# Kanji Learner's Dictionary — Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dict.

> Electronic dictionary for learning Japanese kanji characters with detailed definitions and search functions. (iPhone/iPad app by CJKI.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-learners-dictionary/id716481897 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [CJKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/344405633)
- Category: Reference, Education
- Price: $19.99
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 10.3 · 114 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-10-04
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-learners-dictionary/id716481897/reviews.md

## What is Kanji Learner's Dictionary?

The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary: Revised and Expanded is the best kanji-learning tool available for electronic devices. Based on the recently-published revised edition of Jack Halpern’s world-renowned The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary, this iOS edition is an easy-to-use electronic dictionary that fully satisfies the practical needs of beginning and intermediate learners.

This up-to-date dictionary covers 3,002 kanji entry characters – 772 more than in the original edition – and covers all the characters in the recently revised Jōyō Kanji and Jinmei Kanji lists prescribed by the Japanese government. This app gives learners quick access to all the benefits of the print edition, plus additional functionality made possible by the iOS platform, including quick and intuitive interfaces for looking up kanji by SKIP or by radical, the ability to toggle between kana and romaji display for readings, various additional ways to look up kanji or compounds (eg. by on and kun readings, English meaning, or SKIP number), animated stroke-order diagrams, context-sensitive pop-ups, and much more.

No kanji dictionary on the market today offers such a full range of features in such a stunning, user-friendly interface. No stone has been left unturned to create this high-quality application of superb design. 

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Please note: If you currently own The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary for iOS developed by CJKI, and are running iOS 5 or higher, you can make an in-app purchase that will enable your application to access all the additional content contained in this Revised and Expanded app. First update your app to the most recent version (2.0), and then go to Settings > Add-ons in the Info menu. 
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HIGHLIGHTS:

* core meanings that concisely define the most dominant sense of each character, giving the learner an instant grasp of a character's fundamental meaning
* the System of Kanji Indexing by Patterns (SKIP), which enables even complete beginners to locate characters with accuracy and speed
* 3,002 main entry characters, including all the characters in the Jōyō Kanji and Jinmei Kanji lists
* approximately 46,000 senses for 35,000 words, word elements, and illustrative examples
* covers all high-frequency compounds based on frequency statistics compiled by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2010
* character meanings ordered in a manner that shows how each character contributes to the meanings of compound words
* animated stroke order diagrams for all 2,136 Jōyō entry characters
* 9,200 character readings, including readings used only in names
* multiple search modes including kana, romaji, SKIP, radical, English meaning, and entry number
* 1,300 homophones with core meanings explain differences between closely related characters
* a special Browser which allows uers to browse characters by SKIP number, frequency ranking, or Jōyō grade
* links allowing users to jump to corresponding entry in The Kodansha Kanji Usage Guide app, if installed
* audio for all compounds
* useful appendixes on stroke counting, pronunciation, kana, and more
* intuitive interface for quickly looking up characters by SKIP or radicals
* tapping on any character or word allows users to jump to the relevant entry
* no Internet connection required
* history and bookmarks

****************
NOTE: For US educational institutions, this app can be purchased at a 50% discount through Apple’s Volume Purchase Program. See 
http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/volume-purchase-program/ 
for more information.
****************

ABOUT CJKI

The CJK Dictionary Institute is directed by Jack Halpern, editor of the New Japanese-English Character Dictionary and The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary, now standard reference works.

Be sure to check out our other dictionary apps available for iOS (search for "cjki").

## Key features

- 3,002 kanji entry characters
- Animated stroke-order diagrams
- Multiple search modes (SKIP, radical, meaning)
- Toggle between kana and romaji
- Core meanings for quick understanding
- Context-sensitive pop-ups

## Recent user reviews (10 of 18)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-learners-dictionary/id716481897/reviews.md

### 5/5 — In depth

*2026-04-09*

Just getting started with this but the documentation is very good and there are a lot of features and tons of info. If you get the bundle you will see that the Kanji Learner Dictionary will link to entries in the other apps. Pretty neat.

### 4/5 — Faithful copy of physical book

*2026-03-28*

Great app, seems to have the same content as my physical copy.  An ask for the developers that would be very useful:

Please add a DARK MODE for this app so that my eyes don’t go blind from the brightness, and make sure it works on both iOS and MacOS.  Thank you!

### 5/5 — Un must

*2023-02-05*

Excellente application synthétisant bien les différentes application des kanjis, on’yomis et kun’yomi. La composante graphique permet une bonne intégration de l’écriture des kanjis.

### 5/5 — Faithful copy of physical book

*2022-12-03*

Great app, seems to have the same content as my physical copy.  Two asks for the developers that would be very useful:

1. Add a different syntax to search for kanji by their old former index before the revised edition came out.  I have reader books that have KKLD indices in them but they are for the original edition.  Being able to search in a similar way to: @1234, but perhaps $1234 or the likes would bridge lookup between editions.

