# Choose a Chinese idiom study tool: Almanac, dictionaries, flashcards and readers

Find a tool for the way you study: English idiom lessons, dictionary lookup, flashcards, or longer reading. Compare app access and offline features.

Published by Chinese Idioms Almanac · Published November 3, 2026 · Updated November 5, 2026

Almanac · Chinese idioms · study tools · comparison

![Chinese Idioms Almanac artwork with Chinese characters, pinyin and an English meaning.](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/assets/social-card.webp)

## Key takeaway

Almanac fits prepared English usage guidance, four translated examples and offline local review, with 20 free entries and optional one-time Pro. Use Chinese reference dictionaries for source/pattern lookup, Anki for personal synced decks, or readers for longer stories and imported books.

Choose **Chinese Idioms Almanac** for prepared English-assisted chengyu lessons, practical usage notes, four translated examples and short offline review on iPhone or iPad. Start elsewhere when you need a fully free daily collection, source-text research, unfamiliar-character input, your own decks or sustained reading.

We make Almanac. This compares official descriptions, not installations, purchases or measured learning outcomes. Original options were checked **3 November 2026**; additions were checked **4 November 2026**. Unknown features remain unknown; a larger dictionary is not automatically a better lesson collection.

## Start with the task

| Requirement | Start with | Decisive condition |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Prepared English idiom lessons and local review | Almanac | 20 free app entries; optional one-time Pro |

| Fully free daily idioms and widgets | ChengYu – Daily Chinese Idioms | Its full collection is unlocked free |

| Trace an idiom's source and written usage | Taiwan Ministry of Education 成語典 | Read Chinese reference material; distinguish main entries from appendices |

| Identify unfamiliar text | Pleco, Hanping or a browser dictionary | Check input tools and optional resources |

| Review personally selected vocabulary across devices | Anki | Choose or create an appropriate deck |

| Read stories, news or your own books | Du Chinese, The Chairman’s Bao or Readibu | Choose content, audio and download conditions first |

## When Almanac fits

[Almanac](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/) bundles both Chinese scripts, pinyin, English meanings, usage guidance, context and four examples with English translations. Search by Chinese, pinyin or English meaning, save idioms and return to flashcards. Choose it when you want this prepared lesson-and-review combination without assembling a deck.

The free app includes **20 complete idioms**, saving, review and all four Home Screen widget styles. Optional permanent **one-time Pro** unlocks 1,000+ idioms, topics and full-collection review. No subscription. Daily idioms rotate through your accessible collection; iOS controls widget refresh.

[Version 1.0.2](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chinese-idioms-almanac/id6819590452) lists iPhone/iPad with iOS/iPadOS 16.4+. Reading, search, saved idioms and flashcards work offline. Device Mandarin voices determine pronunciation quality and offline audio; purchase/restore needs internet and the App Store. Progress stays on each installation without account-based sync. Pro purchase access is separate: restoring it does not recover study records. See [Almanac’s purchase and progress guidance](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/support) . The full public web library needs no app purchase: see [website versus app](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/compare/website-vs-app) .

## Direct idiom apps: activity and access

| App | Documented fit and tradeoff |

| --- | --- |

| [ChengYu – Daily Chinese Idioms](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chengyu-daily-chinese-idioms/id6740611324) | Fully free 1,000+ collection, stories, bilingual examples, both scripts, favorites, calendar and three widget sizes. Optional tips unlock nothing. Its no-account/ads/analytics claims overlap Almanac's privacy positioning; scheduled recall-review was not established here. |

| [Daily Chengyu – Chinese Study](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daily-chengyu-chinese-study/id6744666122) | Character breakdowns, histories and translated examples; five free entries, one-time Premium for 700+. Consider it for character-by-character treatment. Avoiding subscriptions does not distinguish Almanac. |

| [Chengyu: Origins](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chengyu-origins/id6782319937) | English origins, illustrations, historical-era browsing and streak/coin unlocking. Choose illustrated exploration; Almanac's documented fit is usage guidance, four examples and review. |

| [ChengyuQuest](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chengyuquest-chinese-idiom/id6757101675) | Character puzzles, historical stages and leaderboards plus English meanings, usage and examples. Subscription unlocks unlimited learning/game content; free entitlement was not established. |

| [1 Day 1 Chengyu](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/1-day-1-chengyu/id6760732640) | Artwork, stories, quizzes, reminders and bilingual explanations; subscriber collections. Lists iPhone iOS 18+; free limits/offline scope remain unverified. |

| [Everyday Chengyu](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/everyday-chengyu/id6738624239) | Both scripts, audio, challenges, history and listed iOS 12+ support; release notes add Zhuyin. Exact premium boundaries, offline scope and English explanation depth remain unverified. |

| [Idiom Shiguang](https://www.marcx.app/idiom-shiguang/) | Four-character tile puzzles, pinyin/Chinese definitions, daily puzzle and widget. Five chapters free; monthly, yearly or lifetime Plus. English menus do not establish English idiom instruction. |

