# Chinese Pinyin Trainer — The easy way to master Pinyin

> Mandarin Chinese Pinyin and tone learning tool with audio and interactive exercises. (iPhone/iPad app by trainchinese B.V..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-pinyin-trainer/id376797304 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [trainchinese B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1443075140)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 97 App Store ratings · 187 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 95 MB
- Languages: American English, Arabic, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese and 5 more
- Released: 2010-07-01
- Data updated: 2026-09-07
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-pinyin-trainer/id376797304/reviews.md

## What is Chinese Pinyin Trainer?

Master the sounds of Mandarin Chinese with ease!

No matter if you're a beginner or a long-time student of Chinese, its tonal nature can catch you out and even cause some serious embarrassment...

Pinyin Trainer will help you master those tones using Pinyin, the standard romanization system for Mandarin Chinese. With almost 2,000 individual audio recordings and a variety of question-and-answer methods, it'll keep you on your toes and improve your Chinese listening skills like nothing else. Plus, it's got a complete guide to reading Chinese with the Pinyin system built right in.

Features:

- Score by tapping the words that you hear

- Train both Chinese tones and Pinyin "initials" sounds, to help you distinguish between commonly-confused words

- Integrates with our Chinese-English dictionary to provide potential definitions for Pinyin words

- In tone sketching mode, answer tone questions by drawing Pinyin tones with your fingers!

- Almost 2,000 high quality original audio recordings

- Free guide to reading Pinyin, with a complete index of one-syllable Chinese sounds

## Key features

- Tap words based on audio
- Train Chinese tones and Pinyin initials
- Integrates with Chinese-English dictionary
- Tone sketching mode for drawing tones
- 2,000+ audio recordings
- Guide to reading Pinyin

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pinyin Tutor Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| 12-month 10-list subscription | $49.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Chinese Pinyin Trainer?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Excellent for tone training
- 🚀 Helps learn pinyin quickly
- 🎧 Clear audio pronunciation
- 💡 Fun and engaging for learners
- 💰 Low price / good value
- ✅ Effective for beginners
- 📚 Good for drilling foundations
- 💯 Helps improve listening skills
- 📱 Easy to use interface
- ✨ Useful for revision
- 🎯 Forces brain to work
- 🌟 Great for aural training
- 👍 Good for practicing pronunciation
- 📚 Useful pinyin guide included
- 🗣️ Authentic pronunciation

**Cons**

- 📉 Free version is limited
- ⏳ Trial version is short
- 🔊 Poor sound quality reported
- 🤔 Some tones are unclear
- 😩 Monotonous at times
- 💸 Not enough features without paying
- 🐞 Incorrect tones in some words
- 📱 App is dated
- 🐌 Slow setup / activation
- 🚫 Stops working after trial
- 🤏 Small print / tone marks
- 📊 Limited progress tracking
- ❌ 'Draw the tone' mode doesn't work
- 🔇 No sound in some versions
- ❓ Unclear if free version has ads

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Cannot see 'lü' tone marks
- Some words have incorrect tones
- 'Draw the tone' mode doesn't work
- App crashes on tablets
- No sound on some versions
- Free version stops working
- Trial version is too short
- Sound quality is poor
- Tones are unclear
- Small print for tone marks
- App is dated
- Slow setup process
- Login issues / password activation problems
- App stops working after trial
- Issues with upgrading

**Most requested features**

- Add a 'Next' button
- Allow re-listening to audio after wrong answer
- Fix 'lü' tone marks visibility
- Offer multiple voice levels for tones
- Add a testing function for tone comparison
- Include a microphone for pronunciation testing
- Support multitasking
- Support iPhone 5 display size
- Add progress tracking
- Option to stop after incorrect answers for review
- Practice multi-syllable words
- Define custom word lists
- Display Chinese characters during pinyin games
- Allow input of specific vocabulary
- Customizable tests for initial sounds
- Retest frequently missed words

## Recent user reviews (10 of 187)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-pinyin-trainer/id376797304/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Sucks after the actualization

*2026-06-26, version 5.0.0*

Ir was great because it’s free version let you practice 15 excersices. Now it only let you practice 5. Sad.

### 5/5 — Cuộc sống

*2026-05-13, version 4.3.0*

Hay

### 4/5 — Fun ear training for tones!

*2026-05-08, version 4.3.0*

This quick and playful app was just right for an adult learner like me, drilled with the tones but still missing many by ear in real time. Pleasant articulate voice, easy button selections, low price, fun challenges. Might even help watching Cdramas!

### 5/5 — App quality

*2026-04-29, version 4.3.0*

Good

### 3/5 — Bực bộiiii

*2026-04-17, version 4.3.0*

Mắc gì toi nạp tiền rồi khong dùng được

### 5/5 — Quick easy way to study tones

*2026-01-02, version 4.3.0*

This is probably the best way to get the little bit of training you need. A little bit every day. I do two sessions of 50 correct answers. My incorrect percentage has gone down from 33% to 16% in a bit over a week. I think a couple months will make it automatic for be, which is what you need.

### 5/5 — Отлично

*2025-12-25*

Отличное приложение

### 5/5 — Отзыв

*2025-11-22*

Очень нравится

### 5/5 — Пиньинь

*2025-10-31*

Очень полезное приложение . Рекомендую

### 5/5 — Learning

*2025-09-28, version 4.3.0*

Good

## Frequently asked questions about Chinese Pinyin Trainer

### What does Pinyin Trainer do?

Pinyin Trainer helps you master the sounds and tones of Mandarin Chinese. It uses nearly 2,000 audio recordings and various question-and-answer methods to improve your listening comprehension and ability to distinguish between similar-sounding words.

### What are the key features of Pinyin Trainer?

Key features include scoring by tapping heard words, training both Chinese tones and Pinyin 'initial' sounds, integration with a Chinese-English dictionary, a tone sketching mode for drawing tones, over 2,000 audio recordings, and a free guide to reading Pinyin.

### Is Pinyin Trainer free to use?

The app offers a free guide to reading Pinyin and core training features. Additional content or advanced functionalities may be available through in-app purchases.

### Who is Pinyin Trainer for?

This app is designed for anyone learning Mandarin Chinese, from beginners struggling with tones to more advanced students looking to refine their pronunciation and listening skills.

### How does Pinyin Trainer help with Chinese tones?

It specifically trains you to distinguish between the four main Chinese tones and the neutral tone. The tone sketching mode allows you to practice drawing tones with your finger, reinforcing your understanding of their pitch contours.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.0.0 — 2026-06-16

This update refreshes the app design, adds support for Dark Mode, and is translated into more languages. Thanks for learning with us!

### 4.3.0 — 2020-10-18

This update improves stability. Thanks for using Pinyin Trainer!

### 4.2.2 — 2019-10-30

This update improves reliability on iOS 13. Thank you for using Pinyin Trainer!

### 4.2.1 — 2019-02-04

This update fixes a crash that occurred when jumping to the trainchinese dictionary to start a search from the "Review" table.

### 4.2 — 2019-02-01

Better support for the taller screens of the iPhone X family.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-07.*