zhko is the ultimate Chinese vocabulary learning platform, combining comprehensive dictionaries and linguistic analysis with a cutting-edge spaced repetition system.
Learn Mandarin vocabulary with complete flexibility. zhko supports both Pinyin (with either tone numbers or diacritics) and Zhuyin (Bopomofo), with seamless switching between simplified and traditional characters. Full HSK 3.0 coverage (levels 1–9), thousands of authentic example sentences, and native-quality audio ensure accuracy and depth at every stage of learning—from your very first word to advanced mastery.
Cantonese on zhko is an equal flagship language, never an afterthought. Choose between Jyutping and Yale romanization, explore complete coverage of Cantonese-specific characters, and focus on the most relevant vocabulary with real spoken frequency data. Reinforce learning with authentic example sentences and native-quality audio, so you master Cantonese as it’s truly spoken and written.
Search our Mandarin and Cantonese dictionaries with Chinese characters, any of our supported phonetic systems, or English. Our advanced text segmenter automatically breaks down sentences into individual words.
Learn vocabulary with the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler (FSRS), the same scientifically-proven algorithm that powers Anki. Optimize your learning schedule for maximum efficiency and retention.
Paste any Chinese text and instantly extract vocabulary. Automatically identify unknown words and add them to your study deck with one click, with intelligent component breakdown.
Native-quality pronunciation using Azure Speech Services with SSML phonetic markup for perfect tone accuracy in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
Understand how Chinese words are built from the ground up. Break down compounds and idioms into their component parts to grasp the logic and structure of Chinese.
Prioritize learning based on real-world frequency data for both Mandarin and Cantonese. Import the most commonly used words to your deck in bulk for efficient vocabulary building.
Track your learning with detailed statistics, calendar heatmaps, retention graphs, and study streaks. Monitor your vocabulary growth over time and compete with other learners on the leaderboard.
Complete coverage of all HSK 3.0 levels (1-9) with every Mandarin word on the official word lists clearly marked by HSK level. See your progress in every HSK level with a dedicated panel in our statistics page.
Test your pronunciation recall with cloze exercises in context. Practice character writing with stroke order guidance, and enjoy smart difficulty adjustment that adapts to your vocabulary level.
Everyone is different, with different learning goals and speeds. Customize your language display settings, spaced repetition parameters, and much more to fit your own learning requirements and pace.
Chinese word definitions, pronunciations, and translations are sourced from CEDICT (CC-CEDICT), a collaborative Chinese-English dictionary project. We are grateful for the countless contributors who have made this comprehensive resource freely available to language learners worldwide.
Contextual example sentences are provided by Tatoeba, an open collection of sentences and translations created by volunteers from around the world.
Word frequency rankings that help prioritize learning are based on research by Dr. Minlie Huang at Tsinghua University.
The flashcard scheduling system uses the FSRS algorithm, reimplemented based on the work of Jarrett Ye.
High-quality audio pronunciation is powered by Microsoft Azure Speech Services, enhanced with custom SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) for precise tone accuracy in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
The biggest inspiration for zhko is jpdb.io, whose combination of a word database with flashcard creation set the standard for what a modern language learning tool can be. Without jpdb, zhko would almost certainly not exist. The user interface and search experience design draws inspiration from Jeff Carp's ChineseDict, which demonstrated elegant ways to segment Chinese sentences in real-time. Finally, we must mention Anki, which was the start of many language learning journeys and the software that made spaced repetition accessible to everyone.