Comparison

说文解字 vs 拾韵

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

Head to head
About

说文解字

Explore the origins and evolution of Chinese characters with this digital etymological dictionary. It meticulously restores ancient texts, offering detailed information on pronunciation, stroke count, and character roots. Discover the earliest forms and meanings of characters through multiple search options.

Highlights
  • OCR ancient text restoration
  • Complete 540 radical system
  • Multiple search methods (radical, pinyin, smart)
  • Detailed character information
  • Study character evolution and culture
Features
Read full description

Shuowen Jiezi is a classic Chinese etymological dictionary compiled by the Eastern Han scholar Xu Shen. It is the first Chinese dictionary organized by radicals, containing 540 radicals and 9,353 Chinese characters, and it established the radical-based indexing system widely used in later dictionaries. Based on the original ancient text, the Shuowen Jiezi APP has been carefully redesigned and digitized. Using OCR restoration technology, the app faithfully restores the original content and the complete 540-radical system, presenting the earliest forms, origins, and meanings of Chinese characters in a modern and accessible way. The app supports multiple search methods, including radical search, pinyin search, and smart search. Each character includes detailed information such as pronunciation, stroke count, radicals, structure, character origins, and explanations. Definitions are referenced from the original Shuowen Jiezi text, making it useful for studying the evolution of Chinese characters and traditional Chinese culture. 【Features】 1. OCR Ancient Text Restoration High-definition restoration of the original Shuowen Jiezi ancient text using OCR technology, bringing back authentic character origins and ancient glyphs. 2. Complete 540 Radical System Fully restores the 540-radical system from Shuowen Jiezi, helping users explore the structure and evolution of Chinese characters. 3. Multiple Search Methods Supports radical search, pinyin search, and smart search for fast and convenient lookup. Shuowen Jiezi is part of the KuaiKuaiCha dictionary series, designed for students, teachers, Chinese language learners, calligraphy enthusiasts, and traditional Chinese culture researchers. 【KuaiKuaiCha Series Includes】 Chinese Dictionary, Idiom Dictionary, Kangxi Dictionary, Shuowen Jiezi, and more. Contact / Feedback: [1353223754@qq.com](mailto:1353223754@qq.com)

About

拾韵

Features
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拾华夏之韵脉,品传统之雅集。 读古籍,品国学,悟经典——拾韵,致力于打造极致的古书古籍阅读体验! 欢迎来到拾韵,这里汇聚了超过 4万种,28万卷古籍古文,以及31万种善本,超380万张影印古籍图片,内容力求涵盖所有现存古书古籍,累计超59亿字。 无论是深度研读文言文,还是做文史类古文研究,亦或是基于爱好喜欢国学经典,拾韵都能满足您的需求。支持简繁转换、全文检索,纯净无广告,专注为您提供极致的古书典籍阅读体验。 ◈◈【产品亮点】◈◈ 1. 内容丰富,涵盖古今: 拾韵收录超过 4万种,28万卷古籍古文,从《四库全书》到《二十四史》,从《资治通鉴》到《史记》,从《增广贤文》《三字经》《弟子规》再到《道德经》《易经》《庄子》《金刚经》等佛家、道家、儒家经典古籍,内容囊括四书五经、永乐大典、历代史料、各地县志史料,以及唐诗宋词等历代古诗词歌赋,可阅读典籍累计超59亿字。 2. 精细分类,精准搜索: 我们对古籍进行了精细化分类,通过分类导航和全文检索功能,您可以快速定位目标内容。 3. 简繁转换,无障碍阅读: 拾韵支持实时简繁体转换,无论是习惯简体中文还是繁体中文的读者,都可以无障碍地享受古文阅读的魅力。此外,我们的排版设计简约优雅,确保长时间阅读也不会感到疲劳。 4. 纯净无广,沉浸式体验: 拾韵承诺无广告,为您打造一个纯粹的国学典籍阅读环境。在这里,您可以专注于每一部经典著作,感受古人智慧的熏陶,而不被任何干扰打断。 ◈◈【愿景与使命】◈◈ 我们希望通过这场超大规模国学文化工程,完成对中国古文古籍的全面梳理,让所有散落的古文典籍都可以在数字化的时代重获新生,用华夏千年的国学经典,点亮每一颗热爱国学的心灵! ◈◈【联系我们】◈◈: 客服微信:amkj666 联系邮箱:hi@shiyunread.freeqiye.com 【自动订阅服务说明】 1、订阅周期:1个月 2、订阅价格:每月38元 3、付款:订阅可由用户管理,用户确认购买并付款后计入iTunes账户。 4、续订:苹果iTunes账户会在到期前24小时内扣费,扣费成功后订阅周期顺延一个订阅周期。 5、取消续订:如需取消订阅,请打开苹果手机“设置” --> 进入“iTunes Store 与 App Store” --> 点击 “Apple ID”,选择“查看 Apple ID”, 进入"账户设置"页面,点击“订阅”,选择“文库大学生版”取消订阅即可。如未在订阅期结束的至少24小时前关闭订阅,此订阅将会自动续订。 6、用户协议:shiyun-read.com/user-xy.html 7、隐私协议:shiyun-read.com/privacy-xy.html 8、会员服务协议:shiyun-read.com/vip-privacy-xy.html 9、连续包月服务协议:shiyun-read.com/zdxfxy.html

Screenshots

说文解字4 screens
拾韵4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: 拾韵 at none against 说文解字's shown. 拾韵 also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. 说文解字 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and 拾韵 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

说文解字 ships an update every 4 weeks, 拾韵 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
说文解字 versus 拾韵: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter说文解字拾韵
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB138 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZzhuhai Chestnut Network Technology Co.Ltd重庆隐南科技有限公司

Customer experience

说文解字

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

拾韵

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

说文解字

One-time1
  • 一年期会员$14.99
4 purchases

拾韵

Subscriptions1
  • 拾韵古籍$4.991 Month
One-time3
  • 拾韵古籍$19.99
  • 拾韵古籍$24.99
  • 拾韵古籍$59.99

Questions

Is 说文解字 free?
说文解字 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 拾韵 free?
拾韵 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do 说文解字 or 拾韵 have ads?
说文解字 shows ads; 拾韵 does not.
Which is updated more often, 说文解字 or 拾韵?
说文解字 ships an update every 4 weeks, and 拾韵 every 2 weeks. Most recently, 说文解字 was updated on October 18, 2026 and 拾韵 on November 1, 2026.

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