DDB Access vs DracoChinese

DDB (Digital Dictionary of Buddhism) and CJKV-E (Classical Chinese) are collaborative works edited by Charles Muller, University of Tokyo. DDB Access gives access to DDB and CJKV-E from iPhone and iPad. DDB Access is a free application. Any user may access the dictionary by entering "guest" as the username with no password. This will allow a total of 20 searches in each of the DDB and CJKV-E dictionaries in a 24-hour period. Contributors can get unlimited access by submitting a 350+ word entry as specified at http://www.buddhism-dict.net/contribute.html DDB and CJKV-E are primarily resources for scholars. Contributors are required to have completed a graduate degree to at least the equivalent of the M.A. level in graduate school program at a fully accredited university, where one has received direct formal training in the reading of classical East Asian Buddhist texts. DDB Access also contains a demo (WIP) of Séraphin Couvreur's "Dictionnaire classique de la langue chinoise" which supports most of its translations with example sentences and their sources. SEARCH Search dictionaries by Chinese, pinyin or translation. PARSE AND LOOKUP After copying a full text, SmartHanzi provides immediate access to unknown words. The app shows links to related words (also in, contained) and character details: character series (Kangxi, etymology). With this perspective beyond immediate usage, one gets naturally familiar with words and characters. It also recognizes multiple traditional variants. For instance, searching 真 (or finding 真 in a text) will show both 真 and 眞, according to what is present in selected dictionaries. Or it will recognize equally well 為 / 爲 or 眾 / 衆. Texts or individual words can be read aloud with Apple voices. ETYMOLOGY Along centuries, Chinese writing has developed a number of reference points, reasonable or simply traditional, well known by most Chinese: "Se non è vero, è ben trovato". Character series emphasize these reference points. All character series available for the current character are easily accessible. DICTIONARIES The application also includes general dictionaries for scholars working on Buddhist texts with literary or historical terminology, and a first demo of the "Couvreur" dictionary for Classical Chinese. USER INTERFACE User chooses to show pronunciations in Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Vietnamese. Lookup is easily customizable to just show preferred details and keep presentation clear. On iPad, landscape orientation, the app can show either in full screen (with both parse and lookup parts visible) or multiple applications: smartphone-like format side by side with the original text. MAC VERSION A dedicated Mac version is on Mac App Store.

Learn Chinese the Modern Way DracoChinese helps you master Mandarin Chinese through AI conversation practice, immersive reading, interactive character writing, structured courses, vocabulary building, and music. KEY FEATURES AI Tutor • Chat with an AI tutor across real-life scenarios — restaurants, airports, workplaces & more • Messaging-style interface with typewriter effect and synchronized voice playback • Voice input with real-time waveform animation and speech recognition • Hint feature for contextual suggestions during conversations • Persistent conversation history with detailed scenario task briefs • 5 sessions/day during free trial; 50 sessions/month for Premium users Speak & Practice Chinese • AI-powered pronunciation assessment with live microphone waveform feedback • Replay button on each line for focused listening practice • Progress rings and badges to track fluency per scenario Structured Course System • Progressive lessons by topic and difficulty • Pronunciation practice, character writing, and multiple quiz formats • Vocabulary preview, watercolor level map, and performance summaries • Rich multimedia content with video and images Learn Through Authentic Articles • Toggleable pinyin, sentence-by-sentence audio, and adjustable playback speed • Tap any word for instant translation and pronunciation • Multi-language support · Simplified and Traditional Chinese toggle Learn Through Music • Synchronized lyrics with pinyin display and translations • Karaoke mode to sing along with highlighted lyrics (Premium for all songs) • Long-press any lyric word for instant definitions • Tap any lyric line to jump to that moment in the song • Smart preloading for fast, smooth playback • Loop and shuffle modes · Background playback (Premium) Learn Through Episodes • Watch videos and listen to audio from authentic Chinese media • Read along with transcripts featuring pinyin and tap-to-translate • Built-in exercises: multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, pronunciation, and writing Dictionary & Character Writing • Look up any character with definitions, pinyin, and example images • Practice stroke order in a bottom sheet • OCR scanning to recognize characters from images • "Character of the Day" on the home screen Smart Flashcard System • Swipe-based review: Mastered / Review Needed / Not Familiar • Word images, audio pronunciation, and example sentences Gamified Topics System • Dual-column topic grid with progressive difficulty • Three-stage exercises: image matching, translation, sentence building • Star-based scoring and level unlocking Learning Streak Calendar • Daily check-in to build study habits with flame streak tracking 14 Languages Supported English, Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Arabic (RTL), Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer Dictionary & Account • Tap-to-translate with CEDICT dictionary • Save favorites and sync across devices — including browser extension integration • Sign in with Email, Google, or Apple SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS Free: Limited content access, 5 AI Tutor sessions/day during trial, ad-supported Premium: Full access to all content (songs, courses, episodes, articles & more), 50 AI Tutor sessions/month, karaoke for all songs, background music playback, OCR scanning, ad-free Plans: Monthly · Annual Download DracoChinese today and start your journey to Chinese fluency! Privacy Policy: https://www.dracochinese.com/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://www.dracochinese.com/terms-of-use Contact: https://www.dracochinese.com/support#contact Subscription will be charged to your Apple Account. Subscriptions automatically renew 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. Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase.