Takoboto (たこぼと) is a Japanese-English dictionary application by Ondrej Benovsky, available on Android (1M+ downloads, 4.6 stars) and iOS. It uses the JMdict lexical database as its primary data source, with example sentences from the Tatoeba and Tanaka corpora.

In-Depth Explanation

Website: https://takoboto.jp — Android (jp.takoboto) and iOS (App Store ID 6743079369). The application is available in English and twenty or more interface languages. JMdict data is maintained by the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group (originally compiled by Jim Breen).

Takoboto’s core function is Japanese-English word lookup. The dictionary covers over 200,000 words with English translations, searchable by kanji, kana, romaji, or direct alphabetical input. Example phrases accompany entries where available from the data source.

Search Methods

• Standard text search (kanji, hiragana, katakana, romaji)
• Radical-based kanji lookup (browse kanji by component radical, similar to a paper dictionary’s radical index)
• Conjugation search (look up inflected verb forms to find the dictionary form)
• Drawing-based kanji search (available as a Takoboto Cloud / paid feature)

Audio

Text-to-speech audio is available for all entries using the device’s TTS engine. Real human-recorded voice audio is available under Takoboto Cloud (paid).

Study Features (Free)

The free version includes flashcard review, favorites, study history, custom word lists, ready-made vocabulary study lists, and kana reference charts. Pitch accent information is displayed for relevant entries.

Takoboto Cloud (Paid)

Premium features include cross-device sync and backup, shared word lists, real voice audio, ad removal, drawing-based kanji search, and study games/quizzes (noted as in beta as of early 2026).

AnkiDroid Integration

Takoboto supports direct export of words to AnkiDroid for users who prefer to manage their SRS decks within Anki. This feature appeals to learners who use Anki as their primary review system but want a convenient dictionary for word discovery.

Data Sources

Takoboto’s dictionary data (JMdict) is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 and is the same dataset underlying several other Japanese dictionary applications. Example sentences from the Tatoeba project and Tanaka Corpus are similarly open-licensed.

Common Misconceptions

“Takoboto and Jisho use different data.”

Both Takoboto and the widely used Jisho.org draw from the JMdict database. Differences between the two applications are primarily in interface, features, and update frequency rather than in the underlying dictionary data.

Social Media Sentiment

Takoboto is well-regarded among Android users looking for a reliable offline Japanese dictionary. On r/LearnJapanese, it is regularly recommended as an Android alternative to Jisho and imiwa?, particularly for users who want AnkiDroid export or prefer a dedicated app to a mobile website. The 1,000,000+ download milestone gives it credibility in community recommendations. The iOS version is newer and has a smaller but growing review base. No significant critical controversy was identified.

Last updated: 2026-05

Related Terms

• Dictionary
• Kanji
• Radical
• Anki
• Pitch Accent

See Also

• Sakubo – Study Japanese

Research

• Benovsky, O. (n.d.). Takoboto: Japanese Dictionary [Mobile application]. App Store (ID 6743079369) and Google Play (jp.takoboto). https://takoboto.jp
  Summary: Primary source for all app-specific details in this entry, including developer (Ondrej Benovsky), data sources (JMdict, Tatoeba corpus, Tanaka Corpus), download count (1M+), rating (4.6 stars, 14,000+ reviews), free and paid (Takoboto Cloud) feature breakdown, AnkiDroid export, and interface language availability. Verified May 2026.

• Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis: Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Duncker & Humblot.
  Summary: Established the forgetting curve — the empirical observation that memory decays exponentially without review. This principle underpins all spaced repetition systems, including the flashcard and review features available in Takoboto.

• Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
  Summary: Meta-analysis confirming that distributing practice across time substantially improves long-term vocabulary retention compared to massed study, supporting the spaced review and flashcard system in dictionary-based Japanese learning tools such as Takoboto.