Draw & Search

Encountered a kanji in a book or a game, but don’t know how to read it? The Draw & Search tool allows you to write the character manually and find it in the database.

How to use

1. Open the Tools menu and select Draw & Search.
2. Use your mouse, trackpad, or stylus to draw the kanji on the large canvas.
3. Use the Undo (⬅) button to remove the last stroke if you made a mistake.
4. Use the Clear (🗑) button to wipe the canvas and start over.
5. Click the Search (🔍) button.

The algorithm will analyze your drawing and display the best matches in the right panel (or below the canvas on smaller screens). Click on any result to open its detailed page.

💡 Tip: Middle-click a result card to open it in a background tab so you don’t lose your search results!

How the Recognition Algorithm Works

Kanji Master uses a shape and distance-based recognition engine. For the best results, keep the following in mind:

• Stroke Count matters: The algorithm heavily relies on the number of strokes. If a kanji has 5 strokes, try to draw exactly 5 strokes.
• Proportions matter: Try to center your drawing and maintain the relative size of radicals (e.g., if the left radical is small, draw it small).
• Stroke Order: While the algorithm tries to be forgiving, drawing strokes in the traditional Japanese stroke order significantly increases accuracy.