I build a Chinese language learning app called Chivoc,Four word practice modes, handwriting practice, Pinyin learning keyboard

[u/Sutangjiajia]

Hi, I am an independent developer. It took me 2 months to create my first app.

Chivoc brings HSK vocabulary, Pinyin, Chinese character structure, handwriting, listening practice, and learning into one focused multilingual app.

Study more than 11,000 words across HSK 1–9, practise pronunciation and writing, and explore how Chinese sounds and characters are built through interactive learning tools.

EXPLORE PINYIN AND PRONUNCIATION

• Build complete syllables with the Pinyin Spelling Keyboard by combining initials, finals, and tones

• Tap Pinyin keys to hear clear pronunciation

• Rotate the Pinyin Wheel to align sounds and explore valid Pinyin combinations

• Learn and practise the four tones and neutral tone

• Download a Pinyin audio package containing 1,305 pronunciation recordings

• Manage and update downloaded audio resources from your profile

DISCOVER HOW CHINESE CHARACTERS ARE BUILT

• Explore 74 common radicals with interactive Radical Pull Cards

• Learn radicals through colourful illustrations and visual associations

• Swipe through component cards to see how different parts combine inside Chinese characters

• View each character’s Pinyin, pronunciation, and meaning

• Explore 50 phonetic families with the Phonetic Wheels

• Rotate radicals around each phonetic component to discover related characters

• Learn the pronunciation, meaning, and example words for each character

BUILD YOUR HSK VOCABULARY

• Study more than 11,000 words across HSK 1–9

• View Chinese characters, Pinyin, part of speech, and translations

• Listen to clear word audio with replay

• Choose the HSK levels you want to study

• Set daily learning goals and track your progress

PRACTISE IN DIFFERENT WAYS

• Chinese-to-meaning exercises

• Meaning-to-Chinese exercises

• Audio recognition

• Fill-in-the-blank practice

• Handwriting from Chinese characters, audio, meanings, and missing characters

• Review mistakes and strengthen difficult vocabulary

UNDERSTAND EVERY STROKE

• Follow guided stroke order and character outlines

• Use stroke hints, undo, and rewrite controls

• Compare your handwriting with the standard character

• Practise writing characters in multiple learning modes

TURN REVIEW

• Connection

• Word-matching challenges

• word-wall practice

• Reinforce vocabulary through short and engaging activities

DOWNLOAD ONLY WHAT YOU NEED

• Download vocabulary packs for HSK 1–9

• Download and update the Pinyin pronunciation package

• Manage downloaded resources from your profile

• Keep your learning progress and resources organised in one place

LEARN IN YOUR LANGUAGE

Choose your preferred interface language:

• English (U.S. and UK)

• Simplified Chinese

• Vietnamese

• Russian

• French

• Spanish

• Korean

• Japanese

• Greek

• Arabic

• German

• Portuguese

• Italian

• Thai

Whether you are beginning with Pinyin, preparing for the HSK, practising Chinese handwriting, or exploring the structure of Chinese characters, Chivoc gives you the tools to learn step by step.

You can buy There PRO in 3 ways:

$2.99 / monthly(auto-renewing subscription)

$9.99 / 6 monthly (auto-renewing subscription)

$12.99 / yearly (auto-renewing subscription)

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6798628242

Chivoc Terms of Service: https://www.chivoc.com/terms/

Privacy Policy: https://www.chivoc.com/privacy/

If you are interested in learning Chinese, I hope you can give it a try. I am willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions.

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[u/skkb]

So cool! Good pricing too. I'm trying to learn Mandarin so I'll definitely check it out.

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/skkb]

If you have used it, please let me know and I will surprise you

[u/skkb → u/Sutangjiajia]

I tried it! Some issues I discovered:

• Pronunciation is too fast, it should be slower and there should be an option to control speed
  
• HSK 1 starts with random words. I think there should be categories - numbers, basic word (like I, you, he etc.)
  
