The sentence keeps the context
Seeing the sentence you read makes it easier to recall what the word meant there, along with how it is used. This is the core of sentence mining.
MDX dictionaries × sentence cards × FSRS-6
Look up a word.
Keep the sentence.
Double-click a word while you browse. A pop-up shows the sentence, its translation and the dictionary entry already split into senses. Click “+” next to the sense used in that sentence, and the word, the sentence and that one sense become a flashcard.
Native SwiftUI · Millisecond lookups · Low memory usage · Full MDX compatibility
Browser extensionsChromeEdgeFirefoxSafariFrom other apps, send a sentence with the share sheet or macOS Services.
01 Where the sentence comes from
In the browser, the sentence comes along automatically.
In other apps, select it and send it to Flashcard Dict.
In the lookup window, tap the word you want, choose the sense that fits, and the word, the sentence and that sense are saved together.
From a word on a web page to a flashcard with its sentenceScreen recording · 45 s
Works with Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Helium and other Chromium browsers, and Firefox-based browsers such as Zen and Floorp 12+, can connect too. Sense cards need a supported dictionary.
02 Why it works
One sentence, one sense, one card.
The front of each card is the word in the sentence you actually read. The back is only the sense you picked.
One sense per card
Common words have several senses. Putting all of them on the back makes it hard to tell whether you remembered. One sense per card follows the minimum information principle.
FSRS-6 schedules reviews
Rate each review Again, Hard, Good or Easy. FSRS-6 uses the card’s history to schedule the next review shortly before you would forget.
03 Sense cards
Pick one sense, make one card.
In a supported dictionary, click “+” next to a sense to create a card from that sense and its examples. When you look up from a sentence, the sentence is saved too.
The highlighted button adds the current sense. Screenshot shown with the Chinese interface.
39 dictionary editions with sense cards
Support spans multiple dictionary families and builds. The examples below are families, each of which may include several supported editions.
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s (8th–10th editions, OALDPE)
- Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (6th), Longman Active Study
- Collins COBUILD (English–Chinese)
- Macmillan Advanced Learner’s
- Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Learner’s
- Cambridge Dictionary (CDEPE)
- American Heritage Dictionary
- 21st Century English–Chinese
- WordNet 3.0 / 3.1
A “+” next to each sense indicates support for your edition. Other builds of the same title may need a separate adapter.
Built in: Webster’s 1913, WordNet 3.1 and an English–Chinese dictionary are ready to use and do not count toward the free-tier limit.
Everything else: any MDX dictionary can be imported and looked up, and whole entries can be saved as cards. Want a dictionary supported? Email me.
04 More
Native on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Built natively with SwiftUI for fast lookups and low memory usage. Cards and review progress sync through iCloud; dictionary files stay on each device.
Your MDX dictionaries, rendered properly.
WebKit renders dictionary HTML, CSS and JavaScript, preserving rich layouts, interactive content, images and audio.
Dark mode for any dictionary.
Dictionaries without a dark style can be inverted at night, in lookup, card preview and review.
Double-click inside an entry.
Look up another word right from the dictionary text without copying and pasting.
Import a whole folder.
Scan a folder and its subfolders for MDX dictionaries and their resources.
Cards from a word list.
Import a list with one word per line and create cards from a chosen dictionary, skipping duplicates.
Sentence translation.
Use Apple Translation (iOS 18 / macOS 15 or later), or connect DeepL or an OpenAI-compatible service yourself.
05 Free & Pro
Every feature is free. Pro lifts two limits.
The free version limits only how many imported dictionaries are enabled at once and how many cards you create per day.
Free
FreeLookup, sentence cards and review all work out of the box.
- Import and manage MDX dictionaries
- Browser lookup with sentence capture
- Sense cards, FSRS-6 and iCloud sync
- Imported dictionaries enabled at once2
- New cards per device per day10
Pro
Monthly, yearly or lifetimeEverything in Free, without the two limits.
- Imported dictionaries enabled at onceUnlimited
- New cards per dayUnlimited
Built-in dictionaries do not count toward the limit of 2.
Do I need my own dictionaries?
No. Webster’s 1913, WordNet 3.1 and an English–Chinese dictionary are built in. You can also import any MDX dictionary you legally own. Dictionaries shown in screenshots were imported by the user and are not included.
Is this only for Chinese speakers?
The app is available in English and Simplified Chinese. Many supported dictionaries are bilingual English–Chinese, but monolingual learner’s dictionaries and the built-in English dictionaries work as well.
Can I export cards to Anki?
Not yet. Cards are imported and exported in Flashcard Dict’s own JSON format. FSRS is a scheduling algorithm and does not imply Anki file compatibility.
What syncs between devices?
With iCloud sync on, cards and review progress sync. Dictionary files, images and audio do not; add dictionaries on each device.
Start with your next read.
Bring your dictionaries. Keep the sentence and the meaning you actually needed.