You write every character
No multiple choice. You trace each character once, then write it from memory. Moving your hand is what makes it stick.
Chinese writing app for iPhone
Learn to write Chinese characters, stroke by stroke
Hanzibloc teaches you characters by hand. You write every one yourself, and see how it is built from smaller blocks you already know.
Coming soonApp StoreComing soonGoogle Play
First 5 units free · No ads · No sign-up needed
Try it right here
Write 休 (xiū, to rest) with your finger or mouse. Watch the block you are writing light up.
Try the last one
- 亻 person
- 木 tree
Every character is built from blocks
Most characters are made of smaller parts. Learn the parts once, and every new character becomes a puzzle you can solve.
木 + 木 = 林lín
two trees make a grove
亻 + 木 = 休xiū
a person leaning on a tree: to rest
Why writing works
The blocks light up as you write
Write 休 and the 亻 “person” lights up, then the 木 “tree”. The course is ordered by components, so each new character is built on blocks you already know.
Every unit ends with a real sentence
You finish each unit by copying a full sentence made only of characters you know. That is the moment it feels like Chinese.
Copy famous lines
Once you can write every character in them, unlock copybooks of classic poems, idioms and proverbs, such as Li Bai’s “Quiet Night Thoughts”.
Read more than you write
Like native speakers, you will recognize more characters than you write. Short readings use only what you have learned, and later units add dictation.
Traditional or Simplified
Pick one when you start. Traditional uses the character forms of Taiwan; Simplified follows the mainland standard. Each keeps its own progress.
See it in action
How a lesson works
Meet the character
Watch the stroke order, hear it pronounced, and see the words it makes.
Trace it
Write over a guide. Each stroke is checked as you go, and the block you are writing lights up.
Write it from memory
The guide disappears. Get stuck and a hint shows where the next stroke starts.
Review at the right time
Characters come back just before you would forget them, so they move into long-term memory.
Made for two kinds of learners
Never studied Chinese?
Start from one stroke. By the end of the first lesson you will have built a character out of blocks, and it will feel like a game.
Know some already?
Skip the characters you can write, catch stroke-order habits you got wrong, and finally see why characters look the way they do.
Simple pricing
Start free. Pay only if you want the full course.
Free
$0
The first 5 units, about 50 characters. No ads, no time limit.
Yearly
$39.99 / year
7-day free trial. About $3.33 a month.
Monthly
$3.99 / month
Full course, cancel anytime.
Full course: 70 units. Write 700+ characters, read 600+ more, and copy 30+ famous lines.
We remind you 2 days before your trial ends. US prices; local prices may differ.
Questions
Is Hanzibloc free?
Yes, the first 5 units (about 50 characters) are free with no ads and no time limit. The full course (70 units, 700+ characters to write) is a subscription: $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year with a 7-day free trial.
Do I need to know any Chinese?
No. The first lesson starts with single strokes. If you already know some characters, a short check lets you skip what you can write.
Should I learn Traditional or Simplified Chinese?
Simplified is used in mainland China and Singapore; Traditional is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Pick the one used where you want to read and talk. Hanzibloc teaches both: Traditional with Taiwan’s character forms, Simplified with the mainland standard.
Does it check my stroke order?
Yes. Every stroke is checked for order, direction and shape as you write. If you think a stroke was marked wrong unfairly, you can tell us in one tap.
Does it teach pronunciation?
Every character, word and sentence has audio and pinyin with tone colors. Hanzibloc focuses on reading and writing; it does not grade your speaking.
Which devices does it work on?
Hanzibloc launches on iPhone first. An Android version will follow.
Do I need an account?
No. You can start writing right away. Your progress is saved on your device.
From the blog
Basic Strokes of Chinese Characters: Names and Examples
Learn the basic strokes of Chinese characters: horizontal, vertical, dot, rising, left-falling and right-falling, plus turns and hooks, with pinyin and examples.
Chinese Compound Words: Build Vocabulary from Characters
Much of Chinese vocabulary is built from two-character compounds. See how 电, 车 and 学 unlock families of words, and where literal meanings mislead.
Chinese Prefixes and Suffixes: English Affixes in Chinese
English has -er, un-, -able and -ize. Chinese builds words with characters like 者, 不, 可 and 化. A guide to Chinese prefixes and suffixes with examples.
Write your first character in 60 seconds
Free to start. No account needed.
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