Themes and appearance

Customize meikipop’s popup colors, fonts, and display options to create your perfect reading experience

Meikipop offers extensive customization of the dictionary popup’s appearance. Choose from built-in themes or create your own custom color scheme.

Built-in themes

Meikipop includes four carefully designed color themes plus a custom option.

Nazeka (default)

Dark gray theme with cyan and green highlights

Background: #2E2E2E (dark gray)
Foreground: #F0F0F0 (light gray)
Word highlight: #88D8FF (cyan)
Reading highlight: #90EE90 (light green)
Opacity: 245/255

Named after the Nazeka browser extension that inspired meikipop. Provides excellent readability with comfortable colors for extended reading.

Celestial Indigo

Deep purple theme with gold and lavender highlights

Background: #281E50 (deep indigo)
Foreground: #EAEFF5 (off-white)
Word highlight: #D4C58A (gold)
Reading highlight: #B5A2D4 (lavender)
Opacity: 245/255

Elegant and sophisticated. Great for users who prefer warmer, richer colors.

Neutral Slate

Medium gray theme with muted green highlights

Background: #5D5C5B (medium gray)
Foreground: #EFEBE8 (cream white)
Word highlight: #A3B8A3 (sage green)
Reading highlight: #A3B8A3 (sage green)
Opacity: 245/255

Subtle and professional. Perfect for users who prefer understated colors.

Academic

Light theme with dark text and traditional academic colors

Background: #FDFBF7 (off-white)
Foreground: #212121 (dark gray)
Word highlight: #8C2121 (dark red)
Reading highlight: #005A9C (dark blue)
Opacity: 245/255

High contrast light theme. Ideal for bright environments or users who prefer reading dark text on light backgrounds.

Custom

User-defined colors

When you manually adjust any color or opacity setting, the theme automatically switches to “Custom”.

Start with a built-in theme, then tweak individual colors to create your perfect customization.

Changing themes

1. Open Settings

   Right-click the meikipop tray icon and select Settings.

2. Navigate to Popup Appearance tab

   Click the Popup Appearance tab in the Settings dialog.

3. Select a theme preset

   In the Theme section, choose a preset from the Preset dropdown.

4. Preview (optional)

   The changes apply in real-time. Trigger a lookup to see the new theme.

5. Save

   Click Save to make your changes permanent.

Theme changes take effect immediately without restarting meikipop.

Customizing colors

You can customize individual colors to create your own theme.

Color settings

color_background · hex color · default: "#2E2E2E"

Background color

The popup window’s background color.

Tips:

• Dark backgrounds (#1E1E1E - #4E4E4E) reduce eye strain in low light
• Light backgrounds (#E0E0E0 - #FFFFFF) work better in bright environments
• Avoid pure black (#000000) or pure white (#FFFFFF) for better comfort

color_foreground · hex color · default: "#F0F0F0"

Foreground color

The default text color for definitions, part of speech, and body text.

Tips:

• Ensure high contrast with background (4.5:1 minimum for readability)
• Light gray on dark background is easier on eyes than pure white
• Dark gray on light background is more comfortable than pure black

color_highlight_word · hex color · default: "#88D8FF"

Word highlight color

Color used for the main word form (kanji/kana) and kanji characters.

Tips:

• Choose a bright, saturated color for emphasis
• Should stand out from foreground color
• Common choices: cyan, gold, red, bright blue

color_highlight_reading · hex color · default: "#90EE90"

Reading highlight color

Color used for furigana/reading text in square brackets.

Tips:

• Should be distinct from word highlight color
• Slightly less saturated than word color works well
• Common choices: light green, lavender, orange, pink

Picking custom colors

1. Open color settings

   Navigate to Settings → Popup Appearance → Colors section.

2. Click a color button

   Each color setting has a button showing the current color. Click it to open the color picker.

