基本語
Kihongo
The first 2,000 Japanese words. Free flashcards, built for a phone.
Helpful? Buy me a coffee here :)
What it is
Kihongo (from 基本, kihon, “the fundamentals,” and 語, go, “words”) is a free Japanese vocabulary trainer. You flip cards, hear the Japanese, mark what you already know, and tag cards into folders for group review.
It is aimed at beginners and JLPT N5–N4 learners who want the most-used 2,000 words without signing up for an app store product.
It is the Japanese companion to Jibenci.
What you get
- 2,000 flashcards: everyday phrases, then JLPT N5, N4, and core N3
- Romaji under every hiragana and katakana, including は → wa and を → o
- Spoken audio via your phone’s Japanese voice
- Tags that act as folders
- Seals and a daily streak so it feels worth coming back
- Works offline-ish once loaded; progress never leaves your device
Is it free?
Yes. No account, no ads in the cards, no premium deck. If it helps and you want to chip in, there is a Buy Me a Coffee link. That is optional.
FAQ
Is this Anki?
No. Anki is a full spaced-repetition system. Kihongo is a faster drill deck: flip, seal, tag, streak. Export your list if you later want it in Anki.
Will I lose my progress?
It lives in this browser. Export a backup from Progress if you switch phones, or before clearing site data.
Where do the words come from?
Phrases were written for this app. Core JLPT vocabulary is adapted from OpenJLPT (CC BY-SA 4.0). See ATTRIBUTION.
A note from Christian
I’m Christian, a software engineer and founder who loves building things that make everyday life a little easier. Kihongo and Jibenci started with a simple thought: I wanted tools like these to exist, so I made them and shared them.
If you like what I’ve built here, check out my main brainchild, Uni-ke. It’s where I’m putting that same energy on a much bigger scale.