For a closer choice, read [Almanac vs Daily Chengyu – Chinese Study](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/compare/almanac-vs-daily-chengyu) for character explanations versus usage/review, or [Almanac vs Chengyu: Origins](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/compare/almanac-vs-chengyu-origins) for illustrated stories, local coin unlocks and a sample-choice procedure.

## Chinese reference: sources, patterns and language

Taiwan's [**Ministry of Education 成語典**](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/search.jsp) supports character, Zhuyin and pinyin searches. Its [FAQ](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/pageView.jsp?ID=47&powerMode=1) explains source citations, documentary examples and usage, main entries versus reference variants, and ebook browsing. Crucially, English search translates individual characters, **not the idiom's figurative meaning**. Use it for Chinese source-reference work; Almanac is a conditional fit for English lesson explanations and native review, not a substitute for this reference task or a scholarly-authority winner.

Three dedicated dictionary listings offer another route:

- [**中华成语词典**](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/%E4%B8%AD%E5%8D%8E%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/id1202111652) documents pinyin, explanations, origins, script switching and keyword search.

- [**成语词典大全与成语故事高清专业版HD**](https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%E5%A4%A7%E5%85%A8%E4%B8%8E%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B%E9%AB%98%E6%B8%85%E4%B8%93%E4%B8%9A%E7%89%88hd/id803822980) documents thematic browsing, origins, examples, synonyms/antonyms, fuzzy/position search and offline content after download. The checked China listing shows iPhone/iPad, iOS/iPadOS 9+, version 15.02 from 2021 and an ad-removal purchase; installation was not tested.

- [**國語工作室's 成語典**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.guoyu.cidian) documents offline browsing, source/usage information, favorites and wildcard/pinyin-initial searches on Android, with ads and in-app purchases. It is a separate developer's product, not the Ministry website.

These Chinese descriptions do not establish English lesson depth. Check an entry before choosing. [**Zdic's 画蛇添足 entry**](https://zdic.net/hans/%E7%95%AB%E8%9B%87%E6%B7%BB%E8%B6%B3) illustrates browser reference with Chinese explanations, source quotations, grammar and English glosses; one entry does not certify its entire library.

## Broad dictionaries and vocabulary widgets

[**Pleco**](https://www.pleco.com/products/pleco-for-iphone-ipad/) documents handwriting/OCR, imported documents, examples, both scripts, optional recorded audio and configurable flashcards. Free resources and one-time add-ons differ; downloaded resources work offline. [**Hanping**](https://hanpingchinese.com/) documents iOS/Android dictionary, handwriting, image/document reading and account-backed backup of stars, tags and notes; Screen Reader is Android-only. Check platform parity and resources.

[**Laowai**](https://laowaiapp.com/the-app/) combines offline dictionary, EPUB/TXT/FB2 reading and lists; annual Pro adds unlimited practice/iCloud sync, with iOS 26+ listed. [**MDBG**](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=help) offers browser lookup, text annotation, character tools, flashcards and quizzes. [**ChineseIdioms.com**](https://www.chineseidioms.com/dictionary) offers English-assisted origins/examples/themes; its displayed collection counts differ. Offline/progress behavior of these websites was not established.

For general vocabulary display, [**Karacter**](https://karacter.app/) documents Home/Lock Screen widgets, offline dictionary and handwriting. Its [release notes](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/karacter-chinese-widgets/id6747664971?platform=watch) say all features became free, while the store still lists purchases: confirm terms. Android's [**Mandarin Assistant HSK Widget**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en_US&id=fr.berliat.hskwidget) documents custom entries, annotations, OCR, widgets and Anki integration. Choose these for input/custom vocabulary; Almanac supplies prepared idiom lessons and Home Screen prompts.

