The Best Japanese Online Dictionaries for Your Needs

When it comes to finding accurate and helpful Japanese online dictionaries, there are several excellent options available. Each dictionary offers unique features and is suited to different learning needs, whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner. Below, we review some of the top Japanese dictionaries and their key features.

Popular Options for Comprehensive Japanese-English Learning

For a Highly Popular Choice that Offers Rich Content:

Japaneselibrary

This highly popular online Japanese-English dictionary is distinguished by its extensive features such as example sentences, kanji lookup, and an accessible user interface. It is perfect for learners as it provides comprehensive information about words, including readings and usage. Whether you are looking to understand a new word or improve your sentence construction, Japaneselibrary is a valuable resource.

Comprehensive and Specialized Resources

For an All-Rounder with Specialized Dictionaries:

Weblio

Weblio is a comprehensive Japanese dictionary that includes definitions, example sentences, and translations. This resource is widely used by native Japanese speakers and offers a variety of specialized dictionaries, such as legal and medical, making it an invaluable tool for learners and professionals in specific fields.

Convenient Tools for Reading Practice

A Useful Tool with a Clean Interface:

Tangorin

Tangorin provides translations, example sentences, and kanji information. With its clean and user-friendly interface, it is particularly beneficial for learners who are studying the Japanese language. The focus on educational resources and comprehensible explanations makes Tangorin an excellent choice for those looking to enhance their vocabulary and understanding.

Grammar Study Tool with Integrated Dictionary

For a Comprehensive Grammar Study Resource:

BunPro

BunPro is primarily designed as a grammar study tool, but it includes a dictionary that allows you to look up words within the context of sample sentences. This feature makes it highly useful for learners who want to understand how words are used in practical scenarios.

Convenient Browser Extensions for Instant Translation

A Convenient Tool for Reading Japanese Content:

Rikaikun and Rikaichan

Rikaikun and Rikaichan are browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox that enable you to hover over Japanese text on any webpage to instantly see translations and definitions. These extensions are particularly convenient for increasing reading proficiency and comprehension while browsing the web.

Additional Recommendations

For a Good Choice with Similar Features:

Jisho

Jisho is very good and shares many similarities with another popular dictionary, WWWJDIC. For those who prefer not to use romanized text, Kotobank is also an excellent option.

My Preferred Combination

A Powerful Combination of Dictionaries:

WWWJDIC and Eijiro

I use a combination of WWWJDIC and Eijiro, which, combined with the fantastic Firefox extension Rikaichan (or its Chrome version Rikaikun), creates a mighty tool for Japanese learners. WWWJDIC is a great dictionary, but it was originally designed for Japanese-to-English (JP-EN) translation. Reverse lookups can be complex. Eijiro, on the other hand, is a massive corpus of words and expressions, but lacks grammar, pronunciation, and explanations. Combining these resources with additional tools like Rikaichan provides an unparalleled learning experience.