3. Choose your color

   Use the color picker to select a new color:

   • Pick from the color wheel
   • Enter a hex code (e.g., #FF5733)
   • Use RGB sliders for precise control
4. Confirm selection

   Click OK in the color picker. The button updates to show your new color.

5. Test and iterate

   Trigger a lookup to see your color in action. Adjust as needed.

6. Save changes

   Click Save in the Settings dialog to apply your custom theme.

When you customize any color, the theme automatically switches to “Custom” to preserve your changes.

Adjusting opacity

Control the transparency of the popup background.

background_opacity · integer · default: "245"

Background opacity

Controls how transparent the popup background is.

Range: 50-255

• 255: Fully opaque (no transparency)
• 245: Slightly transparent (default)
• 200: Noticeably transparent
• 150: Highly transparent
• 50: Very transparent (minimal visibility)

Slight transparency (230-250) makes the popup feel lighter and less obtrusive while maintaining excellent readability.

How to adjust

Via Settings dialog

1. Open Settings → Popup Appearance
2. In the Theme section, adjust the Background Opacity slider
3. The label shows the current value (50-255)
4. Changes preview in real-time
5. Click Save to apply

Via config.ini

Edit the configuration file:

[Theme]
background_opacity = 245

Restart meikipop for changes to take effect.

Very low opacity values (below 150) can make text difficult to read, especially over complex backgrounds like games or videos.

Typography settings

Customize fonts and sizes for optimal readability.

Font family

font_family · string · default: ""

Font family

The font used for all popup text. Empty string uses the system default.

Recommended Japanese fonts:

Windows:

• Yu Gothic - Modern, clean (default on Windows 10/11)
• Meiryo - Excellent screen readability
• MS Gothic - Traditional monospaced
• MS PGothic - Proportional variant

macOS:

• Hiragino Sans - System default, excellent quality
• Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro - Classic choice
• Hiragino Mincho Pro - Serif style

Linux:

• Noto Sans CJK JP - Google’s high-quality font
• Noto Serif CJK JP - Serif variant
• IPAGothic - Free, widely compatible
• TakaoGothic - IPA-based alternative

Leave this setting empty to use your system’s default Japanese font, which is usually a good choice.

Font sizes

font_size_header · integer · default: "18"

Header font size

Size in pixels for the main word and reading.

Range: 8-72

Guidelines:

• 14-16: Compact (more entries visible)
• 18-20: Comfortable (default range)
• 22-26: Large (easier to read)
• 28+: Very large (accessibility)

font_size_definitions · integer · default: "14"

Definition font size

Size in pixels for definitions and body text.

Range: 8-72

Guidelines:

• 12-13: Compact
• 14-15: Standard (default)
• 16-18: Comfortable
• 20+: Large

Keep definition size 2-4 pixels smaller than header size for good visual hierarchy.

Changing typography

1. Open Settings

   Navigate to Settings → Popup Appearance.

2. Find Typography section

   Scroll to the Typography group.

3. Select font (optional)

   Choose a font from the Font Family dropdown. Fonts are filtered to show Japanese-compatible options.

4. Adjust sizes

   Use the spinboxes to set:

   • Font Size (Header): Main word size
   • Font Size (Definitions): Body text size
5. Test readability

   Trigger a lookup to see how your changes look in practice.

6. Save

   Click Save to apply your typography settings.

For visually impaired users: Try font_size_header = 24, font_size_definitions = 18, and a clear sans-serif font like Noto Sans CJK.

Popup positioning

Control how the popup is positioned relative to your cursor.

popup_position_mode · string · default: "flip_vertically"

Position mode

Determines how meikipop positions the popup to avoid screen edges.

