I’ve been learning Chinese for quite some time, and although I’m not fluent yet, you might be surprised how far I’ve come using my phone as my primary language learning tool.

I’ve lived in China for over 7 years, and I’ve sampled what feels like every resource available… I mean, I haven’t, but I’ve tried absolutely loads.

In fact, one could argue I’ve experimented too much in trying to find the perfect app, I would have learned more Chinese by simply knuckling down and studying using the most rudimentary materials.

Due to my insatiable appetite to find shortcuts for every endeavour in my life, I’m in a perfect position to tell you which apps are the most effective if you’re trying to learn basic Chinese.

Getting Started | Learning Characters with SRS (Spaced Repetition Software) | Reading Apps | Writing Characters | Speaking Apps | Sentence Mining Apps | Listening Apps | Video Apps | The HSK | Honourable Mentions

Apps for Getting Started

I can safely say that there is no app out there that will take care of your every Chinese learning need, and none are good enough to make you abandon all others.

To learn Mandarin faster and more holistically, you’ll need a collection of apps on your phone (as well as learning materials that aren’t apps).

However, there are a few apps aimed at absolute beginners that try to deliver a Chinese language learning program covering all of the very basics, and they’re all fairly similar.

Don’t expect any of the following apps to take you beyond a beginner stage. They’re sort of like ‘no-commitment-gentle-intro-test-to-see-if-you-like-learning-languages’ kind of apps.

At the most, they will teach you the following:

• The first few hundred all-important words and characters.
• Basic grammar and phrases.
• A general introduction to the sights and sounds of Mandarin Chinese.

I have written a more in-depth guide and review of Duolingo which you can find here.

You can check out other articles which help newbie learners below:

• How To Learn Mandarin From Scratch (From a Guy Who’s Done It)
• Learning Chinese: The Best Textbooks For Beginners
• The 24 Best Mandarin Chinese Study Resources for Beginners
• Learning Chinese: 15+ Listening Tools Perfect for Beginners
• Can I Learn a Language Completely by Myself?
• A Beginner’s Guide to Chinese Calligraphy | Tools, Styles, and Tips!
• Can you Learn Chinese by Studying Only 5 Minutes a Day?

Learning Characters With SRS (Spaced Repetition Software)

The acquisition of new characters is perhaps the biggest battle when learning Chinese as a beginner.

As many advanced learners might tell you, Chinese grammar is simple enough (compared to other European languages) with no tenses, gender pronouns, or conjugation of verbs. The laborious yet uncomplex task of learning Chinese characters is where much of your energy will be channeled.

Very simply put, every word in Chinese is represented by a picture or combination of pictures. Not all words have completely unique characters, as many characters are combined to make new words.

SRS should NOT be your only method of learning characters. However, it does help speed up the process of learning them.

Other articles I have written which should help with your quest to make sense of Chinese characters:

• Simplified and Traditional Chinese Characters | Which Should I Learn?
• Can I Learn Mandarin Chinese Without Learning Characters?
• What are Radicals and Components in Chinese Characters?
• How to Lookup Chinese Characters you Don’t Know
• The 5 Best Apps For Learning To Write Chinese Characters
• How Do I Type Chinese Characters On My Phone and Computer?
• Learning Chinese Characters: 5 Effective Strategies

Reading Apps

Reading should be at the heart of your studies when it comes to learning Mandarin Chinese.

It’s one of the best forms of comprehensible input (along with listening) and through reading, you gain repeated exposure to grammar patterns, words, and so much of the language in general.

Finding reading material is difficult for beginners, which is why I recommend graded readers and the following apps.

Here you can check out my recommendations for graded readers.

Apps for Writing Characters

Handwriting Chinese characters is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted, and I’ve tried to lick my own elbow…

I have a lot of respect for all Chinese people and any non-native that undertakes the mammoth journey of writing Chinese.

Along with many other learners of Mandarin, I believe that learning to write characters is the most time-intensive aspect of learning Mandarin, and it carries with it the least reward.

But just because I’m lazy when it comes to writing characters by hand, it doesn’t mean you should be as well.

If you’re trying to learn how to write characters, the best app I’ve come across by a country mile is…

Skritter

The interface is great, and no other handwriting app comes close. You can import wordlists, choose one from the extensive database, or manually create your own. It uses spaced repetition and also provides stroke order diagrams, as well as other subtle features such as stroke suggestions and tweaks to the character presentation.

Although I’m a slacker when it comes to writing characters, I was told something by one of my first Chinese teachers back in the day that has stuck with me ever since:

‘Once you’ve learned to write a character by hand, you’ll never, ever forget it.’

This is true… but I still can’t be bothered.

And if you really want to learn to write but can’t afford the price tag of Skritter, you can pick up plenty of thick pads of Chinese writing paper for a few RMB at any stationery store in China or on Amazon.

Pleco has already been mentioned for its flashcard tool, but it also has a handwriting tool included in the basic bundle. However, keep in mind that it has virtually none of the bells and whistles that Skritter has.

