Learn Mandarin Chinese inside the books you actually want to finish
Learn a language inside what you actually listen to, watch, and read.
Smart immersion: bring the books, articles, videos, recordings and texts you actually want, tap any word for its meaning in that sentence, and let OakLingo keep track of what you know and bring back what you are about to forget.
Stop grinding decks that feel nothing like a novel. Open real Mandarin Chinese — public-domain classics or your own text — tap a word for meaning in that sentence, and let OakLingo bring back what you are about to forget.
Free forever after that. Whole catalogue. Unlimited saved words.
Mandarin Chinese · B1-ready library · EU privacy · No streak shame
The problem
You can order coffee and pass a quiz. Then you open a Mandarin Chinese novel and every page is a wall.
Flashcard apps got you words in isolation. Graded readers helped for a while. What you need next is volume: pages of Mandarin Chinese you care about, with look-ups that stay attached to the sentence — not a new game level.
How it works
- Choose a Mandarin Chinese book — Browse the public-domain catalogue (level estimate and share of words you already know before you open it), or paste / upload your own text.
- Read and tap what you don’t know — Meanings in context, sentence translation when you want it, grammar notes, read-aloud at normal or slow pace.
- Let the words come back — Every word has a level you can audit: New, Recognise, Understand, Use. Short reviews. You see why anything moves.
Why novels beat another Mandarin Chinese course app (for intermediates)
- Frequency does the teaching. High-value words return in new scenes; you meet them as language, not as a list.
- Context sticks. A word on a card is a definition. A word in a scene is memory.
- Motivation is the book. You finish chapters because the plot pulls — not because a calendar threatens you.
- Speaking and grammar still matter — but if your bottleneck is “I can’t survive a page,” reading with in-place meaning is the unlock.
Built for Mandarin Chinese readers
- Library with Mandarin Chinese shelf, cover, and progress per language
- Wiktionary + AI meanings you order per language pair
- Three ways to read: whole text, page, or one sentence
- Reviews graded Again / Hard / Good / Easy — no leaderboards
- Progress and an estimated CEFR level from words you actually know
- Private by design: learning data in the EU, no ad tracking
Plans
- Free forever: whole public-domain catalogue, unlimited saved words, reviews, and progress
- Pro: US$9/mo or US$90/yr — unlimited own texts, unlimited AI help, all 14 languages at once
- Trial: 14 days of Pro, no card; then Free forever unless you upgrade
Open a Mandarin Chinese book today
Create an account, pick Mandarin Chinese, tap the first word you don’t know. That word is the first one the model learns about you.
FAQ
Is this only for beginners?
No. OakLingo is strongest when you already have some Mandarin Chinese and want to grow inside real text. Absolute beginners can start with simpler catalogue titles; B1+ readers are the core fit.
Do I need Pro to read Mandarin Chinese books?
No. Free includes the public-domain catalogue, reading, lookups, saved words, reviews, and progress. Pro is for more of your own texts and unlimited AI features.
Can I import my own Mandarin Chinese EPUB or PDF?
Yes — EPUB, PDF, Word, TXT, Markdown, and subtitle formats. Free keeps 5 of your own texts active at a time; catalogue books never count against that.
Is my reading private?
Yes. Texts, vocabulary, notes, and history are yours. Stored in the EU. No ads, no tracking pixels, no selling data.