Nothing changes until you open the link we send to the new
address.
Appearance
Mode
Accent colour
Tone colours in Pinyin
Delete account
Erases your account, library, folders, notes, pictures and
history for good. It cannot be undone.
Powered by frontier AI
Scan Chinese.Read it, hear it, learn it.
The most advanced AI-powered Chinese scanner,
translator and dictionary.
Point your camera at a sign, draw a character you have seen,
or paste Chinese characters. Get Pinyin, Cantonese Yale,
English and audio back, and a reference page for anything you
want to understand properly. With an account, everything you
look up is saved to your own library, ready to review and
practise later.
Drop an image with Chinese textor tap to browse your files
or
Drag on the picture to read just one part of it.
Tap a character to add it
Draw a character to see suggestions
Suggestions appear as you draw; tap one to add it to the text box.
Recognize+ asks the cloud recognizer when they are wrong.
Text to translateChinese or English
Try it without an account — scan, draw, type or ask the Chinese AI. An account adds dictation, character pages written for you, and keeps every card you make.
Characters, tones, grammar, the difference between two words
that look the same. Ask the way you would ask a teacher — it
runs on frontier AI, knows Chinese in depth and answers about
nothing else.
比 for comparing, 把 and 被, 是…的, 虽然…但是, 就 and 才: the patterns that carry a Chinese sentence, how each is built, and 51 everyday sentences to hear. Free, no account needed.
The comparison goes between the two things, and the describing word takes no 很 before it, though 更 or 还 are fine: 他比我高, never 他比我很高. To say the same, use 跟…一样. To say not as much, use 没有.
他比我高。tā bǐ wǒ gāoHe is taller than me. Taller than is 比.
今天比昨天热。jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān rèToday is hotter than yesterday. Hotter than is 比.
她跟我一样大。tā gēn wǒ yí yàng dàShe is the same age as me. 一样 the same takes 跟.
这个跟那个一样贵。zhè ge gēn nà ge yí yàng guìThis one costs the same as that one. 一样 the same takes 跟.
我没有他高。wǒ méi yǒu tā gāoI am not as tall as him. Not as tall as is 没有.
上海没有北京冷。shàng hǎi méi yǒu běi jīng lěngShanghai is not as cold as Beijing. Not as cold as is 没有.
把 or 被: what happens to something
Who + 把 + what + verb + result
What + 被 + (who) + verb + result
把bǎwho does something to it
被bèiwhat has something done to it
Both bring the thing forward, before the verb, and the verb needs something after it to say how it ended: 关上, 吃了, 放在桌子上. 了 alone works only with verbs like 吃, 喝 and 卖. With 把, the one doing it comes first. With 被, the thing it happened to comes first, often when the news is unwelcome.
请把门关上。qǐng bǎ mén guān shangPlease close the door. You do it to the door, so 把.
请把书放在桌子上。qǐng bǎ shū fàng zài zhuō zi shangPlease put the book on the table. You do it to the book, so 把.
我把蛋糕吃了。wǒ bǎ dàn gāo chī leI ate up the cake. I comes first and did it, so 把.
我的手机被偷了。wǒ de shǒu jī bèi tōu leMy phone was stolen. The phone had it done to it, so 被.
蛋糕被弟弟吃了。dàn gāo bèi dì di chī leThe cake was eaten by my younger brother. The cake comes first and had it done to it, so 被.
他被老师批评了。tā bèi lǎo shī pī píng leHe was told off by the teacher. He had it done to him, so 被.
是…的 or 了: the detail, or the news
是 + the detail + verb + 的
Verb + 了
的dewith 是: when, where, how or who with, of something already known
了lethat it has happened
Use 了 to say something has happened. Once that is known, use 是…的 to pick out a detail: when, where, how or who with. In positive sentences 是 can be dropped, but 的 cannot.
我昨天来的。wǒ zuó tiān lái de It was yesterday that I came. The detail is when, so 是…的.
我坐火车来的。wǒ zuò huǒ chē lái de It was by train that I came. The detail is how, so 是…的.
你是在哪里出生的？nǐ shì zài nǎ li chū shēng de Where was it that you were born? The detail is where, so 是…的.
你是跟谁去的？nǐ shì gēn shéi qù de Who was it you went with? The detail is who with, so 是…的.
她走了。tā zǒu le She has left. The news is that it has happened, so 了.
我买好票了。wǒ mǎi hǎo piào le I have bought the tickets. The news is that it has happened, so 了.
所以, 但是, 就 or 而且: joining two halves
因为…, 所以…
虽然…, 但是…
如果…, 就…
不但…, 而且…
所以suǒ yǐso, after 因为 because
但是dàn shìbut, after 虽然 although
就jiùthen, after 如果 if
而且ér qiěand also, after 不但 not only
English says because or so, although or but, never both. Chinese often says both, especially in careful speech. 就 comes after who is doing it, not before.
因为下雨，所以我不去了。yīn wèi xià yǔ suǒ yǐ wǒ bú qù leBecause it is raining, I am not going. 因为 goes with 所以.
因为太累了，所以我就睡了。yīn wèi tài lèi le suǒ yǐ wǒ jiù shuì leBecause I was too tired, I went to sleep. 因为 goes with 所以.
虽然很贵，但是很好吃。suī rán hěn guì dàn shì hěn hǎo chīAlthough it is expensive, it is delicious. 虽然 goes with 但是.
虽然他很忙，但是他每天都学中文。suī rán tā hěn máng dàn shì tā měi tiān dōu xué zhōng wénAlthough he is busy, he studies Chinese every day. 虽然 goes with 但是.
如果明天下雨，我就不去了。rú guǒ míng tiān xià yǔ wǒ jiù bú qù leIf it rains tomorrow, I will not go. 如果 goes with 就.
