Comparison

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary vs HeyWrite

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary

Learn to write, read, and speak Chinese characters (Hanzi). This app provides comprehensive knowledge including meanings, pronunciation, stroke order, and vocabulary. It's a valuable tool for beginners of all ages to aid in study, work, and travel.

Highlights
  • Learn simplified and traditional Chinese
  • Animated character writing with stroke order
  • Detailed character information (pinyin, radicals, definitions)
  • Extensive character database (9770+ free)
  • Multiple search methods
  • Practice handwriting
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

Master simplified and traditional Chinese characters (Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja) with this powerful learning app. Learn how to write, read, and speak Chinese Hanzi through clear animations and professional explanations. This comprehensive app covers everything beginners need: meanings, pinyin, zhuyin, pronunciations, strokes, radicals, stroke order, homophones, vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, and more. Perfect for Chinese learners of all ages and backgrounds — whether for study, work, travel, or daily life. Your must-have offline Chinese dictionary for mobile devices. Features: * User-friendly UI and powerful features designed for Chinese beginners * Full support for both Traditional and Simplified Chinese * Animated character writing with stroke order guidance * Detailed display of each stroke and correct writing sequence * Rich information for every character: radicals, definitions, pronunciations (Pinyin & Zhuyin), vocabulary, usage examples, homophones, synonyms & antonyms * 9,770+ characters — 100% FREE * Multiple intuitive search methods * Save your favorite characters for quick review * Practice writing Chinese characters anytime * Fully offline — works without internet * No ads and no data collection Start your Chinese learning journey anytime, anywhere on your mobile devices! Collected lexical list: Chinese Proficiency Test ( HSK ) Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language ( TOCFL) Youth Chinese Test ( YCT ) China elementary school 中国小学语文统教版《写字表》 China junior school 中国初中语文人教版《读读写写》 Singapore elementary school 新加坡《欢乐伙伴》小学华文识写字 HongKong elementary school 香港 《小學中文科常用字研究報告》 Taiwan elementary school ( Hanlin ) 台灣小學教材翰林版本 Taiwan elementary school ( Kangxuan ) 台灣小學教材康軒版本 Taiwan elementary school ( Nanyi ) 台灣小學教材南一版本

About

HeyWrite

Learn to write Japanese, Korean, and Chinese characters with guided stroke-by-stroke practice. Build muscle memory for better retention and readability. Features spaced repetition and quizzes to reinforce learning.

Highlights
  • Guided stroke order practice
  • Muscle memory learning
  • Spaced repetition system
  • Multiple-choice quizzes
  • JLPT, HSK, and TOPIK curricula
  • Native speaker pronunciation
Features
Read full description

Master Japanese, Korean, and Chinese by writing every character stroke by stroke — the way native speakers actually learn. HeyWrite teaches correct stroke order through guided drawing practice on your phone. Unlike flashcard apps, your muscle memory does the memorizing — characters stick because your hand remembers them. -- WHY STROKE ORDER MATTERS -- Research shows handwriting beats passive study. Every character you draw in HeyWrite follows the exact stroke sequence used in Japan, Korea, and China — the same method taught in schools there. Correct stroke order makes your handwriting readable and speeds recognition. -- THREE LANGUAGES, ONE APP -- JAPANESE * Hiragana & Katakana (kana): all 46+46 characters with stroke order * Kanji: JLPT N5 through N1 (2000+ kanji organized by exam level) * Hear native-speaker pronunciation for every character KOREAN * Hangul: all consonants and vowels with stroke order * TOPIK 1 through TOPIK 6 vocabulary MANDARIN CHINESE * Hanzi: HSK 1 through HSK 9 (3000+ characters) * Simplified characters with stroke-by-stroke guidance -- HOW IT WORKS -- 1. Trace — follow the stroke guide to learn correct order 2. Write free — recall the character from memory without hints 3. Quiz — multiple-choice review to reinforce retention 4. Spaced repetition — smart scheduling brings back characters right before you forget them -- COMPLETE OFFICIAL CURRICULA -- * JLPT N5, N4, N3, N2, N1 — full kanji and kana sets * HSK 1–9 — complete simplified Chinese character lists * TOPIK 1–6 — full Hangul writing syllabus -- FREE TO START -- Hundreds of characters are free. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited access to all JLPT, HSK, and TOPIK levels and every feature. PERFECT FOR: * JLPT test-takers who need kanji writing practice * HSK candidates building Chinese character recognition * K-pop and K-drama fans who want to read and write Hangul * Beginners who tried Duolingo or WaniKani but want real handwriting * Anyone replacing Skritter who wants a mobile-first experience Download HeyWrite and write your first character today. Terms of Use: https://heywrite.euplabs.net/terms

Screenshots

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary4 screens
HeyWrite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HeyWrite at 100% against Chinese Hanzi Dictionary's 58%. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chinese Hanzi Dictionary sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and HeyWrite sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary ships an update every 8 days, HeyWrite every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary versus HeyWrite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChinese Hanzi DictionaryHeyWrite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (377 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings377 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size100 MB305 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer运斌 李Linh Nguyen

Customer experience

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary

All ratings375 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral4.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive57.7%
Neutral11.5%
Negative30.8%

HeyWrite

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Chinese Hanzi Dictionary

One-time4
  • Premium Version$2.99
  • Premium Version$3.99
  • Premium$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Premium Version$6.99
9 purchases

HeyWrite

Subscriptions1
  • HeyWrite Premium Annual$8.991 Year
One-time8
  • 5 Extra Lessons$0.99
  • No Ads for 7 Days$0.99
  • Unlock 1 Course Forever$1.99
Show 5 more
  • 3 Diamonds$1.99
  • HeyWrite Lifetime$9.99
  • HeyWrite Lifetime$11.99
  • Bamii Premium Lifetime$13.99
  • Bamii Premium Lifetime$15.99

Questions

Is Chinese Hanzi Dictionary free?
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HeyWrite free?
HeyWrite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chinese Hanzi Dictionary or HeyWrite have ads?
Neither Chinese Hanzi Dictionary nor HeyWrite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chinese Hanzi Dictionary or HeyWrite?
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary ships an update every 8 days, and HeyWrite every 5 days. Most recently, Chinese Hanzi Dictionary was updated on November 3, 2026 and HeyWrite on November 9, 2026.

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