Kiten
Kiten: A focused, free desktop reference for Japanese words and kanji—not a full language course. Ranked #274 of 276 in Language Learning Apps by our editors (3.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for japanese learners needing a desktop dictionary.
At a glance
- Editor score3.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forJapanese learners needing a desktop dictionary
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Offline lessonsNo
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Looks up words in English or Japanese and offers kanji dictionary search.
- Finds kanji by radical, grade, or stroke count, with readings and stroke order.
- Free, open-source desktop software for Linux and Windows.
Where it doesn't
- No lessons, placement test, speech practice, or personalized review.
- No mobile apps; it is a desktop-only tool.
- Focused on Japanese reference rather than a broader language curriculum.
Our verdict on Kiten
Kiten is KDE’s free, open-source desktop reference and study application for Japanese learners and readers. It combines English-to-Japanese and Japanese-to-English word lookup with a kanji dictionary, making it most useful to solo learners who want to check vocabulary or investigate characters while reading or studying. Linux and Windows builds make it available on those desktop platforms, but it is a reference tool rather than a guided language course.
Its standout strength is the range of ways to find and inspect kanji. Search by radical, grade, or stroke count, then browse readings, meanings, stroke counts, and stroke order. For word lookup, Kiten can filter rare or common and uncommon words, search for matches at the beginning, end, or anywhere in a term, and refine results by word type or within a previous result set. Query history supports revisiting earlier searches. Together, these tools suit readers who know what they want to look up and value detailed reference over a prescribed sequence of lessons.
Kiten is free and open source, with KDE documentation and community support. Its narrow desktop focus is also the main trade-off: it does not provide lessons, speech practice, a placement test, personalized review, or mobile apps. Learners seeking structured instruction, spoken practice, or study across devices should choose a course-oriented app instead. Pick Kiten as a companion dictionary for Japanese reading and character study, not as the center of a complete learning plan.
Your product? Our editors can test Kiten in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Kiten pricing
Kiten fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Offline lessons | No |
| Speech practice | No |
| Placement test | No |
| Personalized review | No |
| Mobile apps | No |
| Languages offered | 1 |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows |
| Support | Docs, Community |
| Built for | Solo (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | apps.kde.org |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Kiten
- DuolingoA strong free starting point with broad practice, personalization, and mobile access.9.4
- BusuuA broad language-learning app combining structured lessons with human and AI feedback.9.2
- BabbelA guided paid course with practice across listening, speaking, writing, and grammar.9.1
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Kiten for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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