Cjexplorer vs Hanzi Popup
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cjexplorer
Easily find Cangjie, Pinyin, Onyomi, and Kunyomi codes for Chinese characters. Features include clipboard lookup, live camera scanning of text or objects, and pronunciation synthesis. Supports Korean Hanja lookup, all processed on-device.
- Clipboard character lookup
- Live text camera scanning
- Live object camera scanning
- Pinyin pronunciation synthesis
- Korean Hanja lookup
- On-device processing
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CJExplorer is a fast, private reference tool for anyone who studies, types, reads, or teaches Chinese characters. Look up the Cangjie input code, Mandarin Pinyin, Cantonese Jyutping, Japanese Onyomi and Kunyomi readings, and Korean Hanja/Hangul information for Chinese characters in seconds. Copy a character, scan printed text with the live camera, or point the camera at an object and let on-device AI identify the related Chinese word for lookup. Whether you are learning Cangjie, checking Mandarin pronunciation, reading Cantonese, comparing Kanji readings, or working with Korean Hanja, CJExplorer keeps the answer close without forcing you into a heavy dictionary workflow. Key features: 1. Clipboard lookup for quick Cangjie, Pinyin, Jyutping, Japanese reading, and Hanja reference. 2. Live OCR camera lookup for Chinese characters and Korean Hangul romanization. 3. Object camera mode that recognizes everyday objects and shows the related Chinese word and codes. 4. Built-in Mandarin pronunciation to help learners hear the word. 5. On-device processing, so lookups stay private and the app does not need internet access. Buy CJExplorer once and keep a practical Chinese character companion ready whenever a character, reading, or input code slows you down.
Hanzi Popup
Instantly understand Chinese characters while reading. Get Pinyin, definitions, HSK levels, and AI pronunciation without leaving your current page. Ideal for learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced.
- Instant character lookup with Pinyin and definitions
- AI-powered text-to-speech pronunciation
- Definition translation in 20+ languages
- HSK level tracking and character color-coding
- Word saving and Anki export
- Safari extension for seamless reading
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Transform your Chinese reading with Hanzi Popup. Understand any character instantly — with Pinyin, definitions, HSK level, and AI pronunciation — without ever leaving the page. Whether you're studying for an HSK exam, reading Chinese news, or exploring the language for the first time, Hanzi Popup is here to make every word understandable. KEY FEATURES • Instant Character Lookup: Tap any Chinese character to see its definition, Pinyin, tone color, HSK level, and usage examples — right where you're reading. • Discover: Chinese videos, podcasts and sites for every level. Follow channels for new episodes and open everything with tap-to-define and subtitles. • Read Anything: Tap words on web pages, in PDF, EPUB, Word and PowerPoint files, video subtitles, and even text inside images. • AI Text-to-Speech: Hear natural Chinese pronunciation using Kokoro or Qwen3 TTS engines, with word-by-word highlighting as audio plays. • Definition Translation: View definitions in English, your native language, or both at once. Supports 20+ languages including French, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and more. • HSK Learning Tools: Set a target HSK level, color-code characters by proficiency, add Pinyin annotation above characters, and underline words to focus your study. • Word Saving & Export: Save words automatically or manually, organize them into folders, and export to Anki for flashcard review. BENEFITS • Convenience: Use Hanzi Popup as a Safari extension on any website, or open the built-in browser — no app switching, no interruptions. • Efficiency: See everything you need in one tap — definition, pronunciation, HSK level, and tone color — so you spend less time looking things up and more time reading. • Accessibility: Works in Safari on any Chinese website and in the built-in reader, anytime, anywhere — on the train, at a café, or at your desk. • Broad Appeal: Suitable for all learners, from complete beginners building HSK 1 vocabulary to advanced readers tackling HSK 7-9 content. USAGE SCENARIOS • On the go: Open any Chinese article in Safari and tap unknown characters for instant lookup while commuting or traveling. • At home: Use Prestudy Mode to preview vocabulary from an article in the sidebar before reading — build context before you dive in. • During work: Read Chinese business content, emails, or documents with character conversion between Simplified and Traditional Chinese (including Hong Kong and Taiwan variants). • For leisure: Follow Chinese social media, blogs, or news with colored Hanzi highlighting and Pinyin annotations to keep reading flowing naturally. PREMIUM Unlock the full Hanzi Popup experience with Premium: colored Hanzi, Pinyin annotation, HSK highlighting and underlines, TTS engines, definition translation, character conversion, Prestudy Mode, and more. CONTACT Have questions or need support? Reach out to us at krmanik@outlook.com. We're here to help! TERMS & PRIVACY By using this app, you agree to Hanzi Popup's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ https://krmanik.github.io/hanzipopupapp/privacypolicy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cjexplorer at none against Hanzi Popup's 2. Cjexplorer also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Hanzi Popup sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Cjexplorer asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cjexplorer against 5.0 for Hanzi Popup. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Cjexplorer ships an update every 3 weeks, Hanzi Popup every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Cjexplorer | Hanzi Popup |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 100 MB | 309 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Wing Shun Vincent Chu | Kumar Manikant Gautam |
Customer experience
Cjexplorer
Hanzi Popup
In-app purchases
Cjexplorer
No in-app purchases
Hanzi Popup
- Start 7-Day Free TrialFree
- One Time Purchase$9.99









