diff --git a/yomi_base/japanese/translate.py b/yomi_base/japanese/translate.py
index 0fe6bf2..0e9c33d 100644
--- a/yomi_base/japanese/translate.py
+++ b/yomi_base/japanese/translate.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class Translator:
         return definitions, length
 
 
-    def findCharacters(self, text):
+    def findKanji(self, text):
         text = util.sanitize(text, kana=False)
 
         processed = {}
diff --git a/yomi_base/japanese/util.py b/yomi_base/japanese/util.py
index 6285f86..197775c 100644
--- a/yomi_base/japanese/util.py
+++ b/yomi_base/japanese/util.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def sanitize(text, kana=True, wildcards=False):
     else:
         overrides = list()
 
-    result = unicode()
+    result = u''
     for c in text:
         if checker(c) or c in overrides:
             result += c
diff --git a/yomi_base/preferences.py b/yomi_base/preferences.py
index f749567..e28960f 100644
--- a/yomi_base/preferences.py
+++ b/yomi_base/preferences.py
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ class DialogPreferences(QtGui.QDialog, gen.preferences_ui.Ui_DialogPreferences):
     def profileToDialog(self):
         profile, name = self.activeProfile()
 
-        deck  = unicode() if profile is None else profile['deck']
-        model = unicode() if profile is None else profile['model']
+        deck  = u'' if profile is None else profile['deck']
+        model = u'' if profile is None else profile['model']
 
         self.comboBoxDeck.blockSignals(True)
         self.comboBoxDeck.clear()
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class DialogPreferences(QtGui.QDialog, gen.preferences_ui.Ui_DialogPreferences):
             itemName.setFlags(QtCore.Qt.ItemIsSelectable)
             columns.append(itemName)
 
-            itemValue = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem(fieldsPrefs.get(name, unicode()))
+            itemValue = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem(fieldsPrefs.get(name, u''))
             columns.append(itemValue)
 
             for j, column in enumerate(columns):
diff --git a/yomi_base/reader.py b/yomi_base/reader.py
index 24da26c..d957166 100644
--- a/yomi_base/reader.py
+++ b/yomi_base/reader.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ import updates
 class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
     class State:
         def __init__(self):
-            self.filename       = unicode()
-            self.searchText     = unicode()
+            self.filename       = u''
+            self.searchText     = u''
             self.kanjiDefs      = []
             self.vocabDefs      = []
             self.scanPosition   = 0
@@ -298,13 +298,13 @@ class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
         self.state.vocabDefs, length = self.language.findTerm(text, True)
         self.updateVocabDefs()
         if self.dockKanji.isVisible():
-            self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findCharacters(text)
+            self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findKanji(text)
             self.updateKanjiDefs()
 
 
     def onKanjiDefSearchReturn(self):
         text = unicode(self.textKanjiSearch.text())
-        self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findCharacters(text)
+        self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findKanji(text)
         self.updateKanjiDefs()
 
 
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
             self.preferences['textContent'] = unicode(self.textContent.toPlainText())
 
         self.setWindowTitle('Yomichan')
-        self.textContent.setPlainText(unicode())
+        self.textContent.setPlainText(u'')
         self.updateRecentFile(False)
         self.state = self.State()
 
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
 
         content           = unicode(self.textContent.toPlainText())
         contentSample     = content[samplePosStart:samplePosEnd]
-        contentSampleFlat = contentSample.replace(u'\n', unicode())
+        contentSampleFlat = contentSample.replace(u'\n', u'')
 
         cursor = self.textContent.textCursor()
 
@@ -512,11 +512,11 @@ class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
 
         if self.dockKanji.isVisible():
             if lengthMatched == 0:
-                self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findCharacters(contentSampleFlat[0])
+                self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findKanji(contentSampleFlat[0])
                 if len(self.state.kanjiDefs) > 0:
                     lengthMatched = 1
             else:
-                self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findCharacters(contentSampleFlat[:lengthMatched])
+                self.state.kanjiDefs = self.language.findKanji(contentSampleFlat[:lengthMatched])
             self.updateKanjiDefs()
 
         lengthSelect = 0
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ class MainWindowReader(QtGui.QMainWindow, gen.reader_ui.Ui_MainWindowReader):
                 self.state.vocabDefs += self.language.dictionary.findTerm(word)
 
             if self.dockKanji.isVisible():
-                self.state.kanjiDefs += self.language.findCharacters(word)
+                self.state.kanjiDefs += self.language.findKanji(word)
 
         self.updateVocabDefs(scroll=True)
         self.updateKanjiDefs(scroll=True)
diff --git a/yomi_base/reader_util.py b/yomi_base/reader_util.py
index 0be70c1..9674dd9 100644
--- a/yomi_base/reader_util.py
+++ b/yomi_base/reader_util.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def decodeContent(content):
 
 
 def stripReadings(content):
-    return re.sub(u'《[^》]+》', unicode(), content)
+    return re.sub(u'《[^》]+》', u'', content)
 
 
 def findSentence(content, position):
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def markupVocabExp(definition):
 
     return {
         'expression': definition['expression'],
-        'reading':    definition['reading'] or unicode(),
+        'reading':    definition['reading'] or u'',
         'glossary':   definition['glossary'],
         'sentence':   definition.get('sentence'),
         'summary':    summary
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def markupVocabReading(definition):
     if definition['reading']:
         return {
             'expression': definition['reading'],
-            'reading':    unicode(),
+            'reading':    u'',
             'glossary':   definition['glossary'],
             'sentence':   definition.get('sentence'),
             'summary':    definition['reading']
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ def buildEmpty():
 
 
 def buildVocabDef(definition, index, query):
-    reading = unicode()
+    reading = u''
     if definition['reading']:
         reading = u'<span class="reading">[{0}]<br></span>'.format(definition['reading'])
 
-    rules = unicode()
+    rules = u''
     if definition.get('rules'):
         rules = ' &lt; '.join(definition['rules'])
         rules = '<span class="rules">({0})<br></span>'.format(rules)