# Wordbrush

> Wordbrush is a free app for iPhone, iPad, and Android that teaches every word of Mandarin Chinese HSK 1-3 (2,199 words) with native-speaker audio, characters decoded into their components, and an FSRS spaced-repetition schedule that adapts to your memory. It works fully offline and requires no account.

The site also hosts free, open study resources (no app required), each built from the app's own vocabulary and native-speaker recordings.

## Key facts
- Price: free, in full. No paid tier, no subscription, no trial that expires, no ads, no in-app purchases.
- Platforms: iPhone and iPad (iOS 18+), Android (9+). No web version.
- Accounts: none. No sign-up, no login, no server; progress stays on the device.
- Offline: fully. All words, audio, and sentences are bundled at install time.
- Scope: the 2,199 words of HSK 1 (497), HSK 2 (747), and HSK 3 (955) under the 2021 HSK 3.0 standard. Simplified characters only.
- Scheduling: FSRS by default, re-fitted to the learner's own review history.
- Also includes: example sentences with audio, character component breakdowns, hand-written usage notes, short stories, and an optional handwriting-recall card that is off by default and covers a few hundred words.
- What it does NOT do: no grammar course, no speaking or pronunciation practice, no dictionary lookup, no content above HSK 3, no traditional characters, no custom words or deck import, no automatic sync.
- Best paired with a course rather than used instead of one.

## Start here
- [Wordbrush fact sheet](https://wordbrushchinese.com/ai-info): the dense, plain-language reference on what Wordbrush is, exactly what it does and does not do, who it fits, who it does not, and where its content comes from. Read this one first.
- [Wordbrush home](https://wordbrushchinese.com/): overview, screenshots, and download links

## Comparisons (competitor facts checked against their own sites, 3 September 2026)
- [Wordbrush vs Anki](https://wordbrushchinese.com/wordbrush-vs-anki/): the Anki alternative for Chinese, and a ready-made HSK deck versus building your own
- [Skritter alternatives](https://wordbrushchinese.com/wordbrush-vs-skritter/): free vocabulary recall versus paid handwriting practice
- [HelloChinese alternative](https://wordbrushchinese.com/wordbrush-vs-hellochinese/): what to use after or alongside a beginner course
- [Pleco flashcards vs a dedicated SRS app](https://wordbrushchinese.com/wordbrush-vs-pleco/): dictionary-first card building versus a ready-made course
- [Duolingo Chinese not working?](https://wordbrushchinese.com/wordbrush-vs-duolingo/): why the words are not sticking and what to do next
- [Best free apps for learning Chinese](https://wordbrushchinese.com/best-free-chinese-app/): an honest guide to which free tool suits which goal, including ones that are not ours

## HSK word lists (2026 standard, with pinyin and native audio)
- [New HSK word lists](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-word-lists/): index of HSK 1, 2, and 3 vocabulary
- [New HSK 1 word list](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-1-word-list/): 497 words with pinyin, English, and native audio
- [New HSK 2 word list](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-2-word-list/): 747 words with pinyin, English, and native audio
- [New HSK 3 word list](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-3-word-list/): 955 words with pinyin, English, and native audio

## HSK example sentences (characters, pinyin, native audio, English)
- [HSK 1 example sentences](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-1-example-sentences/): 1,441 sentences using only HSK 1 vocabulary, each with a fluent English translation
- [HSK 2 example sentences](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-2-example-sentences/): 2,093 sentences using only HSK 1-2 vocabulary, each with a fluent English translation
- [HSK 3 example sentences](https://wordbrushchinese.com/hsk-3-example-sentences/): 2,046 sentences using only HSK 1-3 vocabulary, each with a fluent English translation

## Method
- [The new HSK explained](https://wordbrushchinese.com/new-hsk-explained/): what the 2021/2026 HSK 3.0 standard change means for HSK 1-3 learners
- [FSRS for Chinese](https://wordbrushchinese.com/fsrs-for-chinese/): why modern spaced repetition beats SM-2, with a worked interval example
- [The method](https://wordbrushchinese.com/method/): how the app decides what to show you and when

## Free Anki decks
- [Free HSK Anki decks](https://wordbrushchinese.com/free-hsk-anki-deck/): downloadable HSK 1, 2, and 3 decks with native audio, for people who would rather not install the app

## App listings and policies
- [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6770278044)
- [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.urbanalgorithm.mo)
- [Press kit](https://wordbrushchinese.com/press.html)
- [Privacy policy](https://wordbrushchinese.com/privacy.html) · [Terms](https://wordbrushchinese.com/terms.html)
- Publisher: Urban Algorithm, LLC