Quick Guide
Everything you need to know to get started and make the most of 文人天下.
Don’t know where to start?
Head to My Profile › My Character Bankand “deposit” into your CharacterBank by taking the Evaluation. Then follow the step-by-step path to learn characters one by one. You will be amazed how well you can read — and speak — at the same time, in no time.
Start Learning →We teach Chinese — not just one region’s version of it
Most resources pick a side: Traditional or Simplified. We don’t. Our goal is to teach Chinese characters as a whole, so you can read across all regions — Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China, Singaporeand beyond — not just one country’s system. Our content covers both scripts, and each character entry shows you both forms so you always know what you’re looking at.
Our background is Traditional Chinese, so pronunciation and character forms follow that standard. If something sounds different from what you are used to in another region, that may be why. If you think something is genuinely incorrect, please contact us — we are always happy to review it.
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Take the Evaluation (Members)
Not sure where to start? Take our Evaluation to find your current level. We will place you at the right point in the character sequence so you are not wasting time on things you already know — or skipping things you are not ready for. Access it any time from My Profile › Evaluation. Evaluation is available to members only.
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Understand Your CharacterBank
Your CharacterBank is the number of characters you have mastered so far. It is the engine behind everything on this site — a higher bank unlocks more conversations and content tailored to what you can already read. Every character you complete on the step-by-step path grows your bank. You can view and manage your bank from My Profile › My Character Bank.
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Follow the Step-by-Step Path
Head to Learnand work through characters in order — even if you already know some Chinese. The sequence is carefully ordered so each character builds on those before it. Each entry shows the character’s origin, stroke order, similar-looking characters, example words, and sentences. Stick with it from Day 1 and you will be surprised how much you can read within weeks. Visual aids are included as memory hooks to help you link a character to a memorable image. They are tools for recall — they may not capture the full meaning of the character. If one feels genuinely misleading, let us know and we will look into it.
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Hear Every Character, Word and Sentence
Every piece of Chinese content on the site has a ▶ play button next to it. Tap it to hear the correct pronunciation spoken aloud — no separate app or audio file required. Audio is available on individual characters, words, sentences in Speak, news articles in News, topics in Topics, and your own articles in My Documents. All tabs (CHT, CHS, Pinyin, English, Customize) play the same Traditional Chinese audio so you always hear the authentic pronunciation regardless of which view you are in.
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Practise What You Know
Use Practice (on the Learn or Games page) to quiz yourself on any character range. Members can set both the start and end of the range and adjust the number of questions. You can also include words and sentences in your session, and save items to your Review Later or Favourites list as you go.
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Customize Your View (Members)
The Customize tab — available in Speak, Topics, News, and My Documents — is exclusive to members. It shows content in a personalised mix: characters you already know appear in Chinese, while characters you have not yet learned are shown as pinyin instead. This means you can engage with real content at your actual level from day one — no more being overwhelmed by unfamiliar characters or bored by content that is too easy. Your known character set updates automatically as your CharacterBank grows.
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Read Conversations
The Speak section contains short, practical dialogues graded by difficulty level. Switch between CHT (Traditional), CHS (Simplified), Pinyin, English, and Customize tabs to control how much support you need. Tap any sentence to reveal the full breakdown. Pick dialogues that match your current level and revisit them as your reading improves.
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Read the News
The News section brings real-world articles about China, Chinese culture, and current events — available to everyone, no account required. Each article is summarised at four difficulty levels: Easy, Medium,Difficult, and Expert, so you can always find a version that matches where you are right now. Use the script tabs to switch between CHT (Traditional Chinese), CHS (Simplified), Pinyin, and English. Members also unlock the Customize tab, which blends Chinese and pinyin based on your personal CharacterBank — so you read as much real Chinese as you are ready for. Members can save articles to their Favourites to return to them later.
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Refer to the Essentials
Essentials covers grammar patterns, sentence structure, and pronunciation guides. You do not need to read them all at once — dip in when something in a lesson or conversation confuses you.
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Level Your Own Documents (Members)
My Documents — found under My Profile — lets you paste any Chinese article (Traditional or Simplified) and instantly convert it into all four scripts: CHT, CHS, Pinyin, and English, with full Customize support. Each conversion uses credits based on word count: 1 credit per 100 words, up to a maximum of 500 words. Results are saved to your account so you can return to them any time. Go to My Profile › My Documents to get started.
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Credits & Rewards (Members)
Members earn credits for activity on the site and receive 10 free credits on the 1st of every month. Additional credits are awarded for referring a friend (once they verify their email), levelling up via Grade My Level, and maintaining a 30-day login streak. You can also buy credits directly — AUD $10 for 100 credits or AUD $20 for 210 credits — from My Profile › Credits. Credits are spent when using My Documents to convert your own Chinese articles (1 credit per 100 words). Remaining credits can be redeemed for a Coloring My Life voucher. View your full credit balance, purchase history, evaluation unlocks, practice sessions, and Grade My Level results at My Profile › History.
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Reinforce with Games
Games are short activities built around what you have already learned. They are a fast way to move new characters from short-term to long-term memory. Practice is available to everyone; more games are available to members.
💡 Tips for Success
- Start from character 1 even if you know some Chinese — you might fill gaps you never knew you had.
- Don't skip characters. The learning system is designed so each one reinforces the next.
- A little every day beats a long session once a week. Fifteen minutes daily is enough to make real progress.
- Use Practice regularly — even a short five-minute session reinforces what you have learned far better than just reading.
- Use your Review Later list to flag characters you find tricky, then focus your next practice session on that range.
A Note on Content
We make every effort to ensure all content — definitions, pinyin, translations, and sentences — is accurate, but mistakes can happen. If you spot something that does not look right, please let us know. We will be happy to look into it and improve.
News articles are summarised using AI. Summaries may not be 100% accurate — if something does not make sense, please get in touch.
Ready to start?
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