Kindle Vocab Plugin for Obsidian

Kindle Vocab is an Obsidian plugin that lets you import vocabulary lookups from your Kindle device and convert them into structured, interactive Markdown notes.

Ideal for learners who want to build a personal vocabulary library and review it directly within Obsidian.

Developed by: Bao Truong

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Features

• Generate Markdown from your Kindle lookups (vocab.db)
• Integrate custom dictionary files (CSV format)
• Mark words as "Learned/Unlearned" using checkboxes
• View statistics such as percentage learned
• Sort words by timestamp or prioritize unlearned items

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How to Use

1. Upload Your Vocabulary Database

• Open the command palette (Ctrl + P) and run:
  Upload your vocabulary database
• Select your vocab.db file.
  You can find this file by connecting your Kindle to your computer via USB and searching for Kindle (E:)/system/vocabulary/vocab.db.

2. Upload a Dictionary File (CSV)

• Download a public dictionary file:
  • Webster’s Dictionary CSV
  • wiktionary.csv (customized)

You may also upload your own dictionary file, provided that it is in CSV format with the structure:
word, information

• Run the command:
  Upload your dictionary file
  Then select your .csv dictionary file.

ℹ️ Amazon dictionaries are DRM-protected and cannot be used. This plugin uses public alternatives like GCIDE and Wiktionary. The wiktionary.csv file is a customized version of data from Wiktionary.

3. Sync and Review Vocabulary

• Click the Sync icon in the ribbon (left sidebar), or run the command:
  Sync the vocabulary builder to your Obsidian
• In the popup modal, click Start Sync
• A new file named My Vocabulary Builder.md will be created
• Switch to Preview mode (Ctrl + E) to interact with checkboxes, and resync to track your learning progress

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Notices when use

• You shouldn't change the name of the My Vocabulary Builder.md file, since it will affect the checkbox learned/unlearned function.
• Ìf you want to change the folder which is used to store the vocab.db, dictionary.csv, and My Vocabulary Builder.md, you can change it in Settings Tab.

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References

• Obsidian Plugin Developer Docs
• Obsidian API Reference
• TypeScript Handbook
• esbuild Documentation
• GCIDE Dictionary
• Webster’s Dictionary CSV
• Wiktionary
• Microsoft Docs – DRM
• VEED

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Additional Tools

Want to sync vocabulary directly to Anki?
Check out: KindleVocab2Anki

⚠️ Note: This tool may require deDRM, which is legally restricted in some regions.

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FAQ

Q: Can I log in with my Amazon account and sync the vocab.db automatically?
A: No. You must manually upload the vocab.db file. Amazon does not provide an API or allow access to this file via account login.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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Future developments

• Support other languages beside English
• Better customized dictionary
• Let the user move file, change file name dynamically, not through the settings.

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Say Thanks

If you found this plugin useful, you can support its development:

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