Definitions, examples and stroke-order animations.
Laowai · Chinese dictionary & reader
Look up words.
Read Chinese.
Search by character, pinyin, English or French. Read Chinese books and save words to practise on your iPhone or iPad.
Free offline dictionary. For iPhone & iPad.
Optional Pro for unlimited practice.
Try the reading exercise.
Look up a word, then answer
a question about the sentence.
Chinese reading practice
Read a Chinese sentence.
01 / Read
What would you like to drink?
Choose an underlined word to see its meaning.
，我。
Today, I want to drink tea.
today
今天 tells us when. Here it comes before 我, “I.”
- 想 xiǎng
- want to; would like to, before an action
- 喝 hē
- to drink
- 茶 chá
- tea
02 / Understand
Put 想 before the action.
想 before a verb means “want to” or “would like to.”
喝茶 means “drink tea.” Add 想 before it: 我想喝茶。 means “I want to drink tea.”
In the first sentence, 今天 adds “today.” The order stays the same: person + 想 + action.
03 / Practise
Choose the action.
Complete “I want to drink tea.”
Check your answer
喝 (hē) means “drink.” 我想喝茶。 means “I want to drink tea.”
04 / Keep the words
Practise these five words in Laowai.
Download the word list and follow the import steps below.
今天 · 我 · 想 · 喝 · 茶
TSV file · save it to Files on your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Learn in Laowai.
- Choose + New list, then Import from file.
- Select reading-first-line.tsv from Files. Review the recognised words, then tap Import.
Already have Laowai? The app link opens Learn. Import the downloaded file using the steps above.
See Laowai in action
A new word.
A little more understanding.
From your first dictionary lookup to your next practice round. Take a quick tour of the app.
- Find the word.Search the dictionary and explore meanings, pronunciation and examples.
- Read in context.Look up unfamiliar words without leaving your book.
- Make it stick.Keep personal lists and practise with clear answer feedback.
Read the video description
Search for 朋友, meaning “friend”. Open a word’s details to see its pronunciation, translation and an example sentence. Tap 天地 in a Chinese book to look up its meaning. View a personal vocabulary list and start a round from Study. Choose 她 for “she”, see correct-answer feedback, and continue to a pronunciation question. The video has instrumental music and no spoken narration.
More practice with 想
More examples
with 想.
Read more examples of 想, or try a short conversation about tea and coffee.
I want to read a book.
Say what you want to do.
Use 想 before a verb to say “want to.” This lesson includes examples and a practice question.
Learn 想 + an action今天早上，
我想喝茶。
我的朋友
想喝咖啡。
Tea or coffee?
Two friends discuss what to drink. Show pinyin or English translations as you read.
Read the conversationThe Laowai reader
Read your own
Chinese books.
Import an EPUB, TXT or FB2 file and look up words in the reader.
Look up words as you read.
Check a definition without closing your book. Show pinyin for help with pronunciation.
Save words to a list.
Collect unfamiliar words from your reading in a personal vocabulary list.
Practise your vocabulary.
Practise your list in Learn, or start with an HSK collection.
Dictionary search stays free. Unlimited practice and iCloud sync are part of Laowai Pro.
Questions about Laowai
About
the app.
Does Laowai work offline?
Yes. The core Chinese dictionary and search work offline after installation. Cloud sync, support, shared links and some media need a connection.
What can I search?
Search simplified or traditional Chinese characters, pinyin, English meanings and French meanings.
What’s free, and what’s in Pro?
Laowai is free to download, and dictionary search stays free. Laowai Pro includes HSK 1–4 courses, unlimited word practice, unlimited widgets and Live Activity, and progress sync. See the pricing page for current US reference prices and billing terms.
Can I use my own books and word lists?
Yes. Import EPUB, TXT or FB2 books, look up words while you read, and keep useful vocabulary in personal lists. You can also start with the built-in HSK collections.
Is Ukrainian available in the app?
Laowai supports a Ukrainian interface, Ukrainian dictionary meanings and Ukrainian translations for supported sentence examples, introduced in version 5.3.11. Read the Ukrainian website, see translation coverage and review limits in the open dictionary project, or check the public roadmap.
Laowai for iPhone & iPad
Read and practise
in Laowai.
Free download. Optional Laowai Pro.
For iOS and iPadOS 26 or later.
Dictionary & content sources
Sources
& licences.
Dictionary entries, examples, recordings and reading materials retain their source and licence details in the app.
Dictionary & content credits
- Chinese–English dictionary: CC-CEDICT, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- French definitions: CFDICT, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Ukrainian definitions: Ukrainian CEDICT project, CC BY-SA 4.0; model reviewed, no human validation.
- Examples: Tatoeba sentence pairs and the reviewed Laowai corpus.
- Recorded material: reviewed licensed and first-party dialogue, reader and example sources.
- Grammar, HSK courses, topics and book lists: reviewed Laowai learning content.
- Character information: UNIHAN and Make Me a Hanzi.
- Full notices and licences are available in the app.
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