– $14.99/1 month
– $59.99/6 months
– $99.99/12 months
– $179.99/24 months

For a more detailed review of Skritter and a more in-depth guide to writing characters, check out the following:

• Skritter Review | The Most Time-Efficient Way to Learn to Write Characters
• The 5 Best Apps For Learning To Write Chinese Characters

Speaking

Many people will argue that the best way to get better at speaking Chinese is to get yourself out there and approach every random Chinese person you see and start a conversation.

Although this will improve your Chinese slightly, there is a more respectful way of speaking to people who actually want to speak to you in return.

Need more help with Mandarin pronunciation? Check out the following articles:

• 7 Tips for Drastically Improving Your Pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese
• 25 Mandarin Chinese Tongue Twisters to Practice Pronunciation!

Sentence Mining

Sentence mining is a very useful and increasingly popular technique for learning Mandarin Chinese.

Basically, instead of studying individual characters and words through SRS, you’ll be learning full sentences instead. This gives you the added advantages of learning new words in context, as well as being repeatedly exposed to grammar patterns.

There are two diverging methods when it comes to studying sentence mining:

1. Volume: study 10,000 random sentences to give you a pretty solid base of the language. See the above resources for this kind of thing, as you’re unable to make your own sentence flashcards in both Glossika and Speechling.
   
2. Tailored: create your own sentence cards based on your own study plan. For example, taking sentences from a textbook you’re learning so you can really drill that stuff into your brain. If you’d prefer to study this way, see below:

If you’re going with the first method, I suggest Speechling. If you’re going with tailored sentences, I’d suggest going with Anki.

Listening

Along with reading, listening should form the bulk of your Chinese studies. I’ve spoken in other posts on this site about listening in Chinese being objectively difficult compared to other languages.

The solution?

A lot of practice.

Intermediate and advanced learners of Chinese have access to a lot of materials to suit their level. Apps like QQ Music and Youku provide as much audio and video that as they want, at a level they’ll be able to understand.

For beginners, this doesn’t make much sense unless you’re listening passively. If you want your listening practice to be more productive, you’ll need short, structured audio lessons that you can actually digest and learn from.

Video

Video is an incredibly effective method for language learning.

Think about it.

You’re listening, reading (with subs), and viewing your target language in context, all at the same time.

Probably the best thing about most Mandarin video content is that most of the time it comes with Chinese subtitles.

This is something you’ll notice when watching Chinese movies and TV shows.

YouTube

OK, this might seem a bit obvious, but a lot of the best TV shows and movies are already available for free on YouTube.

If you’re looking for a lot more Mandarin learning content on YouTube, check out the articles below. I have compiled a fairly big list of YouTube channels that are perfect for learners at all levels.

• 57 of the Best YouTube Channels for Learning Mandarin Chinese
• Learn Mandarin with Film | 101 Awesome Chinese and Taiwanese Movies
• 101 TV Shows for Chinese Learners | Drama, Action, Comedy, and More!

The HSK

The HSK stands for Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (汉语水平考试), which is translated as the Chinese Proficiency Test, is the standardized test of Mandarin in Mainland China for non-native speakers.

It seems to be the way that most foreigners in China gauge their progress in Mandarin and flex with each other online and at parties.

HEADS UP! The HSK is currently going through some changes and the new system looks like it’ll be launched in 2022. An extra 3 levels will be added (7, 8, and 9). However, the current tests for levels 1-6 will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. If you’re still confused, check out the video below that explains it all quite well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpRUrxYh_k4

SuperTest – The HSK App

If you’re preparing for the HSK exam or learning Mandarin using HSK materials, it makes sense that you’d buy the textbooks.

However, if you want to study HSK material from your phone, the SuperTest app will provide you with everything related to the HSK.

And when I say everything, I really do mean everything.

I’d even go as far as to say you don’t need the textbook if you have the app, but you’ll probably still want to give your eyes a break from a screen.

With the SuperTest app you can take advantage of the following:

• Vocab practice.
• Grammar practice.
• Reading, writing, and listening practice.
• Special training and exercises for each question type.
• Real and mock HSK exams.

It’s a paid app, but I think the pricing is fair if you choose to work through a lot of HSK materials quite quickly.

– 1-month subscription: £15.99
– Lifetime VIP: £94.99
– 12-month subscription: £64.99

For more information about The HSK, check out the following:

• How Useful Are The HSK Textbooks?
• How Long Does It Take To Pass Each Level Of The HSK?

Honourable Mentions

Conclusion

So, there you have it.

A complete guide to the best apps for learning Mandarin Chinese from someone who has spent an inordinate amount of time trying new apps instead of actually learning Mandarin Chinese.

Remember that although using apps can actually take you quite far with Mandarin, you’ll need to branch out with your learning materials to reach the highest heights.

Check out the articles below to learn more!

Further Reading

• 100+ MANDARIN LEARNING RESOURCES: THE FASTEST WAY TO FLUENCY
• THE 24 BEST MANDARIN STUDY RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS
• 14 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN MANDARIN CHINESE
• IS IT EASY TO LEARN MANDARIN CHINESE?
• THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LEARNING MANDARIN CHINESE IN CHINA