Kanji Draw
Free App
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About Kanji Draw
leafdigital Kanji draw is a simple application that lets you draw Japanese characters (kanji) using the touch screen. It is intended for Japanese language learners who might need to enter characters in order to look them up in a dictionary or enter them on a website.
Open source software. Free and no ads.
It identifies the character you have drawn using a special form of handwriting recognition. You can select the correct character from a list. After entering one or more characters, you can copy them into the clipboard as text for use in a dictionary.
Note that this will NOT work - at all - if you don't know basically how to draw kanji. If you just draw something any old way that looks like it, it certainly won't be recognised. You have to draw characters basically the official way.
That said there are two forms of recognition: exact (you must enter the character with the correct stroke count, stroke order, and direction) and inexact (you must draw basically the correct strokes but can use any order and direction). If the inexact search doesn't find it, you can try searching for characters with 1 stroke more or fewer than you drew.
This might sound complicated but the interface is easy; you get exact results straight away, if it's not there then hit the button and wait for inexact results (this takes several seconds, there's a progress bar), and if it's not there either, you can go onto the +/- 1 results.
Notes:
- If you've drawn a character and the 'Done' button is still greyed out, this is because it's still loading the data file. It usually only takes a few seconds, so please wait. This only happens the first time you draw a character after starting the app.
- Some characters don't work very well if you draw them in the normal handwriting style. The data is based on print style. If you have difficulty getting a character recognised, try drawing it like the print version.
This program is released under GNU Public License version 3. It's based on the leafdigital kanjirecog library, which is already released under that license. https://github.com/quen/kanjirecog/tree/android
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - Uses kanji drawing database derived from the SVG kanji stroke order images produced by the KanjiVG project and released under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license. See kanjivg.tagaini.net.
Open source software. Free and no ads.
It identifies the character you have drawn using a special form of handwriting recognition. You can select the correct character from a list. After entering one or more characters, you can copy them into the clipboard as text for use in a dictionary.
Note that this will NOT work - at all - if you don't know basically how to draw kanji. If you just draw something any old way that looks like it, it certainly won't be recognised. You have to draw characters basically the official way.
That said there are two forms of recognition: exact (you must enter the character with the correct stroke count, stroke order, and direction) and inexact (you must draw basically the correct strokes but can use any order and direction). If the inexact search doesn't find it, you can try searching for characters with 1 stroke more or fewer than you drew.
This might sound complicated but the interface is easy; you get exact results straight away, if it's not there then hit the button and wait for inexact results (this takes several seconds, there's a progress bar), and if it's not there either, you can go onto the +/- 1 results.
Notes:
- If you've drawn a character and the 'Done' button is still greyed out, this is because it's still loading the data file. It usually only takes a few seconds, so please wait. This only happens the first time you draw a character after starting the app.
- Some characters don't work very well if you draw them in the normal handwriting style. The data is based on print style. If you have difficulty getting a character recognised, try drawing it like the print version.
This program is released under GNU Public License version 3. It's based on the leafdigital kanjirecog library, which is already released under that license. https://github.com/quen/kanjirecog/tree/android
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - Uses kanji drawing database derived from the SVG kanji stroke order images produced by the KanjiVG project and released under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license. See kanjivg.tagaini.net.
All Application Badges
Free
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downl.
Android
1.6+
1.6+
Bug
buster
buster
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
Improved main screen layout.
Added option for notification icon for easy access within any other app. You can choose to start at boot if you want it to be available at all times.
Made copy button also close the activity.
New privacy option controls whether drawing statistics are reported back to developer. (I need statistics to evaluate any possible improvements to the recognition algorithms.)
Fixed all reported FC bugs.
Improved main screen layout.
Added option for notification icon for easy access within any other app. You can choose to start at boot if you want it to be available at all times.
Made copy button also close the activity.
New privacy option controls whether drawing statistics are reported back to developer. (I need statistics to evaluate any possible improvements to the recognition algorithms.)
Fixed all reported FC bugs.
More downloads Kanji Draw reached 50 000 - 100 000 downloads
More downloads Kanji Draw reached 10 000 - 50 000 downloads
More downloads Kanji Draw reached 10 000 - 50 000 downloads
More downloads Kanji Draw reached 5 000 - 10 000 downloads
What are users saying about Kanji Draw
F
by F####:
by F####:
it's so simple, uses a small space, and is very efficient!
G
by G####:
by G####:
Usually can find Kanji even with my horrible writing. And asks for no permissions on install. Why can't more apps be this simple?
