Playbooks
An Aesthetic Chengyu Idiom Writing Tracker
Four-character chengyu are compact, beautiful, and meaningful, ideal to learn by writing. Here is how to track and actually write the idioms you collect.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
When Anki's Writing Cards Give You Anxiety
If Anki's cluttered writing layout makes you tense before you even start, that is a real signal. Here is why it happens and a calmer way to practise writing characters.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Traditional Hanzi for Indian University Students
Indian students taking Chinese face a real handwriting gap. Here is what to learn, whether to choose traditional or simplified, and how to build writing recall.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Playbooks
Learning to Write Chinese Herbal Medicine Names
Chinese herbal medicine names use traditional characters that recur across formulas. Here is how to learn to write them by hand, by component and from memory.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Playbooks
Trace Traditional Chinese, Hear Cantonese Audio
Want to write traditional characters while hearing the Cantonese reading, not Mandarin? Here is why that pairing helps Cantonese learners and what to look for.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Playbooks
Exporting Your Hand-Drawn Hanzi to PDF
Want to export the characters you have written to a PDF worksheet or record? Here is what a good PDF export should include and why it is worth having.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Writing Hospital and Triage Terms in Chinese
Expats sometimes need to write medical and triage terms in Chinese by hand on forms. Here is the bounded vocabulary to drill and how to make it reliable.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
How to Trace Your Name in Chinese Accurately
Want to write your name in Chinese correctly? Here is how to get an accurate version first, then learn to write it by hand so it is truly yours.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
Apple Watch vs iPad for Writing Hanzi
An Apple Watch is too small for real character practice; an iPad Air is close to ideal. Here is how device size shapes both the practice and the satisfaction.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
Is Pleco Just a Utility, or Can Writing Be Fun?
Pleco is a brilliant reference, but it feels strictly utilitarian, and its writing features are functional, not fun. Here is where to find enjoyable, effective practice.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Writing Practice for Mandarin Logistics Terms
Shipping, freight, and container work uses a recurring set of Mandarin terms. Here is how to learn to write that specialized vocabulary by hand, honestly told.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
A Lifetime-Unlock Mandarin Writing App?
Hunting Reddit for a lifetime unlock or discount on a Mandarin writing app? Here is an honest take on subscription fatigue and what free-or-owned options exist.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
A Mandarin Writing App With No Countdown Timer
Countdown timers add pressure that hurts learning to write. Here is why a no-timer, self-paced approach is better for recall, and how Hanzi Write Practice is built that way.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
An Offline Mandarin Writing App for Retired Expats
Retired in China and want to write Mandarin without fighting spotty data or a firewall? Here is what an offline-first, senior-friendly writing app should do.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Writing Traditional Numbers for Old-Style Maps
Drafting ancient-style Chinese maps means writing the formal numerals and directional terms by hand. Here is the bounded set to learn and how to drill it.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
Learning Chinese Swear Words: an Honest Answer
Curious about Chinese slang and swear words? A straight take on learning colloquial language well, without a vulgar word list or dodging school filters.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Offline Practice for Business-Chinese Phrases
Need to handwrite set business-Chinese phrases without a connection? Here is how to drill a bounded phrase set from memory, offline, with progress you can track.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
A Traditional Chinese Writing App With Jyutping
Cantonese learners need traditional characters and Jyutping, not pinyin. Here is what a writing app must do to support Cantonese, and how from-memory practice fits.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Playbooks
A Traditional Hanzi Tracing App for Japanese Speakers
Japanese speakers have a huge head start on Chinese characters, and a few traps. Here is how to leverage kanji knowledge to learn traditional hanzi by hand.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Translating and Handwriting a Menu Into Chinese
Putting your menu into handwritten Chinese is two jobs: an accurate translation and the writing itself. Here is how to do both, and the characters to drill.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
Is There a Cantonese (Jyutping) Handwriting App?
Cantonese learners share most characters with Mandarin but need Jyutping and a few Cantonese-only characters. Here is the honest state of Cantonese handwriting apps and a practical setup.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
Practising Chinese Writing Without Pinyin
Want to hide pinyin, or see Cantonese Jyutping instead, while practising characters? Here is the honest state of romanization options and why the writing practice itself is the same.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
A Flow-State App for Writing Chinese Characters
The repetitive rhythm of writing characters can put you in a flow state. Here is how to set up practice that flows, and why recall keeps it from being empty copying.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Mandarin Writing Practice for Hospitality Staff
Hotel and restaurant staff who want to write basic Mandarin greetings can practise a small, focused character set. Here is a practical approach, and an honest note on team features.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
How to Write Your Address in Chinese, Correctly
Chinese addresses run largest to smallest, the reverse of Western order. Here is the correct structure, the characters you need, and how to practise writing your own address by hand.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Playbooks
Writing Practice for Chinese QA and Inspection Terms
Quality and inspection staff working with Chinese documentation need a focused set of technical characters, not a full course. Here is how to build that set, and an honest note on team tools.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Essays
A Slow-Paced Chinese Writing App for Older Adults
Older learners do not need gamified speed. They need clear, calm, unhurried writing practice. Here is what slow-paced should mean, and how Hanzi Write Practice fits.
Lawrence Arya··5 min