Chinese Dictionary
A structured system for learning Chinese: a fast dictionary in English, German and French, a reader that clarifies any word as you go, and flashcards that bring words back at the right time.
On the App Store since 2009
What KTdict does
Five tools that work together, on every Apple device you own, with your words synced through iCloud.
A structured system for learning Chinese
Search in English, German or French, in Chinese characters, or in pinyin with or without tone marks — KTdict searches all of them at once across large, trusted dictionary datasets. Results come back as you type, complete with simplified and traditional forms, pinyin and spoken pronunciation.
Learn through your native language: 🇬🇧🇩🇪🇫🇷
Every entry shows the full picture: all meanings, simplified and traditional characters, pinyin, example sentences, and the characters a word is built from. Tap through to any character to see its own meaning, so a new word becomes something you actually understand rather than something you memorise.
Tap any word to clarify meaning instantly
Paste an article, import a document, or point the camera at a sign, menu or textbook page — KTdict recognises the Chinese text and turns it into something you can read. Tap any word for its meaning in a panel that never loses your place, so you keep reading instead of switching apps.
Create flashcards and review at the right time
Turn any dictionary entry or word you met while reading into a flashcard with one tap. The trainer schedules each card for the moment you are about to forget it, so a few minutes a day is enough to keep hundreds of words alive. Review on your iPhone, continue on your Mac.
Write characters confidently
See how every character is written, stroke by stroke, in the correct order. Handwriting is what makes characters stick, and having the stroke order right there next to the meaning means you can practise the moment you meet a new character.
Pricing
Start free. Unlock everything once, and it stays unlocked — on every device you own.
Reviews
Excellent Chinese-English Dictionary
“I've been using this dictionary for years. As a native English speaker studying Chinese, I find it straightforward, easy-to-use, and reliable.”
App and support outstanding
“I love the flashcards, daily sets, and the ability to search and study without the internet. Just a great app.”
Best app for looking up Chinese words
“You can look words up by typing in English, Chinese, or Pinyin which I think is amazing.”
FAQ
KTdict runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. A single purchase covers all of them, and your flashcards, reader documents and history sync between them through iCloud.
Yes. The dictionary, the reader and the flashcard trainer all work without an internet connection, which is what you want on a plane, on the underground, or travelling in China.
No. KTdict is free with ads, and a single one-time purchase unlocks every advanced feature permanently. There is nothing to renew and nothing to cancel.
Chinese to and from English, German and French, all in the same app. Search in whichever of those languages you think in, and read entries in the one you learn best from.
Yes. Every entry shows both the simplified and the traditional form, so the app suits learners on the mainland as well as in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and you can search using either.
Yes. Point the camera at printed Chinese — a sign, a menu, a page of a textbook — and KTdict recognises the characters so you can tap any word for its meaning.
News
June 27, 2026
The reader view can now be resized to full screen, alongside a round of interface polish and bug fixes.
June 6, 2026
A modernised interface across every device for a clearer, distraction-free study environment, plus full-text translation and a faster app throughout.
December 25, 2023
Every character gained an animated stroke order diagram, so you can see exactly how it is written before you write it yourself.
Free to download. One purchase unlocks everything, on every Apple device you own.
