Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Kunkun Japanese Grammar Checker
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Basics & Getting Started
Kunkun is a Japanese grammar checker that identifies grammar issues, suggests corrections, and explains the rule behind each one. The Chrome extension works in Gmail, Notion and any ordinary text field on any site; a separate Google Workspace add-on covers Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, which a browser extension cannot reach.
See our step-by-step installation guide on the Download page.
Yes, a free account is required to use Kunkun. Sign up takes less than a minute and gives you full access to all features during our beta.
Kunkun currently supports the following browsers:
- Google Chrome (version 80+)
- Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based, version 80+)
- Brave, Opera, and other Chromium-based browsers
Firefox and Safari support are on our roadmap for future development.
Kunkun requires an internet connection to check grammar as the processing happens on our secure servers. If you temporarily lose connection, the extension will show a status message and resume normally when connectivity is restored.
Features & Functionality
Kunkun can detect a wide range of Japanese grammar issues, including:
- Particle usage errors (は, が, を, に, で, etc.)
- Verb conjugation mistakes
- Tense inconsistencies
- Formality level mismatches
- Keigo errors — mixed 尊敬語/謙譲語, 二重敬語, さ入れ・ら抜き言葉
- Redundant expressions
- Common collocation errors
- Context-specific grammar mistakes
Yes, Kunkun supports multiple politeness levels in Japanese, including casual (だ), polite (です/ます), and formal (である) styles. The extension can identify inconsistencies in politeness levels within your text and suggest appropriate corrections based on your selected context.
Kunkun is designed to check Japanese text. It can process content containing some English words mixed with Japanese, but focuses on checking the Japanese grammar. For optimal results, we recommend using Kunkun primarily for Japanese content.
Kunkun provides detailed explanations for each grammar correction. When you hover over a highlighted error, you'll see:
- What the error is
- Why it's incorrect
- The suggested correction
- A brief explanation of the grammar rule
- Example sentences, when JLPT mode is on in Learner mode
This educational approach helps you improve your Japanese writing skills over time, rather than just fixing errors.
Kunkun works in most website text fields. Three surfaces have purpose-built handling rather than the generic one:
- Gmail — a dedicated panel in the compose window
- Notion — a dedicated panel for its block editor
- Google Docs — a full sidebar, via the Workspace add-on
- Everywhere else: any standard text area or input field, including LinkedIn, X, Reddit and ChatGPT
Pricing
Yes — Kunkun is free during our beta. All features are included at no cost right now:
- Unlimited grammar checks
- All correction types (grammar, formality, style)
- Detailed explanations and examples
- Google Workspace integration
- JLPT-aligned suggestions
No credit card required. Paid plans may be introduced after beta.
Kunkun is free during beta, so no payment is required right now. When paid plans are introduced, we will support major credit and debit cards through our secure payment processor, Stripe.
During beta, all students and educators have full access at no cost. If you have questions about institutional or classroom use, please contact us.
Technical Questions
Kunkun is designed to be lightweight and efficient. The extension uses minimal CPU and memory resources when idle, and moderately increases resource usage only when actively checking text. Most users won't notice any impact on their browser's performance.
A single check accepts up to 50,000 characters; past that the request is refused rather than truncated, so nothing is silently dropped. Long documents take proportionally longer, and for lengthy content it is usually faster to check it in sections.
Currently, Kunkun is available as a browser extension for desktop browsers only. Mobile app support is on our roadmap for future development.
Yes, Kunkun works seamlessly with all standard Japanese Input Method Editors (IMEs), including Google Japanese Input, Microsoft IME, and Apple's Japanese input method. The extension checks your text after it has been converted from kana to kanji.
Kunkun updates automatically through your browser's extension system — you typically don't need to do anything. Updates are pushed regularly to improve accuracy, add features, and fix bugs.
Privacy & Security
Some of it, briefly, and you can delete it. Your writing is sent over TLS to our servers in the United States and checked there. We then keep, against your account for 90 days, the first 200 characters of each check together with how many errors it had and what kinds — that is what the dashboard uses to tell you which pattern to practise next. Settings → Clear check history deletes all of it immediately. Separately, results are cached for 30 days so that re-checking the same text is instant; a cache entry is found by a one-way hash of your text, holds the flagged phrase and its suggested fix, and is not linked to your account. The Chrome extension also keeps your ten most recent flagged phrases in your own browser, which never leaves it and which Insights → Clear Stats erases. We do not keep whole documents, and nothing is used to train AI models.
All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is protected using industry-standard TLS/SSL encryption. This ensures that your text cannot be intercepted or read by third parties during transmission.
