Pleco Chinese Dictionary
Pleco Chinese Dictionary is a Chinese dictionary, flashcard, and document-reading app for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
What Pleco Chinese Dictionary is
Pleco Chinese Dictionary is a Chinese dictionary, flashcard, and document-reading app for iPhone, iPad, and Android. The free version includes dictionary search, handwriting lookup, dictionaries, and limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions. Search accepts Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full text, with merged results sorted by frequency. Users can draw characters or use the camera and still images to look up words. Flashcards can be built from dictionary entries or imported word lists, with spaced repetition and study modes such as tone drills. Document support differs by platform: the upgraded iOS reader opens text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB, while Android opens text and PDF and supports lookup from web pages and clipboard content. Audio includes Mandarin and Cantonese; Android has native-speaker Mandarin recordings for more than 34,000 words. The free app includes stroke-order animations for 500 characters, with 28,000 available in a paid add-on. Downloaded dictionaries and features can work offline. There are no ads or subscriptions, and paid add-ons are one-time purchases. The Free Version is free; Basic Bundles cost $29.99, paid once-time purchase and Professional Bundles cost $59.99, paid once-time purchase.
Good
- Searches Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full text.
- Handwriting and camera-based word lookup.
- Flashcards support spaced repetition and tone drills.
- Downloaded dictionaries and features can work offline.
- No ads or subscriptions; add-ons are one-time purchases.
Watch out
- Free reader, audio, and flashcard functions are limited.
- Document formats vary between iOS and Android.
- Free stroke-order animations cover 500 characters.
Who it suits
Pleco suits Chinese learners and readers who want dictionary lookup alongside flashcards and document reading. It can also help people who need handwriting or camera-based lookup and offline access to downloaded resources.
Verdict
Pleco combines reference, study, and document-reading tools, with its free version providing a starting point for dictionary and handwriting lookup. Paid bundles expand the features, while document support and the included reader, audio, and flashcard limits vary by platform and plan.
Plans and prices
From Pleco Chinese Dictionary's own pricing page, checked 7 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free Version | Free | Basic dictionary search · handwriting · included dictionaries · limited reader, audio, and flashcards |
| Basic Bundle (Android) | $29.99, paid once | OCR · flashcards · stroke order diagrams · document reader · Mandarin audio · Kai font · Oxford Chinese Dictionary · One-time purchase |
| Basic Bundle (iPhone/iPad) | $29.99, paid once | OCR · flashcards · stroke order diagrams · document reader · Mandarin audio · Kai font · Oxford Chinese Dictionary · One-time purchase |
| Professional Bundle (Android) | $59.99, paid once | Basic Bundle features · Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries · male TTS voice · One-time purchase |
| Professional Bundle (iPhone/iPad) | $59.99, paid once | Basic Bundle features · Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries · male TTS voice · One-time purchase |
The facts
Each one read from Pleco Chinese Dictionary's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Money
- Ads and billing
- The maker says the app has no ads or subscriptions and that paid add-ons are one-time purchases.checked 7 Oct 2026
What it does
- Audio
- Pleco provides Mandarin and Cantonese audio support, including native-speaker Mandarin recordings for more than 34,000 words on Android.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- The maker says downloaded dictionaries and features let the app run without an internet connection after download.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Dictionaries
- The iOS app includes CC-CEDICT and the PLC dictionary, with additional free and paid dictionaries, including licensed titles from major publishers.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Document formats
- The upgraded iOS document reader supports text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB files; the Android reader opens text and PDF files and supports lookup from web pages and clipboard content.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Flashcards
- The flashcard system supports creating cards from dictionary entries, importing word lists, spaced repetition, and study modes such as tone drills.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Handwriting
- Users can look up words by drawing Chinese characters, and the maker describes its recognition as tolerant of stroke-order mistakes.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- On Android, a floating screen-reader interface can tap-lookup Chinese words in other apps.checked 7 Oct 2026
- OCR
- The app can look up Chinese words through the camera or from text in a still image.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Pleco’s privacy policy says it does not share personal information with Apple or Google and does not share information with third parties or affiliates for marketing.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Product
- Pleco is an all-in-one Chinese dictionary, flashcard, and document-reading app offered for iPhone/iPad and Android.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Search
- Search supports Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full-text lookup, with merged frequency-sorted results.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Stroke order
- The free app includes stroke-order animations for 500 characters, with 28,000 available in the paid add-on.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Pleco says users can contact support by email and that it reads every message and replies within a couple of business days.checked 7 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2000checked 28 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Platforms and requirements
- The maker lists iOS 15.6 or later and Android 9 or later on 64-bit devices as system requirements.checked 7 Oct 2026
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