Product Updates

New learning features, useful resources, and important improvements for your Chinese study.

  1. Major update

    Richer Word and Idiom Practice Pages

    Expanded word and idiom resources gave learners more context, examples, and writing paths beyond an individual character.

    Characters become more memorable when you meet them in useful words and phrases. HanziStroke continued expanding word and idiom pages so learners can connect a character to real vocabulary.

    Learn beyond one character

    • Browse Chinese idioms by pinyin and open the full word page.
    • Check pronunciation, meaning, and example context together.
    • Continue into character writing practice or printable resources when a word is worth keeping.

    This makes the dictionary feel less like a list of isolated entries and more like a connected study path.

    Browse Chinese Idioms
  2. Major update

    Guided Writing Practice Sessions

    Focused handwriting sessions made it easier to choose a set of characters, keep going, and see your progress.

    Writing practice is easier to sustain when the next character is already waiting for you. Guided sessions brought selected characters and words into a more focused practice flow.

    Keep a writing session moving

    • Start from HSK vocabulary, saved words, decks, or recommendations.
    • Work through a chosen set instead of deciding again after every character.
    • Return to a session and keep track of completed practice.

    The flow is designed for regular, manageable practice rather than one long study marathon.

    Start Writing Practice
  3. Major update

    Build Your Own Chinese Flashcard Decks

    Personal flashcard decks made it easier to collect vocabulary and return to it for focused review.

    Every learner collects a different set of words: vocabulary from a class, a favorite show, a trip, or a conversation. Personal flashcard decks made that collection easier to organize and revisit.

    Review what matters to you

    • Create a deck around a topic or study goal.
    • Add characters and words you want to remember.
    • Return for short review sessions when you are ready.

    The result is a more flexible study space alongside HanziStroke’s character and HSK resources.

    Open Flashcard Decks
  4. Major update

    Chinese Dictation Practice Arrives

    A new listen-and-write practice mode gave learners another way to connect pronunciation, character recognition, and handwriting.

    Stroke order is only one part of writing Chinese. Dictation practice adds a different kind of focus: hear a character, recall it, and write it yourself.

    Practice from sound to character

    • Listen before revealing the answer.
    • Use a hint when you need a nudge instead of immediately giving up.
    • Keep moving through a short set at your own pace.

    This creates a useful bridge between recognizing a sound and remembering the character that belongs to it.

    Try Chinese Dictation
  5. Major update

    Explore a Chinese Name and Its Characters

    The Chinese Name Generator gave learners a personal way to explore names, meanings, and the characters they can practice writing.

    A name can be a memorable doorway into Chinese characters. The Chinese Name Generator helps learners explore name ideas, then continue into the characters behind them.

    Make the result useful for learning

    • Explore a name suggestion with a learner-friendly explanation.
    • Open the individual character pages for stroke order and meaning.
    • Turn a meaningful set of characters into a small writing goal.

    It is a personal starting point that still leads back to practical character study.

    Try the Name Generator
  6. Major update

    More Printable Chinese Writing Worksheets

    Course-aligned worksheets expanded the ways learners can take HanziStroke practice from the screen to paper.

    Handwriting becomes easier to build into a routine when you can practice away from the screen. HanziStroke expanded its printable worksheet collection with more structured writing resources.

    Put practice on paper

    • Download character and vocabulary practice sheets.
    • Use guided stroke-order references before filling in the grids.
    • Choose resources that fit focused HSK study or your own character list.

    Each worksheet is designed to make the next writing session feel straightforward: look, trace, then write independently.

    Explore worksheets
  7. Major update

    Clearer HSK Study Paths

    HanziStroke made it easier to explore Chinese vocabulary through separate HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 study paths.

    HSK vocabulary is easier to use when the list, reading, and meaning stay connected. HanziStroke strengthened its HSK study pages so learners can explore official vocabulary through the version that matches their own exam, textbook, or course.

    Choose the path that fits your study

    • Browse HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 separately.
    • Open character and word pages for pinyin, meaning, and writing guidance.
    • Use the same study path when you return to practice or printable resources.

    Keeping the two versions distinct helps learners make a clear choice without losing context.

    Browse HSK vocabulary
  8. Major update

    HanziStroke Opens for Chinese Character Practice

    HanziStroke opened as a focused place to look up Chinese characters, follow stroke order, and make handwriting practice more approachable.

    HanziStroke began as a small project in November 2025 and opened publicly that December. The goal was simple: make it easier to see how a Chinese character is written before putting pen to paper.

    A place to start writing

    • Look up a character and see its stroke order.
    • Check pinyin and a plain-English meaning in the same place.
    • Move from a character to useful words and examples as your study grows.

    The site started with the writing questions learners ask most often: “What does this character mean?” and “How do I write it in the right order?”

    Explore the dictionary