24* Clean, calm, and easy to come back to every day. Learning one character at a time feels manageable instead of overwhelming, and the simple design keeps the focus on the kana. If you've wanted to start learning Japanese but didn't know where to begin, this is a great first step. ### 5/5 — I’m so lazy but this makes it easy to learn japanese *2026-09-23* I’m not the best at learning languages, most of the time I’ve been really bad, but this app I found from TikTok makes learning japanese slightly easier lol. I just put the widget on my lock screen and check the app when it notifies me, so kind of makes me not forget. When are you guys getting kanji? ### 5/5 — Cool App *2026-09-23* Didn’t even know I wanted to learn Japanese until I got this app. Im not great with languages and this feels way less pressure to learn than from Duolingo ### 5/5 — Really neat! *2026-09-23* Clean design and easy access. Helped me get a basic start in my Japanese journey ### 5/5 — Fantastic learning tool *2026-09-23* Been wanting to learn Japanese since I like anime. this is the coolest tool for daily learning. I love it ### 5/5 — Unbelievably helpful *2026-09-23* Has completely changed how I’m learning the language. I of course tried other platforms and but the HARDEST part was always staying consistent and this helped me do exactly that. I feel like I’m learning so much more but actually retaining it. It’s made me feel so much more confident in my ability and I can’t recommend Hibi enough!!!! ## Frequently asked questions about Hibi ### How does Hibi teach Japanese reading? Hibi teaches Japanese reading through a structured approach, starting with hiragana and katakana, then introducing kanji and real sentences. It incorporates grammar from early lessons and uses real Japanese video clips for immersion. ### What is the learning methodology used by Hibi? Hibi utilizes a spaced repetition system (FSRS) for review, ensuring that learned material is revisited at optimal intervals based on user performance. Kanji are taught by breaking them down into component parts. ### Does Hibi offer progress tracking? Yes, Hibi provides a visual 'Table' where every character learned is shaded according to your proficiency. You can drill specific sections, levels, or saved sets, and answer in multiple ways, including drawing characters. ### Can Hibi be used offline? The provided data does not specify offline functionality. However, the app's focus on structured lessons and review suggests it may require an internet connection for full functionality. ### What are the subscription options for Hibi? Hibi offers several subscription plans, including Hibi Weekly at $6.99/7 days and Hibi Yearly at $29.99/year or $49.99/year, all with a 3-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account and renews automatically. ### How often is Hibi updated? The app was last updated on November 4, 2026, indicating active development. New levels with additional kanji are planned as free updates. ### Is Hibi suitable for absolute beginners? Yes, Hibi is designed for beginners, starting with hiragana and weaving in grammar from the fifth lesson. It also includes placement questions for users who have some prior knowledge. ### Does Hibi have ads? No, Hibi does not contain advertisements. It operates on a paid subscription model, offering all features to subscribers. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.7.0 — 2026-11-04 New here? We added a quick tour to show you around & get you learning Japanese! The Feed now has 250 short Japanese clips, from cartoons to city walks, in a new order every visit. And other fixes to improve your learning experience. ### 1.6.0 — 2026-11-01 Learn is your new home to ACTUALLY LEARN BEGINNER GRAMMAR. Hibi now opens on Learn, with your next lesson, reviews due, and writing practice in one place. New Foundations lessons cover kana and beginner grammar. Lessons you already know count as done, and your progress carries over. Review everything due or pick a word deck, and see all your kana and kanji in Table in the review page. Now master Japanese grammar with our doomscroll function... jouzu! ### 1.5.0 — 2026-10-29 BRAND NEW FEED TAB: literally doomscroll Japanese. Pick Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced and swipe through short, real Japanese clips. Follow along with reading help. Toggle English when you need it. Loop a line till it clicks. Save words and they'll come back in Review. ### 1.4.0 — 2026-10-19 Start where you actually are. Right after you join, five questions find your level: a kana, a sound, a kanji, and two short sentences. Hibi places you there and shows you the plan. Then trace 日 to make it a promise, pick how many days you are committing to, and turn on a reminder from Today. ### 1.3.1 — 2026-10-16 A code works where you enter it. Redeem a subscription code on the welcome screen and you go straight in, no restart needed. Also a small fix to the screen you see if you ever leave. ## Apps similar to Hibi | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Hana Learn: Speak Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hana-learn-speak-japanese/id6790043701) | 4.8 (12) | Free | Education | | [Nande: Japanese Learning JLPT](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nande-japanese-learning-jlpt/id6775446030) | 4.7 (20) | Free | Education | | [IchiJi: Kanji Widgets](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ichiji-kanji-widgets/id6773030069) | 4.2 (5) | Free | Education | | [Mugi - Japanese Immersion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mugi-japanese-immersion/id6761397866) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Education | | [Nihondex: Learn Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihondex-learn-japanese/id6749200791) | 4.8 (30) | Free | Education | | [Gravity - Language Immersion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gravity-language-immersion/id6769900394) | 4.2 (45) | Free | Education | ## More apps by Frederick Fang - [Blurrr.Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blurrrcamera/id6761066911) All apps by Frederick Fang: https://appshunter.io/developer/1849306268 ## Related topics [kotoba kards](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kotoba-kards) · [japanese learning alphabet](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/japanese-learning-alphabet) · [kana peanuts](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kana-peanuts) · [kan multi app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kan-multi-app) · [learn japanese alphabet kana](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/learn-japanese-alphabet-kana) · [kana quiz flashcard](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kana-quiz-flashcard) · [adventure of kanjiro chapter 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/adventure-of-kanjiro-chapter-3) · [ikatomape lofi](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ikatomape-lofi) · [kanana learn japanese alphabet](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kanana-learn-japanese-alphabet) · [contextual kaiwa](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/contextual-kaiwa) · [simple kana drills](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simple-kana-drills) · [kansaimap](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kansaimap) · [kana mind](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kana-mind) · [learn japanese katakana!](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/learn-japanese-katakana) · [jishotu](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/jishotu) · [kawaii kana quiz](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kawaii-kana-quiz) · [learn japanese hiragana kanji](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/learn-japanese-hiragana-kanji) · [learn japanese kana](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/learn-japanese-kana) · [yabai-swipe](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/yabai-swipe) · [axel's japanese flash cards](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/axel-s-japanese-flash-cards) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-06.*