Mizi
TonesListeningWritingTalkReview
0 XP

Mandarin from scratch.

Take the first lesson right here: hear the four tones, write 你好 and reply in Chinese. It takes about three minutes. Then keep going in the app.

Start the lesson

Get it on Google PlayiPhone coming soon.

  1. Four tones, four colors

    In Mandarin, the same syllable changes meaning with its tone. Tap all four to listen. In the app, each tone always has the same color, on the character and on the pinyin.

    Pick a tone, tap the microphone and say the syllable. The sound is analyzed only on your device and is not recorded.

  2. Which tone is it?

    Now without looking: listen to the syllable and pick the tone. Three rounds.

  3. Write 你好

    Follow the stroke order, starting at the dot. Use your finger, a stylus or the mouse.

    In the app, all 721 characters of the 1,120 words work like this.

  4. What do you say back?

    Zhūzhu talks to you. Pick the reply and hear how it’s said.

  5. Every word comes back before you forget it

    A card with the words from this lesson. After you see the answer, say how it went: missed it, and it comes back in a minute; easy, and not for a few days.

    When each word comes back

The path continues in the app

After this lesson come greetings, pinyin and your first sentences, and the path goes all the way to HSK 3.

Get it on Google PlayiPhone coming soon.

From your first 你好 to HSK 3

That’s 1,120 words and 74 dialogues, all with audio. Follow the HSK 1, 2 and 3 lessons or your school textbook (New Practical Chinese Reader 1 or HSK Standard Course 1), and prepare for the exam with mock tests in the official format, scored by section.

  1. +297 new297wordsHSK 1
  2. +198 new495wordsHSK 2
  3. +496 new991wordsHSK 3

Total words at each level; the new ones in yellow.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know any Chinese to start?

No. The path starts with the tones and greetings. If you already study, a placement test at the start skips the lessons you already know.

What is the HSK mock exam like?

It follows the official exam format: HSK 1 has 40 questions (20 listening and 20 reading), HSK 2 has 60 and HSK 3 has 80, including writing. Each recording plays twice, as in the real exam, and at the end you get a score per section and the corrections.

Does it work with my course textbook?

Yes. The path follows New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本 1) and fits in the HSK Standard Course 1 lessons. The Tests tab also has each book’s lessons, with a lesson drill for the day before class.

Do I need an account?

No. You start without one. To keep your progress in the cloud, create one with email, Google or Apple (on iPhone) without losing what you have studied.

Does it work offline?

Yes, after you open the app once with an internet connection. What you study offline is saved and synced when you are back online.

Why Mizi

The name comes from 米字格 (mǐzìgé), the grid used to practice Chinese handwriting. Its lines trace the character 米: a cross and two diagonals that help you put each stroke in place.

Get it on Google PlayiPhone coming soon.