A focused stack for
long-term retention.
Zen Kana combines kana training, JLPT vocabulary, grammar lessons, reading practice, and spaced repetition in one cohesive interface — with no clutter.
Kana Learning
Dedicated paths for Hiragana and Katakana, organized into phonetic groups. Practice individual characters or entire rows.
- →125 Hiragana + 125 Katakana characters
- →Basic rows, voiced, and combination forms
- →Progress tracking per character group
JLPT Path (N5 to N1)
All five JLPT vocabulary levels — 5,986 words organized into practical thematic groups, each tied to its level's grammar and reading content.
- →N5: 1,141 · N4: 631 · N3: 1,814 · N2+N1: 2,400
- →Kanji + furigana + romaji + English
- →18 thematic groups per level
Unified Learning Mode
A single cohesive flow that brings together kana, vocabulary, grammar, and reading lessons. Guided introduction cards come before any testing — you're never tested cold.
- →Grammar points woven into JLPT level progression
- →Reading passages with furigana and translation toggle
- →Study cards with progressive reveal before testing
- →Seamless handoff from learning into practice mode
Grammar Lessons
Grammar structures organized by JLPT level, explained with in-context example sentences. Learn sentence patterns alongside the vocabulary that uses them.
- →JLPT-graded grammar structures N5 → N1
- →In-context example sentences for each pattern
- →Integrated into the spaced repetition review queue
Reading Practice
Short reading passages at each JLPT level. Tap any word for its reading and meaning without leaving the text.
- →Level-appropriate texts from N5 to N1
- →Inline furigana and translation toggle
- →Tracks reading comprehension alongside vocabulary
Spaced Repetition
The SM-2 algorithm schedules every item — vocabulary, grammar, kana — based on your performance, so review time is never wasted.
- →Difficulty-aware interval updates
- →Due, overdue, learning, and review states
- →Session continuity after interruptions
Voice Input
Speak your answers instead of typing. Voice recognition handles romaji for kana and English for vocabulary.
- →Hands-free practice mode
- →Automatic retry on recognition error
- →Gracefully disabled when unavailable
Analytics
Performance views expose accuracy, practice time, and review-state distribution so you always know where to focus.
- →Overall and recent accuracy rates
- →Sessions completed and total time
- →Learning / in-review / overdue breakdown
Handwriting Practice
Draw each kana character with your finger or stylus on a clean canvas, then compare against the correct stroke order with KanjiVG animations. Self-assess your attempt to build muscle memory.
- →Freehand drawing with gesture-based input
- →KanjiVG stroke order animation for all 92 base kana characters
- →Self-assessment: 'Got it' or 'Try again' with SM-2-aware recording
- →Configurable frequency — occasional, frequent, or always
Today's Study Overview
A smart card at the top of the home screen that tells you what needs attention right now — no scrolling, no guessing. One tap starts the most relevant practice session.
- →Priority-weighted: overdue → due → weak → new items
- →Estimated study time based on your upcoming reviews
- →Color-coded urgency indicators (red: overdue, blue: due, amber: weak)
- →Primary action button adapts to your current study state
Cross-platform: All features available on iOS and the browser web app. Progress and settings sync automatically via Firebase.