---
id: unidic-lite
version: "1.0.8"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# unidic-lite — A small version of UniDic packaged for Python

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 494.3K/mo

## 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 above — verify before relying.

Provides a pip-installable Japanese morphological analysis dictionary (UniDic 2.1.2) for use with MeCab wrappers like mecab-python3 or fugashi.

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

pip install unidic-lite
uv add unidic-lite
poetry add unidic-lite

## Installing unidic-lite

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.

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 analysis

Requires a separate MeCab wrapper (mecab-python3 or fugashi) to be installed and functional; unidic-lite alone cannot perform morphological analysis

Verify 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: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 494.3K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

japanese morphological analysis dictionary, unidic pip install, mecab japanese dictionary, japanese nlp dictionary, unidic lite, japanese text parsing, japanese-nlp, morphological-analysis

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