如果你饿了，我们就去吃饭。rú guǒ nǐ è le wǒ men jiù qù chī fànIf you are hungry, we will go and eat. 如果 goes with 就.
他不但会说中文，而且会写汉字。tā bú dàn huì shuō zhōng wén ér qiě huì xiě hàn zìHe not only speaks Chinese, he also writes characters. 不但 goes with 而且.
这个不但便宜，而且很好看。zhè ge bú dàn pián yi ér qiě hěn hǎo kànThis is not only cheap, it also looks good. 不但 goes with 而且.
就, 才 or 再: sooner, later, next
一 + this + 就 + that
Time + 就 + verb + 了
Time + 才 + verb
先 + this, 再 + that
就jiùas soon as, or earlier than expected
才cáinot until, later than expected
再zàiand then, after 先 first
就 and 才 both come after the time, and say how you feel about it. For what has already happened, time + 就 + verb + 了 is sooner than you might think; time + 才 + verb, with no 了, is later than you might think.
我一到家就吃饭。wǒ yí dào jiā jiù chī fànAs soon as I get home, I eat. 一…就 is as soon as.
他一看见我就笑了。tā yí kàn jiàn wǒ jiù xiào leAs soon as he saw me, he smiled. 一…就 is as soon as.
我七点就起床了。wǒ qī diǎn jiù qǐ chuáng leI was already up by seven. Earlier than you might think is 就.
他十点才起床。tā shí diǎn cái qǐ chuángHe did not get up until ten. Later than you might think is 才.
我九点才吃饭。wǒ jiǔ diǎn cái chī fànI did not eat until nine. Later than you might think is 才.
我们先吃饭，再看电影。wǒ men xiān chī fàn zài kàn diàn yǐngLet us eat first, and then watch the film. 先…再 is first, and then.
你先洗手，再吃饭。nǐ xiān xǐ shǒu zài chī fànWash your hands first, and then eat. 先…再 is first, and then.
越来越, 越 or 又: more and more
越来越 + describing word + 了
越 + this + 越 + that
又 + this + 又 + that
越来越yuè lái yuèmore and more, as time goes on
越yuèthe more this, the more that, said twice
又yòuboth this and that, said twice
越来越 goes before a describing word and takes no 很. 越 and 又 each come twice: 越 ties one thing growing to another, and 又 puts two things side by side.
天气越来越冷了。tiān qì yuè lái yuè lěng leIt is getting colder and colder. Changing as time goes on is 越来越.
他的中文越来越好了。tā de zhōng wén yuè lái yuè hǎo leHis Chinese is getting better and better. Changing as time goes on is 越来越.
我越学越喜欢。wǒ yuè xué yuè xǐ huanThe more I study it, the more I like it. The more this, the more that is 越…越.
雨越下越大。yǔ yuè xià yuè dàThe longer it rains, the harder it rains. The more it falls, the harder it falls: 越…越.
她又高又漂亮。tā yòu gāo yòu piào liangShe is both tall and pretty. Both this and that is 又…又.
这个又便宜又好吃。zhè ge yòu pián yi yòu hǎo chīThis is both cheap and delicious. Both this and that is 又…又.
除了 with 都 or 也: except, or as well
除了…以外, everyone else + 都…
除了…以外, who + 也…
都dōuexcept: everyone else did
也yěbesides: this one too
除了…以外 means two different things, and the 都 or 也 in the second half decides which. With 都 it takes that one away: everyone but him. With 也 it adds another: him, and us too. With the same person in both halves, 还 is more natural: 除了中文以外，我还学日语.
除了他以外，我们都去了。chú le tā yǐ wài wǒ men dōu qù leEveryone went except him. Everyone but him is 都.
除了星期天以外，我每天都上班。chú le xīng qī tiān yǐ wài wǒ měi tiān dōu shàng bānI work every day except Sunday. Every day but that one is 都.
除了你以外，大家都知道。chú le nǐ yǐ wài dà jiā dōu zhī dàoEverybody knows except you. Everybody but you is 都.
除了他以外，我也学日语。chú le tā yǐ wài wǒ yě xué rì yǔNot only him: I am learning Japanese too. That one and this too is 也.
除了他以外，我们也去了。chú le tā yǐ wài wǒ men yě qù leNot only him: we went too. That one and this too is 也.
除了她以外，我也喜欢猫。chú le tā yǐ wài wǒ yě xǐ huan māoNot only her: I like cats too. That one and this too is 也.
快要 or 正在: about to, or right now
快要 + verb + 了
正在 + verb
快要kuài yàoabout to, with 了 at the end
正在zhèng zàiin the middle of doing
快要 says it has not happened yet but soon will, and ends the sentence with 了. 正在 says it is going on at the moment in question, without that 了.
火车快要到了。huǒ chē kuài yào dào leThe train is about to arrive. About to is 快要…了.
电影快要开始了。diàn yǐng kuài yào kāi shǐ leThe film is about to start. About to is 快要…了.
天快要黑了。tiān kuài yào hēi leIt is about to get dark. About to is 快要…了.
我正在吃饭。wǒ zhèng zài chī fànI am eating right now. In the middle of it is 正在.
他正在打电话。tā zhèng zài dǎ diàn huàHe is on the phone right now. In the middle of it is 正在.
她正在看书。tā zhèng zài kàn shūShe is reading at the moment. In the middle of it is 正在.
Rules, and real speech
These rules cover the everyday uses, and each of these patterns does more than is shown here. See Chinese word order for the order they sit in, and the grammar words for the small words that are easy to mix up.
A reference page for every character and common word we have
been asked about: readings, meaning, the words it appears in
and where it came from. Free to read, no account needed.