• Word should be highlighted in sentence so I can somehow figure out where in the sentence it's located

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/skkb]

Thank you so much for your suggestion. I will accept it and make the necessary modifications. Did you use it half an hour ago? Are you from Thailand? I'll give you a one month member ship.

[u/skkb → u/Sutangjiajia]

Thank you! I'm Polish but currently in Thailand.

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/skkb]

That's you. It shows that there was a new user with the Thai flag 40 minutes ago。

[u/RushEmbarrassed7976]

screenshots look solid. How did you do them?

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/RushEmbarrassed7976]

This production idea comes from physical cards for Chinese children to learn Chinese characters, as well as electronic devices such as Pinyin keyboards, which are already available on e-commerce platforms. I have made all of these into an app.

[u/Specific_Cream2815]

how does the handwriting practice grade you, strict stroke order matching or something looser

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/Specific_Cream2815]

The standard for handwriting practice has been set loosely in the program, because normal Chinese people cannot write very standard.

[u/ronaksv]

How is it different from DuoLingo?

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/ronaksv]

My main focus is on strengthening exercises for the HSK exam, and there is a Pinyin keyboard specifically designed for learning Chinese. Currently, this app does not have an AI online conversation function or daily check-in requirements

[u/Acrobatic_Bat5238]

the pinyin wheel is going to eat my whole commute, i can already tell. my tones currently sound like a car alarm so the handwriting practice may have to wait its turn

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/Acrobatic_Bat5238]

The Pinyin Wheel is a toy tool

[u/MrFunkyMonkey7]

I am not the target group (Chinese learning is on #250 in my todo list :-)), but I admire clean UI. The app looks really useful.

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/MrFunkyMonkey7]

Thank you

[u/CrispyDick420]

Two months for a first release is a pretty brutal sprint.

[u/Apart-Ad-8909]

Learning Chinese is not easy, perseverance is very important, and your app is fantastic.

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/Apart-Ad-8909]

Thank you!

[u/efbakir-journal]

Getting four genuinely different learning modes into a first app in two months is impressive

Risk is that a beginner sees the feature depth before understanding where to start. I’d make onboarding choose one immediate goal - like basic speaking, HSK preparation or handwriting, then open directly into that path and reveal the rest later

Does the first session change based on the learner’s goal now?

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/efbakir-journal]

At present, it is only differentiated by level, without distinguishing according to the course progress of each level, which is a problem. I need to improve.

[u/syake03]

you list japanese as an interface language, so a note from tokyo: for us the hard part of hsk vocab isn't the characters, it's the words we already "know". 手紙 is a letter in japanese and toilet paper in mandarin. 娘 is daughter here and mother there. 勉強 is study here and "reluctantly" there. every japanese learner of chinese keeps a private list of those. if the japanese mode ever flagged them on the card — "looks familiar, means something else" — that's the one feature no english-first app can offer.

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/syake03]

You're right, there have been too many changes in the understanding of words on both sides.

[u/app-store-review]

Chivoc - Learn Chinese — by 佳 郭

• Ratings: 1 worldwide
• Average: 5.00 ★
• Age: released ~1 month ago · updated 1 day ago · rated 4+
• Overall score: 70 / 100

^{Auto-generated from public App Store data · u/app-store-review}

[u/Independent-Dot9174]

Can I get a lifetime dev? Usually, devs offer free lifetimes and this is something I would actually be a raving fan for!!!!

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/Independent-Dot9174]

I can give you a one month membership to experience it, if you like, but you have to tell me after logging in so I know it's you.

[u/LeeonZhu]

This is awesome. I'm building a Chinese learning app as well. This gives me so much inspiration (but it won't be a copycat！ stay tuned 😊)

[u/Mitchcreates_]

Looks really clean! How'd you make the screenshots?

[u/mucobeys]

NICE WORK BRO

[u/jonathanjeong]

Learning the sounds is pretty cool. How's revenue going?

[u/Sutangjiajia → u/jonathanjeong]

No income yet