How to put a Japanese word on your Android home screen

The case for putting Japanese on your home screen is that you look at it anyway. The average person unlocks their phone dozens of times a day, so you might as well make it count. A widget is perfect for this.

Why do I need this?

What a word on your home screen gives you is exposure. Seeing a word like 大切 when you glance at your screen can be pretty useful:

• Do I know this?
• Can I read this?
• Was it instant?

Recognizing a word or being able to read it is only part of the equation. You still need to be able to use it. A widget is another tool to get you there in a convenient way for those downtime moments.

A widget keeps vocabulary visible between study sessions and it's pretty low effort. I think that's worth it. It will not replace reading, immersion, conversation, and any app that implies that well... who knows.

Enter Kotoba Loop: Japanese on your home screen

Just install the app, add the widget through the dynamic tutorial or the android home screen, and you will have a new word on your home screen every day.

• How often does it refresh? The free version of Kotoba Loop refreshes daily, and the paid version can be set to refresh every 1, 3, 6 hours or daily.
  You can always manually refresh the word in app, so you are never left waiting for a new word if you want to see one.
• Does it work offline? Yes! It works completely offline, so you can see a new word even when you are underground or on a plane.
• Can you control what appears? Yes! You can choose to show or hide the reading and meaning. You can also hide the header and badges, if you want. Different widget sizes also give you the flexibility to place it on a special spot on your home screen. It's all up to you.
• Well, how much is it? All widget customization is free, and the free version covers JLPT N5. The paid version is $5.99 unlocks N4 through N1 with a one-time purchase, no subscription. It also enables extra features like the more frequent refreshes.