Kunkun requires minimal browser permissions, used solely for providing the grammar checking service:
- Can access the current tab's content to check text
- Does not access your browsing history
- Does not access data from other tabs
- Does not record keystrokes
- Does not access files on your computer
For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
Yes, and most of it is the feature rather than analytics — your dashboard is built out of it:
- How many checks you have run
- Which error types came up, and how often
- The first 200 characters of each check, kept 90 days
- We do not collect your location, your browsing history, or anything from other tabs
This is tied to your account — that is what lets Kunkun tell you which mistake you keep repeating. Settings → Clear check history deletes it.
No, never. We do not use your text — or any user data — to train AI models, under any circumstances. This is a firm policy, not a configuration option, and it holds for the check history we do keep: that history exists to show you your own patterns, and it is not training data.
Educational Use
Kunkun is designed as a learning tool. When using it for academic purposes:
- Use it to learn from your mistakes, not just to correct them
- Read and understand the explanations provided with corrections
- Follow your institution's academic integrity policies
- Consider disclosing your use of grammar checking tools if required by your instructor
Many educators view grammar checkers as acceptable learning aids, similar to dictionaries, but policies may vary by institution.
Teachers can use Kunkun as a classroom tool in several ways:
- Assign it for out-of-class writing practice to give students immediate feedback
- Use it as a discussion starter to explain grammar rules highlighted by the tool
- Encourage students to review explanations rather than just accepting corrections
- Share example errors (without attributing them) for class discussion
Yes, Kunkun provides grammar suggestions aligned with Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) levels from N5 (beginner) to N1 (advanced). This helps learners understand which grammar points are appropriate for their level.
Not per error type yet. What you can do today is set Writer Mode — Learner checks fundamentals, Native checks keigo, redundancy and professional style — and dismiss any individual suggestion you disagree with.
Troubleshooting
If Kunkun is not detecting errors, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Check if you're logged in to your Kunkun account
- Verify that the extension is enabled (look for the icon in your browser toolbar)
- Refresh the page you're working on
- Ensure you have an active internet connection
- Try checking text in a different website or application
- Disable other extensions temporarily to check for conflicts
- Clear your browser cache and restart your browser
If the problem persists, please contact our support team.
If the Kunkun extension icon is no longer visible in your browser toolbar:
- Click the puzzle piece icon in your browser to see all extensions
- Find Kunkun in the list and click the pin icon to pin it to your toolbar
- If Kunkun isn't in the list, it may have been disabled or uninstalled
- Go to your browser's extension settings to check if Kunkun is still installed
- If not, reinstall the extension from the Chrome Web Store
While we strive for accuracy, Kunkun may occasionally provide incorrect suggestions because:
- Japanese grammar has many exceptions and context-dependent rules
- Certain creative or specialized writing styles may deviate from standard rules
- Some sentences may be ambiguous or have multiple valid interpretations
You can always ignore suggestions that don't seem appropriate for your context. If you notice consistent issues, please report them to help us improve.
To report a bug or incorrect grammar suggestion, please use our contact form. Include the text you were checking and the suggestion that seemed incorrect — it helps us fix things faster.
If you notice Kunkun running slowly, try these steps:
- Close unused tabs and applications to free up system resources
- Disable other extensions that might be competing for resources
- Check for very long documents (consider breaking them into smaller sections)
- Clear your browser cache and cookies
- Ensure your browser is updated to the latest version
- Restart your browser
Comparison with Other Services
Kunkun is purpose-built for Japanese grammar checking, which sets it apart from general-purpose tools:
- Deep understanding of Japanese grammar rules, including particle usage and verb conjugation
- Explanations tailored to help you learn, not just correct
- Formality and politeness level detection
- Seamless browser integration so you can check text wherever you write
Unlike general translation tools, Kunkun is specifically designed to improve your own Japanese writing:
- Focuses on improving your original writing rather than translating
- Provides detailed explanations of grammar rules and errors
- Offers context-specific suggestions based on your writing purpose
- Supports different formality levels and writing styles
- Integrates directly with websites and applications you already use
- Helps you learn Japanese grammar as you write
Translation tools are excellent for understanding content in another language, but they're not designed to help you improve your own writing skills.
Yes, Kunkun is designed to work alongside other writing and productivity tools. You can use it in combination with dictionaries, translation services, or other writing tools. Kunkun focuses specifically on Japanese grammar checking, so it complements rather than conflicts with most other tools.
Our support team is here to help you with any questions or concerns. Contact Us.