Chénjìn review
A flexible Mandarin study toolkit for learners who want to learn from articles and video.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Chénjìn brings Mandarin reading, listening, vocabulary, and pronunciation practice together for intermediate learners, while also offering a beginner path for learners starting from zero. Levelled articles and graded readers pair with synchronized audio and text highlighting; an interactive dictionary provides definitions, audio, stroke order, and saved context. Flashcards, dictation, cloze exercises, games, and a camera scanner add other ways to work with Chinese text. It suits learners who want to study through articles and video across web, Android, iOS, and a Chrome extension, rather than follow a course centered on one lesson format.
Its video and browser tools are a notable fit for learners who want to study Mandarin in context. The Chrome extension supports text and subtitles on websites, while YouTube study includes interactive subtitles and sentence mining. The listed integrations also include Netflix, iQIYI, and Anki. These connections, combined with the scanner and saved dictionary context, give learners several ways to turn material they encounter into study. Choose Chénjìn if learning from reading and video is central to your routine; learners seeking a tightly structured sequence of lessons may prefer a product focused more narrowly on curriculum.
The Free plan includes reading and listening, the dictionary, and on-site flashcards, with limited daily reading and selected tools. Plus costs $7.99 per month and adds unlimited articles and graded readers, flashcards, dictation and cloze practice, video study, sentence mining, Anki sync, and Tone Coach. Pro is $16.99 per month and adds no daily limits, audio-upload auto-transcription, unlimited Tone Coach scoring, AI example sentences, and priority support. A seven-day free trial is available, and the trial does not require a card. The Android app is available; the iPhone app is an open beta via TestFlight. Pick a paid tier if you need its broader practice options or limits removed; the free plan is a simpler starting point.
Chénjìn pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Pairs levelled reading with synchronized audio and text highlighting
- Adds pronunciation feedback, dictation, and cloze practice
- Connects video study with YouTube, Netflix, iQIYI, and Anki
- Where it doesn't
- Free reading is limited daily, with selected tools only
- Unlimited Tone Coach scoring and no daily limits require Pro
- iPhone app is an open beta via TestFlight
Chénjìn fact sheet, pricing and score →
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