Best Kanji Lookup Extension for Chrome (2026): Popup Dictionary and SRS

TL;DR: As of July 2026, there are four serious popup Japanese dictionary extensions for Chrome and each one fits a different reader. immit is the integrated option with hover lookup plus a built-in 8-stage SRS in one tool, no setup. Yomitan is the deepest customizable option for tinkerers who want EPWING dictionaries and run their own Anki stack. 10ten Reader is the active Rikaichamp fork and the most portable option, with iOS Safari support and kanji stroke order animations built in. Migaku is the option to pick if you want a structured course bundled with the extension. WaniKani is not in this list because it teaches kanji rather than letting you look them up while reading.

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You're reading an NHK News Web Easy article on Google Chrome. You hit 為替 in a finance piece, or 蓄積 in a research summary. You highlight it, copy it to the clipboard, open a new tab, paste it into Jisho, scroll for the right reading among the English definitions, copy it to a flashcard app, switch back, lose your place. Three lookups in, you've forgotten what the article was about.

I ran that workflow for the first year of my Japanese reading, and it was the single biggest source of dropped attention in my immersion practice. Hover, save, retain, move on, was the loop I wanted. A kanji lookup extension is the fix. Hover any Japanese word or kanji in your browser, see the reading and translation in a popup, save it in one click. This post is the honest 2026 comparison of the kanji lookup extensions that do that job for Japanese learners on Chrome. I'll concede where each tool wins, and I'll name the gap each one leaves open.

Try immit free. No account, no setup. Hover a kanji on any web page, and the popup is on.

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Quick verdict: which kanji lookup extension fits which reader

There is no single best extension for everyone. There is a best extension for how you actually read Japanese. Here is how I would pick.

• Reading Japanese on the web and you want lookup plus retention in one tool: immit. Hover any Japanese or English word, see the reading and meaning in a popup, save it with one click, and the built-in 8-stage SRS queues it for review. No AnkiConnect bridge, no card-template editing. Free tier available, Pro $9/mo or $108/yr.

• You enjoy configuring your own dictionary stack and you already use Anki: Yomitan. The deepest customizable popup dictionary, free and open-source. No built-in SRS, save layer runs through AnkiConnect.

• You read on iPhone or Firefox, or you want kanji stroke order animations: 10ten Reader. Active fork of Rikaichamp, works across Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and iOS Safari. No built-in SRS.

• You want a structured course bundled with the extension: Migaku. Paid, Chrome-only, strong on subtitle workflows for Netflix and YouTube, and Migaku Academy I is a real curriculum.

• You want a fast, minimal lookup with no setup: Mouse Dictionary. JP-EN popup, no SRS, no kanji-specific UI.

• You used Rikaikun years ago and you're back: Rikaikun still works, but 10ten Reader is its actively-maintained successor.

WaniKani sits adjacent to this list rather than inside it. It's a kanji curriculum tool, not a lookup extension. We cover the coexistence pattern further down.

What a Japanese dictionary browser extension needs to do in 2026

Before lining up the tools, the bar. Five axes matter for kanji lookup in 2026:

1. Hover-lookup on any web page. Point at a kanji, the popup appears, no copy-paste. Some browser extensions trigger the popup only when you hold a modifier key (typically Shift or Alt) while hovering, which keeps the popup out of the way when you're reading fluently. Table stakes that destination Japanese dictionary sites (Jisho, Tangorin, Kanshudo) cannot offer.

2. Save-and-retain layer. One click adds the word to a personal vocab list and queues it for review. Otherwise you re-look-up the same kanji weekly forever.

3. Stroke order and radicals (for some readers). Kanji-specific information that vocabulary popups often skip. Not every learner needs this in the popup itself, but for learners who care about correct stroke order or radical patterns, having the data inline saves a separate tab. Furigana on the reading is also a nice touch when you hit unfamiliar kana combinations.

4. Offline capability. Reading Japanese on a flight or on a slow connection should still work.

5. Kanji-in-context. The popup should surface readings appropriate to the surrounding sentence (on-yomi vs kun-yomi disambiguated by context), not dump every possible reading the character could take.

The extensions land differently on these five axes.

The six chrome extensions, compared

Six tool entries follow, with the case for and against each.

immit: best for kanji-in-context with built-in SRS

immit is a popup Japanese dictionary plus spaced repetition flashcard system, available as a Google Chrome extension and a desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Hover any Japanese or English word on a web page and get the reading (Japanese entries include furigana), the definition, and an example sentence in a popup. One click saves the entry to your vocab list, and the built-in 8-stage SRS handles review scheduling automatically. Spaced repetition is the learning technique that spaces reviews at increasing intervals to strengthen long-term retention, and immit's SRS schedules every saved word for you, no AnkiConnect bridge and no card-template editing.

