App Description

Master the characters in the HSK Chinese language test with the Xiezi Chinese Character Trainer app from Clavis Sinica. The app uses attractive stroke animations to show you how each character is formed, one stroke at a time. It then invites you to practice writing the character yourself on the touchscreen, and gives you immediate feedback on every stroke you draw.

Three different learning modes--Train, Drill, and Test--take you from your first encounter with each new character through systematic writing practice to a thorough mastery of the character's structure and stroke order.

This version of the app includes the complete set of 623 characters required for levels 1, 2, and 3 of the HSK Chinese language test, the leading standardized assessment exam for students of Chinese. The characters are divided into 24 lessons of 24-27 characters, arranged by HSK level and usage frequency.

A version of this app is used in first-year Chinese language courses at the University of Michigan, where the author is a faculty member.

Usage note: please be patient when you select your HSK level the first time you use the app. Because of the large amount of data involved, it can take 30+ seconds to load the first time.

iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

CS Xiezi - HSK Levels 1-3 screenshot 1 CS Xiezi - HSK Levels 1-3 screenshot 2 CS Xiezi - HSK Levels 1-3 screenshot 3

App Changes

  • September 07, 2012 Initial release
  • February 07, 2013 Price decrease: $4.99 -> $3.99