Best Chinese Learning Characters Apps

199+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.3 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated June 2026

Out of 199+ chinese learning characters apps on iOS, 20 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Top Picks for Chinese Learning Characters

Learn Chinese (Mandarin) by MindSnacks#1

Learn Chinese (Mandarin) by MindSnacks by MindSnacks

Editor's Choice
📚 Education
3.1😊(116 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
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Learn Mandarin Chinese through engaging games designed for vocabulary and conversation. Master Pinyin, tones, and character writing with over 1000 words and phrases. Includes a free level with an option to upgrade for extensive content.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Best language app
  • 👍 Fun and engaging games
  • 🚀 Effective for learning vocabulary
  • 👍 Great for beginners

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 App no longer works with latest iOS
  • 🔧 Needs to be updated
  • ⏱️ Games progress too quickly
Chinese Stroke Order Character#2

Chinese Stroke Order Character by Guangzhou Foxi Shengcai Technology Co., Ltd.

Chinese Writing Practice
Strong Contender
🔍 Reference
4.5😐(627 ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
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Master Chinese character writing with animated stroke order guides. This app helps beginners learn to write characters correctly, offering features like Pinyin annotation, real voice pronunciation, and multi-language support. It's designed to make learning Chinese calligraphy systematic and efficient.

What We Love

  • 👍 Great app
  • 🚀 Useful learning tool
  • 💡 Helpful for writing practice
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and crashes
  • 💰 Too many ads in free version
  • 💰 Important features locked behind paywall
Learn Cantonese Chinese &Hanzi#3

Learn Cantonese Chinese &Hanzi by PLANB LABS OU

Language learning by Drops
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.7😊(187 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
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Learn practical vocabulary through visually engaging mini-games and quick, daily sessions. Focuses on illustrated words and rapid interaction for an addictive and effective learning experience.

What We Love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Engaging learning experience
  • 💡 Effective repetition for memorization
  • 🎨 Visually appealing design

Room to Improve

  • 🕰️ Limited free daily usage
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔍 Lack of grammar and sentence structure lessons

More Chinese Learning Characters apps to explore

4
iHuman Chinese
iHuman Chinese
iHuman Chinese
Chinese characters for kids
Free

This app makes learning Chinese characters fun and engaging for young children. It uses animations, songs, interactive activities, and original picture books to teach over 1,300 common characters and 50 idioms. Personalized learning paths and data analysis help tailor the experience to each child's needs.

1300 Chinese Characters130 Original Picture Books50 Chinese Idioms with Videos
📚 Education
(5.6K)
subscription
5
Pleco Chinese Dictionary
Pleco Chinese Dictionary
Pleco Chinese Dictionary
Handwriting, OCR, flashcards
Free

This app is a comprehensive tool for learning Chinese, offering integrated dictionaries, document reading, and flashcard features. It supports various input methods including handwriting and OCR, with extensive dictionary options and pronunciation guides.

Integrated dictionaries with over 110,000 entriesFull-screen handwriting inputLive OCR for word lookup
🔍 Reference
(1.9K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Learn Chinese Writer Character
Learn Chinese Writer Character
Learn Chinese Writer Character
Handwriting Stroke Order
Free
📚 Education
(0)
7
Write Chinese: Learn Mandarin
Write Chinese: Learn Mandarin
Write Chinese: Learn Mandarin
Chinese characters beginners
Free

Master Mandarin Chinese with this educational app. It offers interactive lessons on 300 essential characters, complete with stroke order and spoken pronunciation. Ideal for beginners looking to build a solid foundation in the language.

Learn 300 common Chinese charactersIncludes stroke order for writingFeatures spoken pronunciation
📚 Education
(28)
free with in-app purchases
8
Ginkgo: Learn Chinese Mandarin
Ginkgo: Learn Chinese Mandarin
Ginkgo: Learn Chinese Mandarin
Learn Chinese Characters & HSK
Free

Master Chinese characters and accelerate Mandarin learning with immersive video lessons and interactive flashcards. Explore etymology, history, and cultural significance for enhanced memorization and retention. Personalized learning adapts to your pace and style, featuring native pronunciation for accurate speaking.

Immersive video classes explaining character storiesInteractive flashcards with visual cues and color-coded tonesHSK vocabulary memorization (HSK 1-4)
📚 Education
(150)
free with in-app purchases
9
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary
Chinese Hanzi Dictionary
Learn to write Chinese Hanzi
Free

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.

Learn simplified and traditional ChineseAnimated character writing with stroke orderDetailed character information (pinyin, radicals, definitions)
📚 Education
(327)
free with in-app purchases
10
Learn Mandarin Chinese & Hanzi
Learn Mandarin Chinese & Hanzi
Learn Mandarin Chinese & Hanzi
Language learning by Drops
Free

Learn Mandarin Chinese and Hanzi through fun, illustrated mini-games. Focus on practical vocabulary with 5-minute daily sessions, making language acquisition addictive and effortless. Build a strong learning habit with visual aids and rapid swipe-based interactions.