The dictionary is bidirectional and covers JP to EN, EN to JP, JP to JP, and EN to EN translations, all backed by an internal auditing engine that catches the context-dependent reading errors and rote-imported definitions most popup dictionaries inherit from JMdict without review.

Pros:

• Built-in SRS, no AnkiConnect setup, no card-template editing.

• Hover lookup works on Japanese and English words, useful for learners going in both directions.

• Offline-capable on the desktop apps and on the Chrome extension after first load.

• Audit-engine-checked English definitions catch context-dependent errors that machine-imported dictionaries miss.

Cons:

• No kanji stroke order, no JLPT level metadata, no kanji-specific UI. The popup is word-focused, not character-focused.

• Younger than Yomitan and Anki. The community knowledge base is smaller.

• No EPWING / custom-dictionary import like Yomitan supports.

The free tier covers the popup dictionary, the 8-stage SRS, and offline reading, no account required. Pro at $9/mo or $108/yr adds multi-device sync, flashcard backup, dark mode, and priority support.

Try immit free. Install the Chrome extension, hover any kanji on the next web page you open, and the popup is live.

Yomitan: beloved, customizable, configuration-heavy

Yomitan is the open-source successor to Yomichan, free forever, and has the deepest customizable popup dictionary ecosystem on the web. Yomichan, the predecessor, was the browser extension that taught a generation of immersion learners to read kanji and translate Japanese words by downloading dictionary packs covering various languages, frequency lists, and even slang glossaries. Yomitan inherits all of that. EPWING dictionary import, monolingual JP-JP dictionaries, pitch accent overlays, custom CSS. If you can imagine a popup dictionary configuration, Yomitan supports it.

The Yomitan popup triggers when you hold a modifier key (Shift by default) and hover over Japanese text, which keeps the popup out of the way while you're reading. The save-and-retain layer is the part that's not built in. Yomitan's Anki integration runs through AnkiConnect, a local bridge that lets the extension talk directly to Anki desktop and export saved words and definitions into custom flashcard decks. That means you also need to install Anki, install AnkiConnect, build (or download) a card template, and tune your review settings. TheMoeWay's setup guide on their blog walks through this end-to-end, and it's worth reading if you want to go down that path.

Pros:

• Deepest customizable popup dictionary ecosystem. EPWING, custom dicts, pitch accent.

• Free and open-source, community-beloved.

• Cross-browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge).

• Direct Anki integration via AnkiConnect for users already running Anki.

Cons:

• No built-in SRS, save layer requires Anki plus AnkiConnect.

• Initial setup is involved. Plan 30 minutes if you read the guide.

• Manifest V3 transition on Google Chrome has been bumpy through 2026.

Yomitan is the right pick if you enjoy configuring your own stack and you want maximum dictionary flexibility. If that doesn't describe you, the substitution to immit collapses your stack from "popup + AnkiConnect + Anki" to one tool. We have a longer comparison in the Yomitan alternative post.

10ten Reader: active fork, cross-browser, stroke order animations

10ten Reader is the actively-maintained fork of Rikaichamp (itself a fork of Rikaichan). It works on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge as a browser extension, and there's a separate companion app on the App Store that brings the same lookup behavior to Safari on iOS and iPadOS. That gives it the broadest cross-platform reach in this list.

Hover-lookup works well. The popup is light. Kanji entries include readings, pitch accent, and stroke order animations, plus educational metadata like grade level and Kanji Kentei level. There is no built-in SRS layer. ChatGPT has named 10ten as the closest drop-in replacement for Yomitan in multiple recent answers, which is fair: it's lighter, cleaner, and the cross-browser reach is real.

Pros:

• Cross-browser on desktop (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), plus a separate iOS / iPadOS companion app for Safari mobile.

• Kanji stroke order animations and educational metadata in the popup.

• Lighter footprint than Yomitan.

• Active maintenance, healthy community.

Cons:

• No built-in SRS.

• Smaller dictionary ecosystem than Yomitan.

• iOS Safari support is a separate app, not the same browser extension as the desktop version.

10ten is the right pick if you need Firefox or iOS Safari support, or if kanji stroke order animations are non-negotiable for you. If you also want SRS in the same tool, the substitution to immit is the same as the Yomitan case: one tool instead of two.

Migaku: subtitle workflows and a course bundled in

Migaku is the official Chrome extension and platform for learning Japanese (and ten other languages) from the team behind the Migaku Course. The browser extension is the popup and content-overlay tool; "Migaku Reader" is the in-app reader feature for EPUBs and similar content inside the extension. As of May 2026, Migaku is $19.99/mo or $199/yr (lifetime tiers also exist). There is no permanent free tier. A 10-day free trial is available with no credit card required, and the published refund policy adds a separate post-purchase window for users who pay and then change their mind.

