unidic-lite
A small version of UniDic packaged for Python
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, but with conditions. Install only if you need Japanese morphological analysis, have already chosen a MeCab wrapper, and can tolerate a 250MB footprint and a 2013-era dictionary. The permissive license poses no obstacle. However, the project is abandoned (last release 2021-01-25), so compatibility with current wrapper versions is unverified and future maintenance is unlikely.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a separate MeCab wrapper (mecab-python3 or fugashi) to be installed and functional; unidic-lite alone cannot perform morphological analysis
- High install friction: the package itself is 250MB on disk.
- No runtime dependencies listed, but requires a separate MeCab wrapper to function.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Dual-licensed under MIT or WTFPL (permissive); UniDic 2.1.2 data itself is under BSD license. No licensing restrictions on use.
last release 2021-01-25 (2027 days) · last repo commit 2020-09-01 · 52 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 494,286 downloads/mo, #6,351 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install unidic-lite
# Then install a MeCab wrapper separately, e.g.:
# pip install mecab-python3
# or pip install fugashi
# Use with your chosen wrapper for Japanese text analysis- Whether the 2013-era UniDic 2.1.2 dictionary is adequate for modern Japanese text or if newer versions are needed
- Compatibility with recent versions of MeCab wrappers, given the package's abandonment since 2021
What it is and what it does
Unidic-lite bundles UniDic 2.1.2, a Japanese morphological analysis dictionary, as a PyPI package so it can be installed without separate downloads. It's designed to work alongside MeCab wrapper libraries to enable Japanese text tokenization and part-of-speech tagging in Python. The dictionary includes minor customizations like entries for 令和 and modifications to unknown-word handling.
The package trades convenience for size: it occupies roughly 250MB on disk after installation. It does not function standalone—you must separately install a MeCab wrapper to actually use it. The dictionary itself dates from 2013 (UniDic 2.1.2), which may limit its effectiveness on modern Japanese text.
Use it for
- Japanese text tokenization and part-of-speech tagging when paired with a MeCab wrapper
- Building Japanese NLP pipelines that require morphological analysis without managing separate dictionary downloads
- Processing Japanese text in applications where pip-only installation is a constraint
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, but with conditions.
Install only if you need Japanese morphological analysis, have already chosen a MeCab wrapper, and can tolerate a 250MB footprint and a 2013-era dictionary. The permissive license poses no obstacle. However, the project is abandoned (last release 2021-01-25), so compatibility with current wrapper versions is unverified and future maintenance is unlikely.
Install
unidic-lite on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction: the package itself is 250MB on disk. No runtime dependencies listed, but requires a separate MeCab wrapper to function. Last release was 2021-01-25; project is abandoned with no recent maintenance.
Requires a separate MeCab wrapper (mecab-python3 or fugashi) to be installed and functional; unidic-lite alone cannot perform morphological analysis
License in practice
Dual-licensed under MIT or WTFPL (permissive); UniDic 2.1.2 data itself is under BSD license. No licensing restrictions on use.
Quickstart
pip install unidic-lite
# Then install a MeCab wrapper separately, e.g.:
# pip install mecab-python3
# or pip install fugashi
# Use with your chosen wrapper for Japanese text analysisVerify before relying
- Whether the 2013-era UniDic 2.1.2 dictionary is adequate for modern Japanese text or if newer versions are needed
- Compatibility with recent versions of MeCab wrappers, given the package's abandonment since 2021
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,027 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 494,286 / month, #6,351 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: JapaneseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: unidic-lite-1.0.8.tar.gz
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See also mecab-python3 · unidic · ipadic · fugashi · mecab-ko-dic · mecab · python-mecab-ko-dic · mecab-ko · konoha · SudachiDict-full