kanjidraw is a simple Python library + GUI for matching (the strokes of a) handwritten kanji against its database.

You can use the GUI to draw and subsequently select a kanji from the list of probable matches, which will then be copied to the clipboard.

The database is based on KanjiVG and the algorithms are based on the Kanji draw Android app.

Jiten Japanese Dictionary uses kanjidraw with a JavaScript frontend.

Official packages are available in Debian unstable and Ubuntu jammy.

$ apt install kanjidraw

You can also manually build a Debian package using the debian/sid branch, or download pre-built .debs via GitHub releases.

An official package is also available in nixpkgs unstable.

$ pip install kanjidraw

NB: depending on your system you may need to use e.g. pip3 --user instead of just pip.

NB: this installs the latest development version, not the latest release.

$ git clone https://github.com/obfusk/kanjidraw.git
$ cd kanjidraw
$ pip install -e .

NB: you may need to add e.g. ~/.local/bin to your $PATH in order to run kanjidraw.

To update to the latest development version:

$ cd kanjidraw
$ git pull --rebase

• Python >= 3.5 (w/ Tk support for the GUI).

$ apt install python3-tk

Opens kanjidraw to select one (--oneshot) or multiple (--multiple) kanji, and afterwards pastes the selected kanji in the active window. Requires xclip and xdotool.

#!/bin/bash
set -e
pid="$( xdotool getactivewindow getwindowpid )"
pids() { xdotool search --classname "$1" getwindowpid %@; }
if pids rxvt | grep -q "^$pid$"; then
  key=ctrl+alt+v
elif ( pids terminal; pids st-256color ) | grep -q "^$pid$"; then
  key=ctrl+shift+v
else
  key=ctrl+v
fi
kanjidraw -s "$@" | tr -d '\n' | xclip -i -selection clipboard
xdotool key --delay 250 "$key"

Keybindings for i3. Creating custom keybindings for kanjidraw-paste --oneshot and/or kanjidraw-paste --multiple should work similarly with other window managers and desktop environments.

for_window [title="Kanji Draw"] floating enable
bindsym $mod+Control+k exec --no-startup-id kanjidraw-paste --oneshot
bindsym $mod+Control+m exec --no-startup-id kanjidraw-paste --multiple

$ kanjidraw --help
usage: kanjidraw [-h] [-s] [-o | -m] [-d] [--version]

optional arguments:
  -h, --help      show this help message and exit
  -s, --stdout    print kanji to stdout instead of copying to clipboard
  -o, --oneshot   quit after one kanji
  -m, --multiple  queue kanji and copy/print after pressing 'c' or quitting
  -d, --dark      use dark theme
  --version       show program's version number and exit

Additional keybindings: q to quit, <esc> to go back.

$ export KANJIDRAW_DARK=1

$ export KANJIDRAW_NOGRID=1

© FC Stegerman

© Ulrich Apel