rikaikun

rikaikun shows the reading and English definition of Japanese words when you hover over Japanese text in the browser.

rikaikun is a powerful Chrome extension designed to assist users in reading and understanding Japanese text directly in the browser. By simply hovering over Japanese words, users can instantly view readings and English definitions, making it ideal for Japanese learners or speakers wanting quick translations without losing their place.

Key features include the ability to switch between word, names, and Kanji dictionaries using simple keyboard shortcuts, enabling text-to-speech to hear pronunciations aloud, and copying definitions to the clipboard for easy flashcard creation. Additionally, the pop-up dictionary is fully customizable, allowing users to tailor the content and appearance to their preferences. Activate the extension by clicking the 理 icon in your browser, and enjoy seamless lookup with intuitive controls like toggling English definitions and accessing kanji details.

Manifest V3 Extension Education Productivity Utilities
By:
Erek Speed
Users:
200,000
Rating:
4.66
(1,857)
1 ratings
Version:
3.1.24 Last updated: 2025-06-11
Creation date:
2019-09-23
Risk:
Moderate risk impact Very low risk likelihood
Permissions:
  • clipboardWrite
  • storage
  • offscreen
Size:
29.20M
Email:
me*****@gmail.com
Full description:
See detailed description
Source:
Chrome Web Store
Updated:
14 hours ago

Other platforms

rikaikun (v2.2.3)
15,341 4.80 (12)

User reviews

Rikaikun is a highly valued Chrome extension for Japanese language learners, offering instant kanji readings and translations through hover pop-ups. Users appreciate its ease of use and effectiveness from beginner to advanced levels. However, some users report intermittent functionality issues such as the extension not working on certain sites or requiring refreshes. Limitations include partial translations and lack of multilingual support beyond English. Despite occasional technical glitches, it remains an indispensable tool praised for its learning assistance and reliability over many years.
Pros
  • Highly useful for learning Japanese and looking up kanji instantly.
  • Works flawlessly on most websites where JavaScript isn't blocked.
  • Easy to use with intuitive and informative dictionary tags.
  • Long-term reliable tool appreciated by users from beginner to advanced levels.
  • Provides handy hover-over pop-ups with readings and meanings.
Cons
  • Sometimes stops working randomly and requires browser refresh or restart.
  • Does not work on some sites that block JavaScript, like Wikipedia or ChatGPT.
  • Occasionally only translates parts of a phrase rather than whole sentences.
  • Translation limited to English; lacks support for other languages like Turkish.
  • Text-to-speech voice changed to female which some users find muffled and less clear.
Recent reviews
This app has been my best buddy at work for more than 5 years. Thank you so much!
by Ed*****, 2025-05-11

Simplesmente indispensável, é o melhor do gênero, sem dúvidas!
by Ti*****, 2025-04-14

Excellent. The only issue is that is works so well most of the time that you sometimes get lazy and use it before you've even attempted to read the sentence. Functionally it sometimes translates a part of a phrase or conjugation, instead of the whole thing. Though I imagine that's hard to avoid with a complex language like Japanese.
by Na*****, 2025-04-09
View all user reviews ›

Extension safety

Risk impact

rikaikun requires a few sensitive permissions. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk impact analysis details
  • High Injects scripts into web pages, which may alter or extract site contents, resulting in a substantial risk.
  • High ****** ******* *** ********* ********* ******** ***** *** ** ********** ****** * ******** ******* *****
Risk likelihood

rikaikun has earned a good reputation and can be trusted.

Risk likelihood analysis details
  • High This extension was recently updated in the past month. New updates may not be stable or safe.
  • Medium **** ********* *** ****** **** ****** ********* ********** *** *** ** ****** ** *****
  • Low **** ********* *** ***** **** **** * ****** **** ***** ********** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
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