2. Please add a dark mode for this app so that my eyes don’t go blind from the brightness.

### 4/5 — Very useful, scalable text would be good.

*2022-03-22*

My only real complaint is that I can’t choose the size of the fonts, (as far as I can tell), it would be good to zoom them larger.

It would also be great if there were an online version of Scott Conning’s “Kanji Learner’s Course”, or at least an index with the numbering scheme used in that book. (Another case of a very good book but hard to read because the fonts are small)

### 5/5 — Very good

*2021-05-11*

Very useful app. Various search options are available, including a very handy SKIP-based search.
Integration with the other apps from the same company is excellent. I recommend purchasing the bundle of all 3 apps, as they work best together.
A bit pricey. Given the price, I wish more kanji were included (say, all kanji in the “advanced” version of the book). A few not-so-rare kanji are indeed missing. While that is not a dealbreaker, it is occasionally a source of frustration for users who would like to make this app their go-to kanji reference.

### 5/5 — Great resource

*2020-07-08*

I wanted to use this app for a few months before I finally gave it a review. I am very happy with this purchase. It feels well organized and mirrors the feel of the book version. Be sure to tap on everything as there are a lot of small details packed in and the references to other kanji compounds and radicals are really helpful.

### 5/5 — Best kanji dictionary app there is!

*2019-10-17*

No other kanji dictionary app even comes close to comparing to this one. The core meanings and SKIP is incredible!

### 3/5 — Integration with the Kanji Learner’s Course...?

*2017-12-02*

It’s all well and complete as far as a dictionary of kanji goes but some sort of integration with the Kanji Learner’s Course also sold by Kodansha in print form but not on iOS would be great.  Some ideas include being able to order the Kanji in the same order and perhaps being able to practice writing the Kanji on the iPad with the pencil.

### 5/5 — NOW WITH SPLIT SCREEN SUPPORT!

*2017-10-12*

The dictionary is a great learning tool, and a must have for any Japanese language student out there as it is very comprehensive and list a good selection of compound kanji and kun-yomi vocabulary to each kanji entry.

Looking up kanji is simple and efficient, I prefer the app over the printed version of the dictionary.

It's fully offline so one can study wherever and whenever!

No regrets buying it, it's well worth your money!

## Frequently asked questions about Kanji Learner's Dictionary

### What is Kanji Learner's Dictionary?

Kanji Learner's Dictionary is an electronic dictionary designed to help users learn Japanese kanji. It provides detailed information on 3,002 kanji characters, including their meanings, readings, and stroke order animations.

### How many kanji does Kanji Learner's Dictionary cover?

Kanji Learner's Dictionary covers 3,002 main entry kanji characters. This includes all characters from the Jōyō Kanji and Jinmei Kanji lists prescribed by the Japanese government.

### What search methods are available in Kanji Learner's Dictionary?

The app offers multiple search modes, including lookup by SKIP number, radical, English meaning, kana, romaji, and entry number. This allows for flexible and efficient kanji retrieval.

### Does Kanji Learner's Dictionary have stroke order diagrams?

Yes, Kanji Learner's Dictionary features animated stroke-order diagrams for all 2,136 Jōyō entry characters. This helps users understand the correct way to write each character.

### What is the price of Kanji Learner's Dictionary?

Kanji Learner's Dictionary is a paid application priced at $19.99. This one-time purchase grants access to all its features and content.

### Is Kanji Learner's Dictionary available on Android?

Based on the provided data, Kanji Learner's Dictionary is available for iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Information regarding Android availability is not specified.

### How often is Kanji Learner's Dictionary updated?

The app was last updated on May 9, 2024, with version 1.4.9. This indicates a commitment to maintaining and improving the application.

### Does Kanji Learner's Dictionary have ads?

No, Kanji Learner's Dictionary does not contain advertisements. The app is ad-free, providing an uninterrupted learning experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4.9 — 2024-05-09

We fixed an issue preventing the stroke order animation playing and another preventing the user from being able to zoom on an entry page.

### 1.4.8 — 2024-04-19

We've made some aesthetic adjustments to better suit modern devices including the removal of shadows around characters and the removal of letterboxing of the launch image. We also fixed an issue where audio playback of compound words was not working on the latest iOS. Lastly, we improved the contact form email template so that feedback from users can be handled as smoothly as possible.

### 1.4.7 — 2022-02-28

- fixed an issue where the app was not displaying properly for users with Dark Mode turned on
- fixed an issue where Browse was not maintaining a user's place when they returned to the Browse list
- fixed an issue where the selection wheel was not appearing on iPad devices

### 1.4.6 — 2022-02-14

- brought the app in line with Apple's latest development platform

### 1.4.5 — 2019-02-14

- bug fixes

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*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 2026-08-29.*