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Supercharge Your Japanese Learning: Combining jpdb.io with Lianki

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Supercharge Your Japanese Learning: Combining jpdb.io with Lianki

Posted February 20, 2025 by lianki.com

If you're learning Japanese, you're probably familiar with the challenge of balancing vocabulary acquisition with immersion in native content. Today, I want to share a powerful workflow that combines two excellent tools: jpdb.io for vocabulary building and Lianki for spaced repetition of your learning materials.

What is jpdb.io?

jpdb.io is a comprehensive Japanese learning platform that combines a massive native content database with an intelligent spaced repetition system. According to Tofugu's review, it's quickly becoming a one-stop-shop for Japanese learners.

Key Features of jpdb.io

21,434+ Pre-built Decks: Vocabulary from 1,399 anime, plus visual novels, light novels, web novels, and other Japanese media. Want to watch your favorite anime? Study its vocabulary first!

130+ Million Real Sentences: When you learn a new word, jpdb automatically shows you i+1 sentence cards — example sentences where you already know everything except the new word you're learning.

Modern ML-based SRS: Instead of the old SM-2 algorithm from the 1980s, jpdb uses a machine-learning approach that handles lapses and irregular reviews more intelligently.

Custom Kanji Keywords: Similar to Heisig's Remembering the Kanji, but with manually curated, better keywords for thousands of kanji.

What Does Lianki Provide?

Lianki is a modern spaced repetition system built around the FSRS algorithm — the same advanced algorithm used by Anki's latest versions. Here's what makes Lianki special for Japanese learners:

Browser-First Workflow

One-Click Card Creation: Install the Lianki userscript (Tampermonkey/Violentmonkey) and press Alt+F on any webpage to add it as a flashcard. Bulk add multiple URLs with Alt+Shift+V.

Inline Reviews: Review cards without leaving your current page. The userscript overlays the review UI directly on top of whatever you're reading or watching.

Keyboard-Driven: Rate your recall with 1-4 (Again/Hard/Good/Easy) or HJKL/ASDT. Navigate with media keys. No mouse needed.

FSRS Algorithm

Lianki uses the DSR model (Difficulty, Stability, Retrievability) to schedule reviews more accurately than older algorithms:

  • Difficulty: How inherently hard the card is for you
  • Stability: How long you can remember before forgetting
  • Retrievability: Probability you can recall right now (aims for ~90%)

Cards get scheduled when you're about to forget them — maximizing retention while minimizing review time.

The Workflow: jpdb.io + Lianki

Here's the magic combination: Add https://jpdb.io/review as a Lianki card.

How It Works

  1. Add jpdb.io/review to Lianki:

    • Visit https://jpdb.io/review
    • Press Alt+F (with the Lianki userscript installed)
    • Your jpdb review page is now a flashcard in Lianki

  2. Lianki schedules jpdb reviews using FSRS:

    • Instead of manually checking jpdb every day, Lianki reminds you based on optimal spaced repetition timing
    • Rate it "Good" (press 3) when you complete your jpdb reviews
    • Rate it "Again" (press 1) if you skipped or struggled

  3. Learn vocabulary while looping through your materials:

    • Your Lianki queue might look like:
      • An anime episode URL (due today)
      • jpdb.io/review (due today)
      • A manga chapter URL (due tomorrow)
      • A Japanese podcast URL (due in 3 days)

  4. The loop:

    • Watch the anime → review it in Lianki → hit jpdb to study new words from that anime
    • Next time Lianki shows you the anime card, you'll know more vocabulary
    • The anime gets easier with each loop

Why This Works

Vocabulary in Context: You learn words from jpdb, then immediately encounter them in the content you're reviewing in Lianki.

Double Reinforcement: Lianki spaces out your content reviews (anime, manga, articles). jpdb spaces out your vocabulary reviews. Together, they create a reinforcement loop.

Frictionless Integration: Because jpdb.io/review is just another card in your Lianki queue, you don't need to context-switch between tools or maintain separate study schedules.

Gamification: Both systems use SRS, but Lianki's inline review UI and keyboard shortcuts make the process of reviewing feel more fluid and game-like.

Advanced Tips

Add Specific jpdb Decks

Instead of just jpdb.io/review, you can add specific deck URLs as separate cards:

  • https://jpdb.io/anime/4072/revisions/vocabulary-list (Revisions anime)
  • https://jpdb.io/vocabulary-list/924/japanese-language-proficiency-test/2/n4/vocabulary-list (JLPT N4)

This lets you loop through specific decks when Lianki schedules them, rather than jumping into the global review queue.

Use Lianki's Bulk Add for Entire Seasons

If you're watching a whole anime season, add all episode URLs at once:

  1. Copy all episode URLs (one per line)
  2. Press Alt+Shift+V
  3. Lianki will create cards for each episode
  4. As you watch and review each episode, add the corresponding jpdb deck as a card

Now your SRS schedule interleaves content (episodes) with vocabulary (jpdb).

Track Your Progress

Lianki shows you a GitHub-style activity heatmap on the homepage. Each day you review becomes a green square. This visual feedback helps you maintain streaks and see patterns in your study habits.

Getting Started

  1. Sign up for jpdb.io: It's free for basic use (Patreon for premium features)
  2. Install Lianki userscript: Get it from lianki.com/lianki.user.js
  3. Add your first jpdb deck: Press Alt+F on https://jpdb.io/review
  4. Add some content: Browse to an anime episode, manga chapter, or Japanese article and press Alt+F
  5. Start reviewing: Visit lianki.com, click "Next card", and follow the review flow

Why Not Just Use Anki?

You can absolutely use Anki for this! But Lianki offers some advantages for immersion learners:

  • URL-based cards: Designed for web content (articles, videos, manga readers), not isolated facts
  • Browser integration: No need to copy/paste — one hotkey adds any page
  • Lightweight: No desktop app to install, works everywhere via userscript
  • Content-first: Optimized for reviewing materials (that teach you vocabulary) rather than individual words

jpdb handles the word-level drilling. Lianki handles the content-level repetition. Together, they cover both bases.

Conclusion

Combining jpdb.io's vocabulary system with Lianki's content-based spaced repetition creates a powerful Japanese learning workflow. You're not just memorizing words in isolation — you're cycling through real content where those words appear, reinforced by jpdb's targeted vocabulary decks.

Give it a try for a week. Add jpdb.io/review to your Lianki queue, throw in some anime episodes or manga chapters, and see how the loop accelerates your learning.

Happy looping! 練習がんばって！

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License: This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt this content with attribution.