## Custom review and exam lists

[**Anki**](https://apps.ankiweb.net/) supports shared/self-authored multimedia decks, adjustable review and AnkiWeb sync. Inspect a shared deck before adopting it. [**Daily Chinese**](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daily-chinese-grow-vocabulary/id1468602303) documents idiom/HSK packs, custom reviews, multiple question formats and AI-generated examples/context; idiom-pack size and AI access/accuracy remain unverified. [**HSKStory**](https://hskstory.com/guides/hsk-30-chengyu-list) offers level filters, translated examples and an Anki deck. Its HSK alignment was not independently checked; Almanac promises no HSK completeness.

## Reading, listening, videos and books

[**Du Chinese**](https://duchinese.net/) combines graded reading, native-speaker audio and saved-word flashcards; its [idiom article](https://duchinese.net/blog/2024/09/09/must-know-chinese-idioms-from-romance-of-the-three-kingdoms/) links an Upper Intermediate course whose current entitlement was not verified. [**The Chairman’s Bao**](https://www.thechairmansbao.com/) offers graded news, human-recorded audio, comprehension and idiom lists; samples do not establish full free access.

[**Readibu**](https://www.readibu.com/) documents idiom recognition, pinyin/Zhuyin, tap lookup, word export and EPUB/PDF/TXT imports. Premium adds sync and downloads of bookmarked pages; external sites can restrict extraction/access. Choose it for your own longer reading. [**LingQ**](https://www.lingq.com/en/learn-chinese-online/) supports imported text/audio, vocabulary review and cross-device content sync; its [membership page](https://www.lingq.com/en/signup/) lists 20 saves/five imports free, recurring Premium for unlimited saves/imports. Exact offline entitlement was not established.

[**Read Mandarin**](https://readmandarin.com/idioms) connects idioms to graded passages with translated examples/pinyin; full-reading access remains unverified. [**ChinesePod's Sky & Earth lesson**](https://chinesepod.com/lessons/chengyu-series-sky-earth) shows a hosted chengyu series with translated dialogue/vocabulary; full media entitlement was not checked. [**Skritter**](https://docs.skritter.com/article/282-skritter-video-courses) documents 100 chengyu video lessons across four themed decks; current course entitlement remains unchecked.

For paper-based stories and listening, [Tuttle's **Chinese Stories for Language Learners**](https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/china/chinese-stories-for-language-learners) describes 22 proverbs/traditional tales, facing Chinese/English texts, usage/cultural notes, questions and native-speaker audio. It is broader than chengyu alone. For frequency selection, Routledge's [**500 Common Chinese Idioms**](https://www.routledge.com/500-Common-Chinese-Idioms-An-Annotated-Frequency-Dictionary-1st-Edition/Jiao-Kubler-Zhang/p/book/9780203839140) describes a corpus-based method; only its publisher search excerpt was available. Neither book was inspected. Almanac's collection size establishes no scholarship advantage.

## Make one useful choice

Choose your requirement first. If Almanac's prepared English lesson-and-review bundle fits, try its 20 free entries before considering Pro. For source research, personal decks, recorded stories or imported novels, start with the corresponding tools above. This is a suggested selection process, not a learning test we performed.

## Sources

- [Almanac official overview](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/)

- [Almanac released App Store listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chinese-idioms-almanac/id6819590452)

- [ChengYu – Daily Chinese Idioms](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chengyu-daily-chinese-idioms/id6740611324)

- [Ministry of Education 成語典 search](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/search.jsp)

- [Ministry 成語典 FAQ and English-search limitation](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/pageView.jsp?ID=47&powerMode=1)

- [中华成语词典 App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/%E4%B8%AD%E5%8D%8E%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/id1202111652)

- [成语词典大全 HD App Store China](https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%E5%A4%A7%E5%85%A8%E4%B8%8E%E6%88%90%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B%E9%AB%98%E6%B8%85%E4%B8%93%E4%B8%9A%E7%89%88hd/id803822980)

- [國語工作室 成語典 Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.guoyu.cidian)

- [Readibu official features and FAQ](https://www.readibu.com/)

- [ChinesePod Sky & Earth lesson](https://chinesepod.com/lessons/chengyu-series-sky-earth)

- [Tuttle Chinese Stories for Language Learners](https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/china/chinese-stories-for-language-learners)

- [Zdic sampled idiom reference entry](https://zdic.net/hans/%E7%95%AB%E8%9B%87%E6%B7%BB%E8%B6%B3)

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