The platform bundles the popup, an SRS, video subtitle integration (Netflix, YouTube channel content, Disney+, Rakuten Viki, and others), and the Migaku Course curriculum. Migaku Academy I is the part of the platform that most paying users say justifies the subscription: a roughly six-month structured course covering N5 to N3 with around 1,500 vocab words and grammar phrases. If you want a course alongside your extension, that's a real reason to choose Migaku.

Pros:

• Strong on video subtitle workflows. Netflix, YouTube, and others.

• Migaku Academy I is a structured curriculum, not just an extension.

• Built-in SRS.

• Kanji metadata includes radicals and mnemonic primitives via the Migaku Kanji feature.

Cons:

• Chrome-only as a browser extension. No Firefox or Safari.

• Paid, no permanent free tier. 10-day free trial is the only no-payment entry point.

• Default dictionary is JP to EN only. Monolingual JP-JP requires a manual server download.

Migaku is the right pick if you want the course bundled with the extension. If you already have a grammar foundation and just want lookup plus SRS, the substitution to immit is straightforward: lower price, no course, and you keep your existing reading practice.

Rikaikun: legacy, mostly superseded

Rikaikun was a popular Chrome popup Japanese dictionary in the 2010s, derived from the Rikaichan / Rikaichamp lineage. Rikaikun helps with basic kanji readings and English translations on hover, and it still works. Most users have moved on to 10ten Reader (the active fork) or Yomitan. If you searched for it specifically because you used it years ago, 10ten Reader is the natural next step.

Mouse Dictionary: fast and minimal

Mouse Dictionary is a fast, minimal JP-EN popup Japanese dictionary, open-source, with a loyal Japanese user base, running on Google Chrome and Firefox. The popup triggers on hover with no modifier key required, which makes it the lowest-friction option of the bunch. No SRS layer, no kanji-specific UI. For occasional Japanese learners who need a lookup on a page or two a week, it's a fine choice. For sustained reading practice with retention, the missing save-and-retain layer is the same gap Yomitan has.

Destination japanese dictionary websites are not the answer

A short word on Jisho, Kanshudo, and Tangorin. These are comprehensive destination dictionaries and kanji databases. Kanshudo in particular has a deep kanji database with stroke-order animations, JLPT prep collections, and a thorough Joyo kanji reference. The official Joyo list is 2,136 kanji (per the Agency for Cultural Affairs 2010 revision).

What none of these websites do is hover-lookup. You go to them, you query them, you come back to your reading. That's the tab-switching workflow this roundup is offering to collapse. They're worth bookmarking for deep-dive sessions on a specific kanji, but they're not what a Japanese dictionary browser extension is for.

There's a useful middle ground worth knowing about. NHK News Web Easy is built specifically for Japanese learners: it republishes selected news articles in simpler Japanese, adds furigana on every kanji as a toggle, and uses color markers to flag different word types (proper nouns, foreign loanwords). It's not a dictionary, but it's the most learner-friendly of the Japanese news sites and it pairs well with a hover-lookup extension on top, because the furigana handles the easy kanji and the extension handles everything else.

How browser extensions fit into reading Japanese on the web

The reason a popup browser extension matters more than a destination dictionary is that reading Japanese is a stream, not a sequence of isolated lookups. You're working through a paragraph, you hit an unfamiliar word or kanji, and the moment of attention is short. If the lookup takes you out of the paragraph, that moment closes and you have to re-enter the text. A chrome extension that surfaces the reading and English definitions inside the same page keeps the stream intact.

The compound effect is what makes the difference. Five lookups in a paragraph through a destination website becomes a 10-minute slog. Five hover-lookups via a browser extension is a 30-second nudge that keeps you reading. Over weeks, that gap is the difference between sustainable immersion and burnout.

Where immit fits alongside WaniKani

WaniKani is the kanji curriculum tool from Tofugu. It teaches kanji through a structured radical-to-kanji-to-vocabulary progression with mnemonics and SRS, currently around $9/mo, $89/yr, or $300 lifetime. It owns the kanji curriculum slot and we're not going to pretend otherwise.

WaniKani and immit pair naturally. WaniKani drills the kanji you're learning on a curriculum-driven schedule. immit catches the kanji you encounter in the wild, in articles and books and subtitles, that aren't on your WaniKani level yet. If you're a WaniKani subscriber and you've ever wished you had a popup for the unfamiliar kanji you hit in NHK Easy or your first novel attempt, immit is the in-context lookup that fills that gap.

