VisualChinese transforms how you learn Chinese by embracing its unique features. Unlike Western languages, Chinese is built on tones, characters, and a rich system of meaning-based word construction—elements that call for a creative and tailored approach. Our system makes the learning process logical and memorable!
Part 1: Tone Diagrams
This is the world's most sophisticated system for organizing and remembering tones. The diagrams are fun, interactive, and unforgettable!
Character squares
Waves
Hexagon
Sun
Star
Bow & Arrow
Lotus
Carousel
Mountain
Chili Pepper
Flamingo
Tone5
Each visualization is chosen for a specific reason. The 3-3 tone combination was chosen to be visualized as waves, because the sound of the words is akin to rolling waves. The 3+4 tone combination is chosen to be a bow & arrow because the sound of the words is kind of like pulling back and releasing an arrow!
Part 2: Word Reference
Tap on any word to see its definition in context of related words and characters.
Try some yourself:
Part 3: A.I. Tutor
Translate sentences from English to Chinese, get instant feedback:
- We show you a sentence in English.
- You create your own translation freely (no multiple choice or rearranging pre-selected words)
- AI gives you customized feedback and suggests changes visually. The AI system is flexible and accepts any correct translation.
You can use our catalog of thousands of sentences, or upload your own list!
About our sentences:
- Very diverse in vocabulary and grammatical structures
- Sentences are custom made, not taken from random books or movies.
- Strong focus on everyday scenarios
- Arranged by skill level
Speak sentences using your phone's microphone and speech-to-text, or type them in pinyin.
After doing this, you will be able to approach interactions with confidence and be ready for anything.
Background: I started this app because of my own experience moving to China as a foreigner.
I was studying Chinese and learning many advanced grammatical structures,
but when I went out in public,
I often realized how many super basic things I still didn't know.
I made a huge list of those and put them into this app!
Part 4: Flash Cards
Our flash card system integrates with the diagrams, so it knows which words you're currently focusing on.
About our tone system
Throughout all our diagrams, we use a theme consisting of colors, fonts, and other visuals to give each tone a unique personality. One important factor in choosing these visuals is considering the way each tone sounds and feels to a native English speaker.
| Color | Example | Pinyin | Pitch | Our imagery | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tone 1 | Gold | 金 | ◌̄ | High | Success, prosperity | This is the "high" tone, so we use it to symbolize high energy and success. |
| Tone 2 | Pink | 儿 | ◌́ | Upward | Cute | In English an upward tone sounds curious/ shy/ surprised/ playful. |
| Tone 3 | Blue | 水 | ◌̌ | Low | Water, cool, relaxed | This tone's low pitch sounds cool and relaxed. |
| Tone 4 | Dark red | 快 | ◌̀ | Downward | Sharp, direct | In English, a downward tone is used for exclamation (!) and sounds direct or sharp. |
How important are tones?
Tones are the key to understandable Chinese pronunciation. We provide beautiful interactive diagrams that make tones easy to explore and remember.
Many foreigners don't realize just how important tones are. Once you learn tones, your Chinese will sound so much better.
Mastering tones is known to be extremely hard, but we have invented a fun visual methodology that makes it easy! We use color, fonts, and mental imagery give each tone a unique personality. This is based on the principles of mnemonics that are used by competitive "memory athletes", medical students, and public speakers.
Sign up and get toned fast!
People have to guess what you are saying.
Prioritized vocabulary for any skill level
Whether you are a beginner or already know thousands of characters, we show you the most useful vocabulary at your skill level. Our quantitative vocabulary rankings are based on diverse sources (including K-12 vocabulary lists, movie subtitles, and social media posts).
Rank 1+
Rank 201+
Rank 2001+
FAQ
Is it free or paid?
Most of the functionality is available for free.
Certain features such as the grammar AI tutor require a subscription. Subscriptions cost $9.99 per month, There is a 7-day free trial.
Is this an app or a website?
VisualChinese is a mobile-friendly website. You can use it on your desktop or mobile device.
Is this for beginners or advanced learners?
Either one!
- If you are a beginner: the one thing to keep in mind is that VisualChinese doesn't teach grammar rules, so you will need a grammar textbook (e.g. Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar by Ross) or some other app (e.g. DuoLingo/HelloChinese). As long as you have that, you are good to go! Practice with VisualChinese and your other resource in parallel.
- If you are intermediate: go ahead and jump in!
Is there a lesson plan to follow?
VisualChinese is a freeform app for exploring and reviewing. You can navigate around the diagrams as you wish, save words, and practice grammar. There is no sequence of lessons, etc.
Can I import my own custom vocabulary list?
Yes! You can import a list of words or characters, either to be highlighted in the diagrams, or faded out.
Do you support traditional Chinese characters?
All content is available both in Simplified and Traditional characters
