# Scribe Chinese — Master Vocabulary

> Learn Chinese vocabulary through sound-alike associations and interactive games. (iPhone/iPad app by Guiix Pty Ltd.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribe-chinese/id639164915 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Guiix Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/550872102)
- Category: Education, Travel
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 28 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 135 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-05-01
- Data updated: 2026-06-08
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribe-chinese/id639164915/reviews.md

## What is Scribe Chinese?

Scribe Chinese has been intentionally designed to teach mastery of Chinese vocabulary - you learn all common Chinese words. Using a unique study method, words are remembered with related-sounding words, so that in real-life situations you are able to contextually select the correct word, even if you missed the tone.  Study Chinese this way, and your mind's ability to select the correct word in context increases 10 fold. Just think about it: for every similar sound, you will know the 4 or 5 possible popular words it could be. 

Scribe Chinese quietly saturates your mind with all the correct linkages to learn Chinese to a better-than-native level. This is the fastest known method to the learn mandarin Chinese language, by focusing on learning through Chinese games.

Scribe: Chinese also includes numerous games using the same study deck, so no matter what game you play, your study picks up where you left off. You can study Chinese YOUR way. And your dreams of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau can come closer.

ScribeChinese has been tried and tested by numerous users, who say the Scribe Origins method of study is faster than any other method for attaining a massive Putonghua vocabulary. Regardless of your preferred dialect, Putonghua, Guoyu, Huayu.. ScribeChinese is the way to learn.

== Features ==

- 5000 of the most common words, including HSK exam test words.
- Full native audio spoken for every single word. Speak Chinese within weeks, instead of years, with a daily commitment to study Chinese words.
- 6 Chinese games: Chinese flashcards, Chinese multiple choice, Chinese tiles, listening flashcards, listening multiple choice, matchup.
- Chinese Pinyin tone markers + colors.
- Spaced-Repetition System that.. is simply incredible. When you get down into the deeper levels with thousands of words to remember, you'll be amazed at how accurately the right word comes along.
- Study Chinese completely offline - no internet bandwidth used. Learn and study Chinese anywhere - on the train, bus, on the way to work, sitting waiting, in coffee shops, on bed before dreaming Chinese in your sleep.
- Your choice of colored or numbered pinyin, along with the native hanzi reading (for help with remembering the hanzi, you can use our hanzi app: Scribe Origins).
- Ruby text places the reading above the hanzi character, just like in manga and anime readings  (and quietly helps you learn Chinese).
- Synchronise your progress across devices, if you want to learn Chinese on your iPhone and iPad. Both apps will be synced to the ScribeChinese app.
- Example usage sentences and common Chinese phrases for the most popular Mandarin Chinese words.
- Most users who have gone through the entire first level unequivocally say that Scribe Chinese is currently the fastest way to learn Mandarin Chinese language, both listening and reading skills.

Optional Subscription:
Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, & identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user & auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. 
Terms & conditions: https://scribeorigins.com/disclaimer.html 
Privacy policy: https://scribeorigins.com/privacy.html

## Key features

- 5000 common Chinese words (incl. HSK)
- Native audio pronunciation
- 6 Chinese learning games
- Spaced-Repetition System
- Offline study mode
- Pinyin tone markers & colors
- Example sentences & phrases

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All | $1.49 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MegaPack | $12.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 28)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribe-chinese/id639164915/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Excellent tool

*2025-10-25, version 3.5.0*

the only app I know that lets you to compare a character with similar ones, that is huge because it gives my brain mental map to distinguish subtle differences between sounds and strokes. 
One thing that needs improvement is the sound quality, many recordings have background noises, some characters pronounced in a way that they sound misleading. For example, characters starting with k, t, p, f sometimes hard to distinguish.I hear “kong”, but it is “tong”. Though it is the nature of the language I guess, still it would be nice to improve sound quality, or even better to give variants of pronunciation, say, by adding male voice. 
Thank you for great app!

### 5/5 — The best 汉字 learning App!

*2020-12-23*

I tried so many apps, and most of them just toys that don’t help wasting my time. However, this app is amazingly well made in terms of content, it gives you holistic view on the characters, you can see every character in the context of other characters, can compare and find the differences that alleviate learning subtleties hidden in minute details. I used free version for some time but then decided to support the dev, after all it’s one time payment, not like other apps that want you to cash out every month! I bought the app and was astonished how much more I was missing! Now I can learn by recognizing speech! Definitely recommended!

### 3/5 — Generally ok but....

*2018-05-01, version 3.0.4*

Please fix the widespread occurrence of traditional characters within sentence examples (even though the app is set to simplified characters). Thank you!

### 5/5 — Love it!!!

*2016-09-24, version 3.0.3*

I TOTALLY LOVE THIS APP!! I use this everyday! I really like how you don't have to learn words according to the prearranged lists; I just add the words I am learning in class and focus on those and the words I already learned. 