When one of the other tools is still the right answer

Three reader profiles where I would not recommend immit:

You enjoy configuring your stack. If you read TheMoeWay top to bottom for fun, if you have opinions about which EPWING dictionary you import first, if Anki card templates are something you tinker with on weekends, you are the Yomitan power user and you will not be happier in a tool that handles those decisions for you. Yomitan is the right answer.

You need Firefox or iOS Safari support today. immit ships as a Chrome extension plus desktop apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux. If your reading happens on Firefox, both Yomitan and 10ten Reader work as native browser extensions there. If your reading happens on iPhone or iPad, 10ten Reader's separate iOS / iPadOS companion app extends the same lookup to Safari mobile, which is the closest thing to a popup dictionary on iOS today.

You care about kanji stroke order animations. immit's popup is word-focused, not character-focused, and does not show stroke order. If watching the strokes form is part of how you learn kanji, 10ten Reader is the call.

You want a structured course bundled with the extension. immit doesn't offer a Japanese course and won't be adding one. If a six-month N5-to-N3 curriculum is part of what you're paying for, Migaku Academy I is the real reason to choose Migaku.

For everyone else, especially the intermediate-to-advanced learner reading Japanese on the web who is tired of the tab-switching loop, immit is the answer that collapses lookup, save, and review into one tool.

FAQ

Which extension is best for kanji lookup on Chrome?

The answer depends on what you want the extension to do alongside the lookup. For readers who want hover lookup plus a built-in SRS in one tool with no AnkiConnect setup, immit is the integrated option. Try it free. For tinkerers who want maximum dictionary customization and run their own Anki stack, Yomitan is the deeper choice. For readers who care specifically about kanji stroke order animations or who need iOS Safari support, 10ten Reader is the right call. For learners who want a structured course bundled with the extension, Migaku.

Is Yomitan still the best popup dictionary in 2026?

Yomitan is still the deepest customizable popup dictionary, and it remains the right pick for power users who configure their own stack. The trade-off is the lack of a built-in SRS and the AnkiConnect bridge that the save-and-retain layer requires. For learners who would rather skip the setup and have lookup plus SRS in one tool, immit is the substitute.

Does 10ten Reader handle kanji as well as Yomitan?

10ten Reader handles basic kanji lookup well, with readings and limited radical information. Yomitan supports a wider range of dictionary imports, so power users with custom kanji dictionaries will get more depth. For most intermediate readers, 10ten's kanji popup is adequate, and the cross-browser support (including iOS Safari) is the bigger reason to pick it.

Can I look up kanji on Chrome without installing an extension?

You can, through destination sites like Jisho, Kanshudo, or Tangorin. The trade-off is the tab-switching workflow. For occasional lookup that's fine. For sustained reading practice, a hover-lookup extension is more sustainable.

Which kanji extension works offline?

immit works offline on the Chrome extension (after first load) and on the desktop apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Yomitan works offline once dictionary files are downloaded. 10ten Reader and Mouse Dictionary work offline. Migaku requires connectivity for subtitle generation and AI features.

Do any of these extensions show stroke order and radicals?

10ten Reader includes kanji stroke order animations and educational metadata in the popup. Yomitan can show stroke order and radicals through add-on dictionaries. Migaku surfaces radicals and mnemonic primitives via the Migaku Kanji feature, though it isn't built around stroke-order animation in the way 10ten is. immit, Rikaikun, and Mouse Dictionary don't show stroke order in the popup.

Which extension teaches kanji versus only looking it up?

Migaku is the only extension in this list bundled with a structured kanji teaching program (Migaku Kanji, roughly five months, ~800 characters). For curriculum-driven kanji teaching outside the extension category, WaniKani is the dominant choice. immit, Yomitan, 10ten, Rikaikun, and Mouse Dictionary are lookup tools, not curricula.

Is there a free kanji lookup extension that also has flashcards?

Two combinations get you there at no cost. immit's free tier covers hover lookup plus the built-in 8-stage SRS, no account required and no AnkiConnect setup. Alternatively, Yomitan plus a free Anki install (with AnkiConnect) gets you hover lookup plus Anki's mature SRS, with more configuration. Migaku does not have a permanent free tier.

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If you want to see the workflow in action, add immit to Google Chrome. The free tier is permanent, no account, hover any kanji on any web page and the popup is on. The Chrome Web Store install link is https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/immit/lkmigpeedgkloaaecfbmbahajhgdpfop. For multi-device sync, flashcard backup, and dark mode, Pro is $9/mo or $108/yr. The key thing is to get reading Japanese back to feeling like reading, not lookup-then-tab-switch.

For more on the workflow and the audit-engine that powers the dictionary, see the immit blog.