TongTong is now in open beta: a calmer, smarter way to learn Chinese
TongTong — a free, adaptive Chinese vocabulary trainer — is now in open beta. Here's what it is, how it places you at the right HSK level from your first session, and how to start.
TongTong is now in open beta — and it's free. TongTong is an adaptive Chinese vocabulary trainer that figures out what you already know, then teaches you the next words your memory is actually ready for. No decks to import, no grinding up from 你好.
What is TongTong?
TongTong (同通) is a free web and iOS app for learning Mandarin Chinese vocabulary. Instead of fixed lessons, it builds a personalised path through a corpus of 40,000+ words spanning the full HSK 3.0 range (levels 1 through 7–9) plus a high-frequency advanced band.
Two ideas sit at its core:
- A memory model for every word. TongTong schedules each word with an FSRS-style spaced-repetition model, so reviews land right before you'd forget — not too early, not too late.
- An ability estimate for you. A psychometric model (1-parameter IRT) keeps a running estimate of your Chinese level on a single scale, updated from every answer. That estimate is what places you and chooses what to show next.
Why it feels different
- It places you from session one. A short tile-recognition quiz estimates your level, so you start where you actually are.
- It pushes the edge of what you can hold. New words arrive in frequency order, just above your current level, with deeper review mixed in when you need it.
- Everything is connected. Tap any word for a full dictionary entry — native audio, example sentences, grammar points, animated stroke order, and easily-confused look-alikes.
- It's quiet. No streaks-as-guilt, no autoplaying noise, no dark patterns.
You can explore a lot without signing in: the 43,000-word dictionary and the grammar reference are completely public.
What "open beta" means
TongTong is live, usable today, and free. "Beta" means we're still polishing: you may hit rough edges, and the scheduling and rating models are still being tuned with real usage. Your feedback genuinely shapes what we build next — there's a feedback option right inside the app.
How to start
- Open tongtong.app and sign in with a magic link — no password.
- Take the ~2-minute placement quiz.
- Start reviewing. That's it.
Prefer to look around first? Browse the dictionary or grammar guides — no account needed.
FAQ
Is TongTong free? Yes — 100% free, no subscription. It was built for the community.
Do I need an account? To learn and track progress, yes (a passwordless magic-link sign-in). The dictionary and grammar pages are public and need no account.
What is HSK 3.0? HSK 3.0 is the 2021 revision of China's standardised Chinese proficiency framework (the International Chinese Language Education standard): nine levels grouped into beginner (1–3), intermediate (4–6), and advanced (7–9). TongTong's corpus and levelling follow it.
How does it know my level? A short placement quiz gives an initial estimate; after that, every answer updates a probabilistic estimate of your ability, which decides what to teach next.
Is there an iOS app? Yes — TongTong is on the App Store, and the web app works in any modern browser.