R
by R####:
by R####:
This application makes kanji search easy. I fallow simple stroke orders I have learned from other kanji i have practiced. I figure the rules for all kanji are basically equal. some kanji are on page one and others are a couple of pages further (directly related to how well i can draw the kanji correctly). This application does two things for my Japanese education. Makes kanji searches faster and fortifies my kanji writing skills. Thank you for this application leafdigital. :)
T
by T####:
by T####:
very good. though there was a time it wont recognize stroke properly. when that happened, i cleared the cache and that did it. still very good
Y
by Y####:
by Y####:
Frequently it will return to the drawing screen without giving me the opportunity to copy the identification (or confirmation that it has copied, if it's done automatically in these instances). I'm also not sure what "full network access" means or why that's necessary. Otherwise great application, and essentially no privacy invasion (apparently), unlike other free kanji recognition apps.
T
by T####:
by T####:
Helps me a lot to identify kanji. Thanks!
A
by A####:
by A####:
I am trying to learn Japanese and am using this to test if I can draw correctly. I was practicing "a" "i" "u" "e" and "o" on the app and it could not find it correctly
T
by T####:
by T####:
I have so many times when i am searching for a kanji and i am lucky if it shows up by the 3rd page. I find myself using google translate more often.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Perfect for using in conjunction with my Japanese dictionary app (free) that doesn't come with a draw function.
R
by R####:
by R####:
Very good,
T
by T####:
by T####:
Useful
T
by T####:
by T####:
Good app
R
by R####:
by R####:
Kanji Draw
F
by F####:
by F####:
Bien!
D
by D####:
by D####:
For examples, kanji like 子 and 了 is not recognized. how do i report missing kanjis? i would gladly help to improve this app
D
by D####:
by D####:
This app allows you to "write" Kanji then copy a text version. With the addition of a Japanese Keyboard, which may be downloadable from your phone's language settings, this is essentially unnecessary. Also, it is rather difficult to even write a symbol. The strokes are very linear, making curved strokes hard to make. This should instead be a learning app, using similar functioning to teach people to write Kanji.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Like this apps!!!
R
by R####:
by R####:
Best recognition engine I've seen. If only it was an input method.
B
by B####:
by B####:
Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby Toby
R
by R####:
by R####:
I was hoping to find an app that could recognize kanji I don't know and give the kana for them, so that I can then look up the meaning. Apparently that isn't what this is. Regardless though, it didn't even recognize very basic kanji like 日本語 when I drew them just to test it.
R
by R####:
by R####:
STUPID ! I don't understand chinese. -.-
R
by R####:
by R####:
I like this app.
I
by I####:
by I####:
not what i expected was hoping it would teach me how to write the laungauge
R
by R####:
by R####:
i like this
W
by W####:
by W####:
I see potential for this app as comprehensive Japanese language input. If kana and numbers are supported and the app converted into "keyboard", it would be much more useful.
R
by R####:
by R####:
Love
R
by R####:
by R####:
Detects kanji exactly as you would expect. Neat OSS system and kanjivg! Fast and easy to use.
R
by R####:
by R####:
I've tried several free character recognition programs, and this is the only free program besides Google Translate that manages the task regardless of stroke order (I'm sure I'm not the only one who learned Japanese with no regards whatsoever to stroke order..). Even better, the app is simple, and integrates well into other programs (other programs being aedict3, for me). The character recognition isn't perfect, but it has taken years for recognition this good to become available freely on Android, so 5 stars for pushing the boundaries of free software on Android.
R
by R####:
by R####:
But the strokes are so slow to pick up movement it's like drawing kanji with toothpicks! I have to move incredibly slow to be able to draw anything remotely legible. SGS4.
R
by R####:
by R####:
minimalist and practical usability.. very handy.. thanks!
C
by C####:
by C####:
This would be perfect for an input method in a dictionary. I would use this but switching from this app to dictionary app (I use makimono) is a bit too cumbersome
D
by D####:
by D####:
Good recognition but i was hoping it shows the details of the kanji like meaning pronounciation. But its okey maybe the intention to copy n search for it elsewhere
V
by V####:
by V####:
弐一口
C
by C####:
by C####:
Does one thing and does it well
I
by I####:
by I####:
With taskbar support this comes pretty close to a handwriting kanji IME for Android. Great job and good recognition.
N
by N####:
by N####:
It is Chinese!
C
by C####:
by C####:
バンザイ(^^♪
C
by C####:
by C####:
That's really cool. How about turning it into an input method?
C
by C####:
by C####:
Very light and simple application. Do its job and do it very well!!
by Q####:
This is great for a quick kanji search, especially when there's multiple. No ads, no fees. And it's offline. So keep up the good work