ChengYu - Daily Chinese Idioms

ChengYu - Daily Chinese Idioms

Learn Mandarin proverbs

12 ratings
9 reviews
Free

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • January 19, 2025
  • August 28, 2026

Features

ChengYu - Daily Chinese Idioms screenshot #1 for iPhone
ChengYu - Daily Chinese Idioms screenshot #2 for iPhone
ChengYu - Daily Chinese Idioms screenshot #3 for iPhone
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About

Discover a new Chinese idiom daily with integrated home screen widgets. Access pronunciation, detailed explanations, and choose character sets. This app works offline, offering cultural insights and daily inspiration.

Daily idiom with pinyin and translation
Native Mandarin pronunciation
Detailed idiom history and meaning
Customizable home screen widgets
Simplified and Traditional characters
Offline functionality
Show original description
+1

What's New in ChengYu

1.94

August 28, 2026

Added a subtitle and expanded search coverage so more learners can find the app.

User reviews

Great Idea AND Execution

This is such a unique app idea - I couldn’t find any others that do anything like this! And you can even see all past idioms. This has also been great for my Japanese. I’ve been taking pictures of unfamiliar characters and searching them up. Occasionally, my “kanji scanner” can’t read a character because it’s written in an odd font, but I’ve still learned a ton of new characters!
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Almost perfect

Love the design. Only two issues: 1. I can't seem to get the audio to work even after installing the voices. 2. I'd love to be able to show both literal and deeper meaning in the widgets.

Response from developer

Have added both deeper and literal meanings, is the audio still bugged for you?

Clean and Simple

This app does what is intended so perfectly. The interface looks good while being simple and intuitive. I appreciate the favorites list and the home screen widget.

Wonderful app

Just what I was looking for. Bite sized education. Would be amazing if a voice translation was added to teach people how to pronounce properly.

繁體

Hope we can have Traditional Chinese support in the future!

Response from developer

Just implemented, hope you enjoy

Developer apps

FAQ

What is the learning methodology of ChengYu?

ChengYu employs a daily learning approach, presenting one new Chinese idiom each day. This includes pinyin, English translation, native Mandarin pronunciation, and detailed historical explanations to facilitate understanding and retention.

How does ChengYu track user progress?

While ChengYu focuses on daily exposure to idioms, it does not explicitly offer a formal progress tracking system. Users can gauge their learning by their familiarity with the idioms presented over time.

Does ChengYu offer certifications?

ChengYu is designed for daily learning and cultural enrichment, not for formal academic study. Therefore, it does not offer any certifications upon completion of its content.

What do users like most about ChengYu?

Users appreciate the app's focus on daily idioms, the inclusion of native Mandarin pronunciation with correct tones, and the helpful home screen widgets. The detailed explanations of idiom history also receive positive feedback.

Is ChengYu suitable for beginners?

Yes, ChengYu is perfect for Chinese language learners at any level, including beginners. The daily presentation of idioms with translations and pronunciation support makes it accessible for those new to the language.

How often is ChengYu updated?

The latest version of ChengYu is 1.91, last updated on January 21, 2026. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, the recent update suggests ongoing development and support.

Does ChengYu have ads?

No, ChengYu does not contain advertisements. The app is completely free to use without any interruptions from ads.

What devices does ChengYu support?

Currently, ChengYu is supported on iPhones. The app is designed to leverage iOS features, including home screen widgets.