Web Tools Every Chinese Learner Needs
Enhancing your browser learning experience
Hey everyone! Today I'm excited to share a few websites and browser extensions (available on the Chrome Web Store) that have been helpful in my Mandarin journey. Whether you're just starting out or well along the path to fluency, these resources are great to have in your language learning toolkit. All of the following are free to use but have premium options. I'll categorize them for easier reference and provide options within each category.
1. Mouse Dictionary
The Google Translate browser extension offers a convenient way to translate the entire webpage into English. However, what if you prefer to practice reading Chinese without translating the entire page, only needing it for specific characters you don't know? Zhongzhong is the answer. With this extension, you can hover over individual characters, displaying its definition and pinyin. It is a quick way to look up unfamiliar words for a seamless reading experience.
If you are also learning Cantonese, then check out Mandarin + Cantonese Dictionary. The functions are essentially the same as Zhongzhong but M+C Dict displays both pinyin and the Cantonese Jyutping romanization.
Note: There are also extensions that add pinyin onto the webpage itself. From personal experience, I did not enjoy these extensions since it distorted the webpage layout.
2. Chinese to Pinyin Converter
When I need a quick conversion to pinyin, I usually turn to Google Translate. However, for intensive study, I prefer Purple Culture's converter. Purple Culture's tool is much more feature-rich such as color-coding for different pinyin tones, the option to hide pinyin for focused character reading practice, and the ability to compile vocabulary lists that can be easily exported to Excel, CSV, or PDF formats.
Honorable mention to Mandarin Spot, a lightweight converter I used before finding Purple Culture.
3. Text to Speech
Again, Google Translate is sufficient if you need something quick. However, if you want to export the speech to a MP3 check out TTSMP3. This website offers the capability to read Chinese text and generate MP3 files free of charge, enabling you to practice listening to phrases or stories at your convenience. TTS also features AI voices that deliver more natural-sounding speech compared to Google's mechanical voices, although there is a daily limit of 1,000 characters for the free tier.
4. Dual Subs for YouTube and Netflix
One of the most powerful browser extensions available to enhance your learning experience is Language Reactor. Not only does it provide dual subtitles for your Netflix shows or YouTube videos, it can has these additional features for free:
- display pinyin alongside each character
- provides a pop-up dictionary upon clicking a word
- highlights words suitable for your proficiency level
- scans subtitles to highlight the most frequently used words
- save words for you to export later
LR can also assist you in finding shows or videos that have Chinese to expand your media selection. As long as the video includes both Chinese and English subtitles, the extension will work seamlessly. While the paid version offers more advanced features, the free version should be sufficient for most users.
If you're just looking for a simple dual subtitle extension without all the bells and whistles, check out Dualsub instead.
5. My Hidden Gem
Oftentimes, we encounter new words in textbooks or conversations but require repeated exposure to fully internalize their meaning and usage. Youglish offers a solution by allowing you to search for a specific word across a vast array of YouTube videos, exposing you to various speakers and contexts across different topics. Every video Youglish provides will automatically begin playback where the word is used, essentially streamlining the process for you. It even has "Nearby words" to help build your “symphony”. As long as the video has Chinese subs, Youglish will be able to find it.
Learn what it means to build your own “symphony” here!
These resources have been extremely valuable in my language learning journey and I hope they can enhance your experience as well. Feel free to share any other resources you find useful!
Looking Ahead
1. Discussing book resources: HSK textbooks and graded readers
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Best,
Eric