Progressive Web App

Learn Chinese.
Install once,
study everywhere.

Nihaoo is a free Chinese learning app that runs in your browser — and installs directly on any device, no app store required.

What's inside

Everything you need
to read and write Chinese

From your first 50 characters to HSK level 4 — Nihaoo gives you the tools to build real, lasting vocabulary.

3,500+ Chinese Characters

The most frequently used characters, ordered by real-world usage frequency. Learn what actually appears in everyday Chinese text.

🎯

Goal-Based Learning

Set a target — Top 50, 100, 300, or 500 characters — and track your progress with a clear visual indicator. Small goals build the habit.

✍️

Stroke Order Animation

See every character drawn stroke by stroke, in the correct order. Essential for writing — and surprisingly helpful for memorising shapes.

🔊

Native Pronunciation

Hear each character and word spoken clearly. Tap to replay as many times as you need, entirely at your own pace.

🗓️

Spaced Repetition Reviews

Words you learn are scheduled for review at 12 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks — science-backed intervals that fight forgetting.

📚

HSK 1–4 Vocabulary

Browse and study the official HSK vocabulary lists — the international standard for Chinese language proficiency testing.

🌏

14+ Interface Languages

Study in your own language. Nihaoo supports Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, Spanish, English, Japanese, Korean, and many more.

📴

Works Offline

Once installed, Nihaoo works without an internet connection. Study on the subway, on a flight, or anywhere without signal.

📖

Insights to Help You Learn

Nihaoo.app publishes original articles with fresh perspectives on how Chinese actually works — helping you understand the language more deeply, not just memorise it.

Why install

Better than a bookmark

Installing Nihaoo as a PWA takes 10 seconds and makes a genuine difference to your daily study habit.

01

One tap to open

A real icon on your home screen or desktop. No browser, no address bar, no friction between you and your study session.

02

Full-screen experience

Runs in its own window without browser chrome. More space, less distraction — it genuinely feels like a native app.

03

Offline access

Your vocabulary and progress are cached locally. Study even when you have no signal.

04

No app store needed

No account required. No permission requests. No approval wait. It's already on the web — just save it to your device.

05

Always up to date

Updates happen silently in the background. You always have the latest vocabulary and features, automatically.

06

Your progress is yours

Everything is stored on your device. No cloud sync required — your learning data stays private and local.

How to install

Step-by-step for every platform

Find your device below. Most installations take under 30 seconds.

🤖 Android — Chrome Easiest
  1. Open nihaoo.app in Chrome.
  2. Tap the ⋮ three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Add to Home screen.
  4. Confirm by tapping Add in the popup.
  5. The Nihaoo icon appears on your home screen. Tap it to launch.
💡 Chrome often shows an automatic "Add to Home screen" banner at the bottom of the page — you can tap that instead of going through the menu.
🍎 iPhone / iPad — Safari Manual steps
  1. Open nihaoo.app in Safari — this must be Safari, not Chrome or Firefox.
  2. Tap the Share button □↑ at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Scroll down in the share sheet and tap Add to Home Screen.
  4. Edit the name if you like, then tap Add in the top-right corner.
  5. The icon appears on your home screen. Tap it to open in full-screen mode.
⚠️ Apple restricts PWA installation to Safari only on iPhone and iPad. Chrome, Firefox, and other iOS browsers cannot install apps to the home screen.
💻 Windows / Mac / Linux — Chrome Easy
  1. Open nihaoo.app in Chrome.
  2. Look for the ⊕ install icon on the right side of the address bar. Click it.
  3. Click Install in the popup dialog.
  4. Nihaoo opens in its own window, and a shortcut is added to your taskbar, dock, or desktop.
💡 No install icon visible? Go to Chrome menu (⋮) → Save and share → Install page as app.
🪟 Windows — Microsoft Edge Easy
  1. Open nihaoo.app in Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click the ⊕ install icon in the address bar, or open Edge menu (…) → Apps → Install this site as an app.
  3. Click Install to confirm.
  4. Nihaoo launches in its own window and is pinned to the taskbar.
🖥️ Mac — Safari (macOS Sonoma or later) Manual steps
  1. Open nihaoo.app in Safari on macOS Sonoma (version 14) or later.
  2. In the menu bar, click FileAdd to Dock.
  3. Confirm in the dialog. Nihaoo is now in your Dock and opens as a standalone window.
💡 On macOS Ventura or earlier, use Chrome or Edge for the best installation experience.
🦊 Firefox Bookmark only
  1. Firefox on desktop does not support PWA installation.
  2. For the full installed experience, open nihaoo.app in Chrome or Edge and follow the steps above.
  3. To bookmark in Firefox: press Ctrl+D on Windows/Linux, or Cmd+D on Mac.
💡 Firefox on Android has limited PWA support — tap the address bar menu and look for Install.

Questions

Frequently asked

Is Nihaoo really free?

Yes. The core vocabulary, stroke animations, pronunciation, spaced repetition system, and share cards are all free. No subscription required.

Do I need to create an account?

No. Your learning progress is saved directly on your device. No email, no password, no account of any kind.

Will I lose my progress if I uninstall?

Uninstalling removes the icon, but your progress data stays in your browser storage. Reinstall and it is still there. Clearing your browser's site data, or using a Private or Incognito window, will erase it.

Can I use it on multiple devices?

Yes, but each device keeps its own local progress independently. Cross-device sync is not currently available.

What is the difference between installing and just using the website?

The content is identical. Installing adds a home screen icon, a full-screen window without browser chrome, and offline access. The real benefit is removing friction from your daily study habit.

How do I share a word card as an image?

Open any word in Nihaoo and tap the share button. The app instantly generates a card image containing the character, pinyin, and your language's translation, then opens your device's native share sheet so you can send it anywhere.

How much storage does it use?

The app is lightweight — typically 2 to 5 MB for the core shell, plus vocabulary data cached as you browse. It will not make a noticeable dent in your storage.