A Father's Gift, A Learner's Journey. "Dabia" is not in any dictionary. It's a lovely word my three-year-old daughter invented—for me, it represents the pure joy of discovery and expression.
Dabia was born from my own family's journey. When I moved with my family from China to Japan, I watched my young daughter navigate a new world with curiosity and ease. She didn't "study" the language; she acquired it organically, through play and discovery.
I chose the name "Dabia" to capture that sense of innocence. I didn't want to build just another piece of software; I wanted to create a tool forged from paternal love—something that could transform the heavy burden of language learning into the lighthearted joy of discovery. I believe learning shouldn't be a grind; it should feel like exploring the world through a child's eyes.
I designed Dabia to be more than just an app; I wanted it to feel like a piece of premium stationery. The aesthetic is inspired by clean editorial design and the focused energy of a physical study space.
- Terracotta & Canvas Palette: I moved away from cold, generic UI colors to a signature Terracotta (#D97757) brand color set against a warm Canvas (#F9F9F8) background. This "paper-like" feel reduces eye strain and creates a grounded, calming atmosphere for deep focus.
- Pure Focus: I've kept the interface as clean as Notion and as efficient as Lingvist. By using Noto Serif JP for Japanese text, I aim to give the language the elegance and respect it deserves, stripping away the digital noise.
- Your Reliable Companion: I built this to be there for you whenever you're ready—whether it's during your morning commute or a quiet study session late at night.
At the heart of Dabia is a rigorous Spaced Repetition System (SRS) I developed to respect how our brains actually work. I don't just want to track if you're "right" or "wrong"; I want to model your memory's journey across five distinct stages:
- New: Our first connection with a new word.
- Hard: Your brain is working hard to build neural pathways; I'll show you this card more frequently for immediate reinforcement.
- Learning: You're starting to internalize the word; short-term consolidation is happening.
- Easy: Long-term retention is established; I'll extend the review intervals to weeks so you can focus on new challenges.
- Mastered: The word has become part of your subconscious—true language intuition.
My scheduler acts as your personal coach, delivering the right card at the precise moment before you forget. I want to ensure every minute you spend is a permanent investment in your fluency.
You can get your local learning environment up and running in just a few minutes.
cd backend
docker-compose up -d # Start database
uv sync # Install dependencies
uv run alembic upgrade head # Apply migrations
uv run uvicorn dabia.main:app --reloadcd frontend
npm install
npm run devVisit http://localhost:5173 and start your journey with me.
I am grateful to the anki-jlpt-decks project by egg rolls for the core card data (licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0).
© 2026 Dabia Project. Built with code, defined by heart.