Shirabe Jisho

I’ve been using this dictionary for almost as long as I’ve been studying Japanese for, since 2 years ago. I’ve tried out Midori for a while, but didn’t want to buy it since it was too expensive, so I went for this app instead. Both apps have the exact same content and example sentences, except that this one is completely free, so naturally, I picked this app over Midori. I like the favourite function and they way I can bookmark words for later revision. If the developers can make this app compatible with the Apple Watch, that can allow my bookmarked words to show up on my Watch so that I can revise from my wrist on the go, I’d be eternally grateful. Of course, it’d be even better if I can also search for words from my watch too, using the Scribble function, or through a little Japanese keypad. I had to use Erudite to make it possible to add words to a list that can appear on my watch for revision, but since I’ve bookmarked hundreds of words in the Shirabe Jisho app, it’s a real pain to have to boomark all the words again.

I already loved this app and used it daily but with the new update which, lets you search for sample sentences, it now has absolutely everything I asked for. (I like it so much I actually voluntarily came to write this review without it asking me to, like some other apps) All the different categories that everything is split up into makes it really easy to focus on a specific topic. It shows you a variety of words/phrases which can help you express yourself better than if you had stuck with the basics taught in school. One of my favorite parts is that it shows you the context in which they're used, by showing a bunch of sample sentences. A lot of other dictionary apps would just translate a word with little to no additional info which is why Jisho stood out to me so much. I was honestly surprised it was free AND ad free. It's worth at least trying out if your studying Japanese no matter what level your in.

I have been using this app since I started learning Japanese, 5 semesters ago. My learning experience would have been incredibly harder if I hadn’t discovered Shirabe Jisho. I use this app throughout the day, whenever it randomly occurs to me to look something up and when I am reading or writing in Japanese. The example sentences add a lot to learning the usage of a word. The verb “conjugation” in various forms saves me constantly. The stroke order for kanji writing keep me from developing bad habits. And... you can easily build flash card decks for kanji memorization. After initially loading my phone with apps to support my learning of Japanese, I now have only Shirabe Jisho. I’ve never tried Midori, which is not free and is supposed to be good, but this one is free. Now that I know how great Shirabe is, I can honestly say that I’d have gladly paid for it.

Highly recommended! I had used another very good Japanese language dictionary app for two years. I was frustrated by that dictionary’s weakness for input drawing of kanji, hiragana, etc. I found this app just 8 months ago and love it! Kanji, hiragana, and katakana input is near perfect. I can now easily input even the glides (small tsu, ya, yo, ...); fantastic!!! The conjugations presented are organized and easy to read and I nearly always find what I need. My study of Japanese is way more productive now since input is so easy, and in addition to entering Japanese words, I can paste entire sentences from docs as well...to help me quickly parse and analyze text. (I input a few extra commas to help the dictionary parse the words correctly, then formulate my interpretation, then cut and paste into google translate to compare with my interpretations...and then enjoy the often entertaining errors in google translate.). I keep discovering more and more useful features, you even can use some regular expressions for search, such as 上*る. The finger writing kanji input is so near perfect... it doesn’t even mind my left handed reverse strokes! The sample sentences really help promote learning. This is an excellent tool for learning Japanese! Thank you!

I have not yet fully delved into this app to test all of its features and abilities; however, from what I have seen, I am quite impressed. This app allows one to write a kanji into a blank space and proceeds to pulls up the kanji that was attempted, or others similar in structure. Essentially, it’s perfect for one who is learning kanji, or needs a quick reference/ answer to a kanji encountered but not familiar. On top of that, it includes accurate usage, sentences, and points of reference for individual words or ideas. And to cap that all off, it’s free! If you are a speaker of the Japanese language and/or are in the process of learning it, this app will be of immense benefit to you. From quick reference, to gaining a more clearer understanding.