# TCB \| Read Chinese to Learn — Chinese Reading, Graded News

> Chinese reading practice app with graded news lessons and vocabulary tools. (iPhone/iPad app by The Chairmans Bao Ltd.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcb-read-chinese-to-learn/id1074317405 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The Chairmans Bao Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1074317404)
- Category: Education, News
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 546 App Store ratings · 261 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 44 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-01-30
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcb-read-chinese-to-learn/id1074317405/reviews.md

## What is TCB | Read Chinese to Learn?

The Chairman’s Bao (TCB) features 9,500+ news-based lessons to improve Chinese reading, with more published daily. Learn Chinese with beginner, intermediate and advanced level news to practice and improve fluency. 

New Release in October 2023! Brand new app release with improved user interface, new features and greater study personalization options!

Key Platform Features:

	1.	9,500+ News-Based Lessons
	2.	Brand New User Interface
	3.	New: Study Offline Mode: Learn on the go!
	4.	Test Your Skills: Reading and listening exercises for each lesson
	5.	One-Tap Dictionary: Look up and save any word 
	6.	Retention Tools: Track vocabulary study and lesson progress
	7.	Stroke Order & Chinese Writing: View and practice stroke order to improve writing
	8.	Cross-Platform Study: App and website
	9.	Lesson Package: Explore keywords, grammar explanations, idioms, and proper nouns for each lesson.
	10.	Bonus Content: Chinese myths and legends, beginner video series and more!

Free sample lesson at each level of proficiency. TCB offers a Premium service for paid subscribers.

Terms of Use: https://www.thechairmansbao.com/terms-of-use/
Privacy Policy: https://www.thechairmansbao.com/privacy-policy/

Embark on your Chinese language learning journey with The Chairman’s Bao. Download now and join a community of Chinese language enthusiasts!

## Key features

- 9,500+ news-based lessons
- Offline study mode
- One-tap dictionary
- Reading and listening exercises
- Vocabulary tracking
- Stroke order and writing practice
- Cross-platform study

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $11.00 | per month |
| 3 Month | $27.49 | per 3 months |
| 6 Month | $49.49 | per 6 months |
| 12 Month | $88.00 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Package | $419.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of TCB | Read Chinese to Learn?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Continuous content updates
- 👍 Interesting and engaging content
- 🔍 Helpful learning tools (vocabulary, grammar, quizzes)
- 🎧 Good audio quality and narration
- 📚 Wide range of content for all levels

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Inconsistent dictionary definitions
- 🔍 Lack of full sentence translations
- 🔍 Suboptimal user interface and navigation
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Inconsistent behavior when toggling pinyin
- Issues with saving user preferences
- Unreliable audio playback
- Bugs in comprehension test functionality

**Most requested features**

- Ability to mark articles as read and track progress
- Option to adjust text size
- Improved flashcard/vocabulary review system
- Offline content access
- Customizable notification/reminder system

## Recent user reviews (10 of 261)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcb-read-chinese-to-learn/id1074317405/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Excellent site for Mandarin study

*2026-06-20, version 8.0.60*

I used The Chairman’s Bao for several years while I was actively studying Mandarin. It is a valuable resource, supplementing textbooks and teachers with real-world news articles that are grouped by level of difficulty.

### 5/5 — One of the best I’ve used!

*2026-05-29, version 8.0.60*

I just discovered this app and wish I would’ve known about it sooner. It’s one of the most comprehensive and well-thought-out Chinese study apps. I hope they continue to update it with recent stories because that’s one of my favorite features.

### 1/5 — Constant nag for review

*2026-04-10, version 8.0.55*

Here’s my review, please stop nagging me for a review now

### 5/5 — Exceeds expectations

*2026-03-25*

I rarely write reviews, but I come away from every session with TCB feeling joyful and fulfilled in my learning. The stories are interesting, the levels are well designated and keep one pushing (but not discouraged), the audio is fantastic (ie. read by real people in real accents—not all of them have the same accents, and the speed isn’t excruciatingly slow like some other similar apps which I won’t name). 
I enjoy the only in China stories and wish I had similar sources in other languages I practice!
Well done, TCB! And thank you for your work!

**Developer response:** Thank you for the very kind review, I am very pleased you have had such a positive experience using TCB! If you ever have any questions / feedback, or you would like a feature adding, please do reach out to contact@thechairmansbao.com. Thanks! Team TCB.

### 2/5 — Nags me to write review every 30 seconds

*2026-02-26, version 8.0.51*

Nags me to write review every 30 seconds. So I wrote a review

### 5/5 — Great content, excellent quizzes

*2026-01-20, version 8.0.49*

I really like the content and the quizzes. 

There was so many times I thought I understood the article, but once I did the quiz, I realize I didn't fully recognize either the character or the content. 

The development team is also very responsive to emails and a bug report I did. 

Great app, worth the sub.

### 5/5 — Continuous content.

*2025-12-28, version 8.0.49*

Been using for years. Amazing they are still updating the content daily with real world examples. Continuously getting better!

### 1/5 — Better alternatives

*2025-12-24, version 8.0.49*

It feels outdated and clunky, while others like Wirelingo is sleek, intuitive, and way easier to use every day. No contest on design or flow or interesting reads; Wirelingo just nails graded news reading without the hassle, a flat-out better experience and learning seems easier!

### 2/5 — Okay, but WireLingo is much better!

*2025-12-18, version 8.0.49*

I’ve used this app for a while now but time to move on. There are far better graded readers out there now, WireLingo being one of them. Slicker App, faster, more regular content,  cheaper, better tests etc. If Chairmans Bao can adapt and improve, I’ll be back but until then I’m gone.

### 3/5 — Good content, but the app is buggy

*2025-12-02, version 8.0.46*

The stories and articles are very interesting, and the audio is very clear.  However, the exercise function of the app is inconsistent, the makes the exercise festure difficult to use.

## Frequently asked questions about TCB | Read Chinese to Learn

### What is this app for?

This app is designed to help users improve their Chinese reading skills through a vast library of news-based lessons. It offers content categorized by proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced, with daily updates to keep the material fresh and relevant.

### What are the key features for learning Chinese?

Key features include over 9,500 news-based lessons, an offline study mode for learning on the go, a one-tap dictionary for quick word lookups, reading and listening exercises to test comprehension, and tools to track vocabulary study and lesson progress.

### Is this app free to use?

The app offers a free sample lesson at each proficiency level. For full access to all content and features, a Premium subscription is available for paid subscribers. This freemium model allows users to try before they buy.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The app supports cross-platform study, meaning you can access your learning progress and lessons on both the mobile application and the website. This allows for flexible learning across different devices.

### How does this app help with Chinese writing?

In addition to reading and listening practice, the app includes features for improving Chinese writing. Users can view and practice the stroke order of characters, which is essential for accurate and legible Chinese writing.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 8.0.65 — 2026-08-18

Bug fixes

### 8.0.63 — 2026-08-13

Bug fixes

### 8.0.61 — 2026-06-24

Bug fixes

### 8.0.60 — 2026-04-23

Bug fixes

### 8.0.57 — 2026-04-16

Bug fixes

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## More apps by The Chairmans Bao Ltd

- [Newsdle: Learn Spanish, French](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsdle-learn-spanish-french/id1551165311)

All apps by The Chairmans Bao Ltd: https://appshunter.io/developer/1074317404

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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 2026-08-26.*