Flip Vertically

Default and recommended

• Appears below cursor by default
• Flips above cursor if no space below
• Pushes horizontally to stay on screen

Best for: General use, games, manga

Flip Horizontally

• Appears to the right of cursor by default
• Flips to the left if no space on right
• Pushes vertically to stay on screen

Best for: Vertical text layouts, narrow windows

Flip Both

• Flips both horizontally and vertically as needed
• Maximum flexibility
• Most aggressive at avoiding edges

Best for: Small screens, corner reading

Visual Novel Mode

• Intelligent positioning based on screen thirds
• Smooth interpolation between positions
• Optimized for text in lower/upper portions
• Centers horizontally when in middle third

Best for: Visual novels, dialogue-heavy games

Visual Novel Mode uses a sophisticated algorithm:

• Lower third of screen: popup appears above
• Upper third: popup appears below
• Horizontal position smoothly interpolates from right-aligned (left edge) to center-aligned (middle) to left-aligned (right edge)

Changing position mode

In Settings → General → Popup Behavior:

1. Locate the Position Mode dropdown
2. Select your preferred mode
3. Click Save
4. Test by moving cursor to different screen positions

Try Visual Novel Mode if you’re reading text that appears at the bottom or top of the screen. It’s designed to minimize obstruction.

Content display options

Control what information appears in the popup.

Compact vs expanded mode

compact_mode · boolean · default: "true"

Compact mode

Enabled (default)

Multiple definitions on one line, separated by semicolons.

食べる [たべる] to eat; to live on; to make a living

Pros:

• More entries fit on screen
• Faster to scan
• Less popup movement

Best for: Quick lookups, compact displays

Disabled

Each definition on its own line with numbers.

食べる [たべる]
(1) to eat
(2) to live on
(3) to make a living

Pros:

• Easier to distinguish multiple meanings
• More space for detailed information
• Better for learning

Best for: Study, detailed analysis

Information visibility toggles

All of these are configured in Settings → Popup Content.

show_all_glosses

Show all glosses (default: false)

When enabled, shows every gloss for each definition instead of just the first.

Example:

• Disabled: to eat
• Enabled: to eat, to consume, to devour, to gobble up

Makes popups longer but more comprehensive.

show_deconjugation

Show deconjugation (default: false)

Displays the deconjugation process for inflected forms.

Example:

食べられる [たべられる] (食べる ← potential form)

Helpful for learners to understand verb conjugations.

show_pos

Show part of speech (default: false)

Adds part-of-speech tags to definitions.

Example:

(1) (v1, vt) to eat
(2) (exp) to make a living

Tags like v1 (ichidan verb), vt (transitive), exp (expression).

show_tags

Show tags (default: false)

Displays dictionary metadata tags in the header.

Example:

食べる [たべる] [common, jlpt-n5, v1, vt]

Includes frequency, JLPT level, and word type information.

show_kanji

Show kanji entries (default: true)

Includes kanji information in lookup results.

When disabled:

• Only vocabulary entries shown
• Faster lookups
• Shorter popups

When enabled:

• Shows kanji meanings, readings, examples
• More comprehensive
• Helpful for learning kanji

show_examples

Show examples (default: false, kanji only)

Displays example words containing the kanji.

Example:

食 [ショク, ジキ]
食, eat, food
食事 [しょくじ] meal; 食べ物 [たべもの] food

Only applies to kanji entries. Requires show_kanji = true.

show_components

Show components (default: false, kanji only)

Shows the radical components that make up the kanji.

Example:

食 [ショク]
食, eat
人 person, 良 good

Helpful for remembering kanji through mnemonics.

Only applies to kanji entries. Requires show_kanji = true.

Creating a custom theme

Let’s walk through creating a custom purple theme from scratch.

1. Start with a base theme

   Open Settings → Popup Appearance.

   Choose Celestial Indigo as a starting point since it’s already purple-ish.

2. Customize the background

   Click the Background color button.

   Choose a deeper purple: #1A0F2E (very dark purple).

3. Adjust the foreground

   Keep foreground light for contrast: #E8DFF5 (light lavender).