A french version would be very helpful in college level french class!!! Would buy it in a heartbeat. 

I did notice for 老 the punctuation is 'lao.....shi'.

### 5/5 — It's fun and awesome

*2016-05-07, version 2.9.9*

I love this app!! It has a ton of fun games that really help you learn each and every character. I've just begun and already I know at least forty different characters and it's only day 2. I'm having fun with this app.  Also the different games allow you to learn from just the audio pronunciation, the written character or the romanized written version. Very happy with this app, it's a must get for anyone seriously looking to learn Chinese. Thank you so much! Keep up the good work.

### 5/5 — Super useful

*2016-01-17, version 2.9.9*

This is great support for learning Chinese characters, and goes well with my course. Have been using daily for six months. Needed a bit of care to get settings that suited me, but all good after that.

### 5/5 — Awesome content

*2015-01-31, version 2.8.3*

Wow!  Seriously. I've been playing around with multiples flashcards apps and this brings a lot more. 

For example, when trying to remember a card, I used to go to a dictionary app to break apart the symbol. This one does it for you. Even better, the elements of the symbol have their mnemonic with them. 

Another example: there is games with multiple choice questions which are less painful to use with freshly learned words. Well, you know what!  The author adjusted the rate of learning when using those games. 

Attention to details like that are all over the place.  Everything is fine tuned. 

At last, I would like to point out the quality of the content, quality of the audio and quality of how the database of words is organized.

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2014-12-02, version 2.8.3*

Exceeded all my expectations. Nothing can compare when it comes to learning vocabulary. It runs slow and crashes frequently on iPod 4th gen but on 5th gen it works perfectly

### 4/5 — Potentially really good

*2014-08-05, version 2.5*

App has a lovely design and is pretty useful but need to purchase to get the benefit

### 5/5 — Useful app to learn new launguage

*2014-08-05, version 2.5*

Make Chinese learning easier.

## Frequently asked questions about Scribe Chinese

### What is Scribe Chinese?

Scribe Chinese is an educational app designed to help users master Chinese vocabulary. It employs a unique study method that connects words with similar sounds, enabling users to recall the correct word in context. The app includes thousands of common words, native audio, and various games to facilitate learning.

### What are the key features of Scribe Chinese?

Key features include a database of 5000 common Chinese words, including HSK test words, full native audio for each word, six different Chinese learning games (flashcards, multiple choice, tiles, listening, matchup), Pinyin with tone markers and colors, and an effective Spaced-Repetition System. It also offers offline study and example sentences.

### How much does Scribe Chinese cost?

The app is free to download and use, with an optional subscription available. Payment for the subscription is charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation of purchase and automatically renews unless canceled.

### Can I use Scribe Chinese offline?

Yes, Scribe Chinese can be studied completely offline, meaning no internet bandwidth is used. This allows you to learn and study Chinese anywhere, such as on public transport, during commutes, or while waiting, without needing an internet connection.

### Who is Scribe Chinese designed for?

This app is designed for anyone who wants to learn Chinese vocabulary effectively and quickly. It is particularly beneficial for individuals aiming to achieve a better-than-native level of understanding, improve listening and reading skills, and prepare for HSK exams. It caters to learners of Putonghua, Guoyu, and Huayu.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.5.0 — 2021-09-21

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 3.4.0 — 2021-04-23

Several improvements behind the scenes.

### 3.2.4 — 2021-04-22

Several improvements behind the scenes.

### 3.2.3 — 2021-04-20

Long overdue update.

### 3.0.4 — 2017-08-18

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Fixed some issues with sounds in lists: Frequent 2.2 and 3.2 (thanks MT).

## Apps similar to Scribe Chinese

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Hanyu Wave](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanyu-wave/id1556400151) | 4.0 (4) | Free | Education |
| [Learn Chinese & Portuguese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-and-portuguese/id1526179795) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education |
| [MyChineseLite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mychineselite/id572205306) | — | Free | Education |
| [Flamingo - Basic Russian](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flamingo-basic-russian/id1464703649) | — | Free | Education |
| [Wen - Chinese Character Origin](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wen-chinese-character-origin/id1542508056) | 4.9 (8) | Free | Education |
| [Hungarian 365](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hungarian-365/id1161653546) | — | Free | Education |

## More apps by Guiix Pty Ltd

- [StudyChat Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studychat-japanese/id550873910)
- [StudyChat Cantonese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studychat-cantonese/id554501483)
- [StudyChat English](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studychat-english/id557784904)
- [StudyChat Chinese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studychat-chinese/id558700729)
- [Scribe Origins](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribe-origins/id616678052)

All apps by Guiix Pty Ltd: https://appshunter.io/developer/550872102

---

*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 2026-06-08.*