Illustrated vocabulary learning5-minute daily learning sessionsMini-games for engagement
📚 Education
(550)
freemium
11
Yoyo Chinese: Learn Chinese
Yoyo Chinese: Learn Chinese
Yoyo Chinese: Learn Chinese
1000+ Structured Video Lessons
Free

Master conversational Chinese with structured video lessons and expert instruction. This app addresses common learning challenges like tones and pronunciation, offering a comprehensive curriculum for all levels. Practice with interactive tools and track your progress to achieve fluency.

1000+ structured video lessonsExpert human teachersSpaced repetition flashcards
📚 Education
(18)
free with in-app purchases
12
KangXi learn Chinese radicals
KangXi learn Chinese radicals
KangXi learn Chinese radicals
learn HSK1 - HSK6 characters
Free

Learn Chinese characters by associating radicals with common characters in a game format. This app helps improve memorization and understanding of Chinese writing composition. Tap words sharing the same radical to progress.

Learn Chinese radicalsMemorize common charactersUnderstand character composition
📚 Education
(17)
ad-supported
13
Learn Chinese Easily
Learn Chinese Easily
Learn Chinese Easily
Study Chinese Lesson Games
Free

This app offers a relaxing and interactive method for learning Chinese. It uses games that connect words with images and includes pronunciation to aid understanding. Track your progress and test your knowledge with a summary and rating.

Interactive word-image associationPronunciation supportProgress tracking
📚 Education
(1.8K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Daily Chinese: Grow Vocabulary
Daily Chinese: Grow Vocabulary
Daily Chinese: Grow Vocabulary
Learn Characters, Idioms, HSK
Free

This app uses a spaced-repetition algorithm to help you learn and retain Chinese vocabulary. It offers various question types, AI-generated example sentences, and word breakdowns to reinforce learning. Track your progress and build a strong foundation for mastering Chinese.

Spaced-repetition algorithmMultiple question typesAI example sentences
📚 Education
(228)
free with in-app purchases
15
Learn Chinese for Beginners
Learn Chinese for Beginners
Learn Chinese for Beginners
ABC Funny and Easy Words
Free

This app offers a fun and easy way for children and beginners to learn Chinese. It includes interactive lessons, exercises, and tests across 36 topics and 3 levels, covering vocabulary with images and audio.

Interactive lessons and exercisesReading, writing, and speaking practice4 activities and exams per topic
📚 Education
(106)
free with in-app purchases
16
BaoBao: Learn to Read Chinese
BaoBao: Learn to Read Chinese
BaoBao: Learn to Read Chinese
Understand Chinese in 3 months
Free

Master Chinese reading and listening with authentic content like novels, news, and videos. Features include side-by-side translation, native audio, tap-to-translate, AI-powered flashcards, and gamified challenges. Suitable for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Authentic books and audiobooksSide-by-side translationNative narration with adjustable speed
📚 Education
(146)
free with in-app purchases
17
Learn Chinese Easily Words
Learn Chinese Easily Words
Learn Chinese Easily Words
Chinese Vocabulary Characters
Free

This educational app helps beginners learn Chinese vocabulary and characters through interactive games and real-life topics. It covers a wide range of subjects, including animals, food, and professions, with audio pronunciations and visual aids.

Interactive learning gamesExtensive vocabulary with audioReal-life topic categories
📚 Education
(3)
free
18
Learn Chinese Characters
Learn Chinese Characters
Learn Chinese Characters
by Guilin Ouyang
Free

This app offers an effective method for learning basic Chinese characters and words. It breaks down character composition using fundamental strokes and provides pronunciation, meaning, and writing practice. Interactive games help reinforce recognition and typing skills.

Animated character formationPronunciation and meaning lookupWriting practice on screen
📚 Education
(1)
free
19
Learn Chinese: Hanzi
Learn Chinese: Hanzi
Learn Chinese: Hanzi
HSK 3.0 Characters Practice
Free
📚 Education
(0)
20
Chineasy: Learn Chinese easily
Chineasy: Learn Chinese easily
Chineasy: Learn Chinese easily
Map your way to learn Chinese
Free

Learn Chinese characters and vocabulary through visual aids and a unique building block method. This app breaks down the language into manageable lessons, making it easy to understand and remember, while also exploring Chinese culture. Suitable for all levels, it offers games and SRS reviews for efficient learning.

Visual learning of Chinese charactersBuilding block vocabulary methodBite-sized lessons
📚 Education
(9.3K)
free with in-app purchases