4. Pick accent colors

   • Word highlight: #C77DFF (bright purple)
   • Reading highlight: #FFD60A (golden yellow for contrast)
5. Fine-tune opacity

   Set background opacity to 240 for slight transparency.

6. Test readability

   Trigger several lookups to test the theme with different words.

   Adjust if colors are too similar or contrast is insufficient.

7. Save your theme

   Click Save. Your custom theme is now active!

The theme selector will show “Custom” when you have manually adjusted colors.

Theme showcase

Here are some community-inspired themes you can recreate:

Solarized Dark

[Theme]
theme_name = Custom
color_background = #002B36
color_foreground = #93A1A1
color_highlight_word = #268BD2
color_highlight_reading = #2AA198
background_opacity = 245

Gruvbox

[Theme]
theme_name = Custom
color_background = #282828
color_foreground = #EBDBB2
color_highlight_word = #FABD2F
color_highlight_reading = #B8BB26
background_opacity = 245

Nord

[Theme]
theme_name = Custom
color_background = #2E3440
color_foreground = #ECEFF4
color_highlight_word = #88C0D0
color_highlight_reading = #A3BE8C
background_opacity = 245

Tokyo Night

[Theme]
theme_name = Custom
color_background = #1A1B26
color_foreground = #C0CAF5
color_highlight_word = #7AA2F7
color_highlight_reading = #9ECE6A
background_opacity = 245

Copy these configurations into your config.ini file and restart meikipop to try them out!

Accessibility considerations

For low vision users

Recommended settings:

• font_size_header = 24
• font_size_definitions = 18
• background_opacity = 255 (fully opaque)
• High contrast theme (Academic or custom)
• compact_mode = false (more spacing)

Color contrast:

• Aim for 7:1 contrast ratio (WCAG AAA standard)
• Test with a contrast checker tool

For dyslexia

Recommended settings:

• Clear sans-serif font (Noto Sans CJK)
• Larger font sizes (20+)
• Slightly lower opacity (220-235) to reduce harsh contrast
• Warm background colors (beige, cream)
• compact_mode = false

For color blindness

Protanopia/Deuteranopia (red-green):

• Avoid red/green color combinations
• Use blue/yellow or blue/orange instead
• Example: word = #4A9EFF, reading = #FFB347

Tritanopia (blue-yellow):

• Avoid blue/yellow combinations
• Use red/green or pink/teal instead
• Example: word = #FF6B9D, reading = #26A69A

Performance impact

Appearance settings have minimal performance impact. Font rendering and color calculations are highly optimized by Qt.

Factors that do affect performance:

• Very large font sizes (40+) slightly increase render time
• Extremely long popups from show_all_glosses + many definitions
• Multiple kanji entries with show_examples and show_components

Factors that don’t affect performance:

• Color choice
• Opacity level
• Theme selection
• Font family (assuming the font is installed)

Troubleshooting

Popup text is unreadable

Possible causes:

• Insufficient contrast between colors
• Opacity too low
• Font size too small

Solutions:

1. Switch to a built-in theme (Nazeka or Academic)
2. Increase background_opacity to 245+
3. Increase font sizes
4. Use a contrast checker to verify color choices

Japanese characters don't display correctly

Symptoms: Boxes, question marks, or missing characters

Cause: Missing Japanese font

Solutions:

• Windows: Install Yu Gothic or Meiryo
• macOS: Should work by default
• Linux: Install fonts-noto-cjk package
• Or explicitly set font_family to an installed Japanese font

Theme changes don't apply

If using Settings dialog:

• Ensure you clicked Save
• Try triggering a new lookup
• Check if config.ini was updated

If editing config.ini manually:

• Restart meikipop after editing
• Verify syntax (no typos in color codes)
• Check file permissions

Colors look different than expected

Possible causes:

• Monitor color profile
• Display calibration
• Night mode/flux affecting colors
• Graphics driver settings

These are system-level factors. Adjust your color choices to compensate or configure your display settings.