Pleco Chinese Dictionary

Pleco Chinese Dictionary is a dictionary, flashcard, and document-reading app for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Its free version includes dictionary search, handwriting lookup, included dictionaries, and limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions. Search accepts Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full text, with merged results sorted by frequency. Words can also be looked up by drawing characters or using a camera or still image.

Flashcards can be created from dictionary entries or imported word lists, with spaced repetition and study modes such as tone drills. Document support varies: the upgraded iOS reader handles text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB, while Android opens text and PDF and supports lookup from web pages and clipboard content. Audio covers Mandarin and Cantonese; Android includes 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 work offline. Pleco has no ads or subscriptions, and paid add-ons are one-time purchases. The Basic Bundle costs $29.99 once; the Professional Bundle costs $59.99 once.

Pleco combines lookup, study, and document reading, with features that vary by platform and paid bundle. The free version provides a useful starting point, while paid bundles are one-time purchases rather than subscriptions.

Pleco suits learners and readers who want Chinese dictionary lookup, character recognition, and study tools in a mobile app. It is also useful for people who need offline access to downloaded dictionaries and features.

Pleco Chinese Dictionary is a Chinese reference and study app that combines dictionary search, character input, flashcards, audio, and document reading on iPhone, iPad, and Android. It suits learners who need to move between lookup and practice, as well as readers who regularly encounter Chinese in documents or other apps. Its strongest case is breadth and depth in a mobile Chinese workflow; casual users who only need occasional online definitions may find its paid bundles unnecessary.

Overview

Pleco has been developed since 2000 as an all-in-one Chinese dictionary, flashcard, and reading tool. Search accepts Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full-text queries, then combines matches into frequency-sorted results. That makes it useful when you know a pronunciation, an approximate spelling, or only part of a phrase. Translation lookup, usage examples, and pronunciation support make entries more useful than a bare word equivalent.

The app is designed for use beyond a network connection: downloaded dictionaries and features can continue working offline. Pleco also says it has no advertising or subscriptions; paid add-ons are one-time purchases. Its privacy policy says personal information is not shared with Apple, Google, third parties, or affiliates for marketing. Email support is available, with replies promised within a couple of business days.

Key features

Look up characters your way

Camera OCR can identify Chinese words in a live view, while image OCR works from text in a still picture. Handwriting search accepts drawn characters and is described as tolerant of stroke-order mistakes, a practical advantage when you recognize a shape but cannot type it. On Android, a floating screen-reader interface can tap-lookup Chinese in other apps, reducing the friction of switching windows.

Dictionaries, sound, and writing

The iOS edition includes CC-CEDICT and the PLC dictionary, with additional free and paid dictionaries, including licensed publisher titles. Mandarin and Cantonese audio are supported; Android includes native-speaker Mandarin recordings for more than 34,000 words. The free app supplies stroke-order animation for 500 characters, while the paid add-on expands that library to 28,000. Those limits matter to beginners who need writing guidance and to advanced learners studying a broad character set.

Study and reading tools

Flashcards can be created from dictionary entries or imported word lists. Spaced repetition and modes such as tone drills turn lookups into a repeatable study routine, although the free version limits flashcard functionality. The upgraded iOS reader handles text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB. Android opens text and PDF files and can look up content from web pages or the clipboard. Readers who work with EPUB or office documents therefore get a materially broader format range on iOS.

Pricing

The Free Version costs nothing and includes basic dictionary search, handwriting, included dictionaries, plus limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions. There is no free trial, so the free tier is the practical way to judge whether Pleco fits before paying.

The Basic Bundle costs $29.99, paid once on both iPhone/iPad and Android. It adds OCR, full flashcards, stroke-order diagrams, document reading, Mandarin audio, the Kai font, and the Oxford Chinese Dictionary. This is the sensible purchase for learners who want the core study and reading toolkit without a large dictionary library.

The Professional Bundle costs $59.99, paid once on either platform. It includes Basic Bundle features plus Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries, along with a male text-to-speech voice. The extra cost is justified mainly for learners or translators who need multiple reference works; everyone else can keep the Basic Bundle and avoid paying for breadth they may not use. Pleco states that these are one-time purchases rather than recurring subscriptions.

Platforms

Pleco runs on iOS 15.6 or later and on Android 9 or later devices with 64-bit support. Feature and format coverage differs: iOS supports the broader upgraded document-reader formats, while Android adds floating cross-app lookup. Both platforms offer the Free, Basic Bundle, and Professional Bundle at the same listed prices.

Who it's for

Choose Pleco if you are learning Mandarin or Cantonese, need handwriting or OCR for unfamiliar characters, or want to turn real documents into study material. It is particularly strong for serious learners who value spaced repetition, tone practice, stroke order, and offline dictionaries in one app. It is less compelling for someone seeking only a free, occasional definition or a general multilingual dictionary rather than Chinese-focused tools.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Search accepts characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full text, so uncertain input is still useful.
• Pros: OCR, tolerant handwriting recognition, and Android cross-app lookup cover situations where typing is impractical.
• Pros: Flashcards, spaced repetition, tone drills, audio, and stroke-order animation support structured learning.
• Pros: Offline operation, no ads, and one-time billing suit long-term use without recurring charges.
• Cons: The free tier limits reader, audio, and flashcard features, and only 500 characters have stroke-order animation.
• Cons: OCR, expanded study tools, and broader reading support require the $29.99 bundle.
• Cons: The Professional Bundle's dictionary expansion is valuable mainly to advanced users, making it excessive for casual learners.

Alternatives

For a wider general dictionary directory, start with Online Dictionaries. ABBYY Lingvo is a better fit when you need Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows coverage and a free trial. Pick Linguee for a free service spanning Android, iOS, and the web. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries suits readers who want Oxford’s free online learner dictionaries and a free trial. American Heritage Dictionary is an option for English-focused lookup, including a $49.99 one-time Android app. Cambridge Dictionary offers free online dictionaries with +Plus lists and quizzes. dict.cc is a free browser dictionary for private or business use. Larousse Dictionaries provides mostly free online reference content, with a 99.00 premium subscription. MDBG Chinese Dictionary is a free online Chinese dictionary with learning tools and a free trial.

Verdict

Pleco is the right choice for Chinese learners and readers who want lookup, pronunciation, OCR, flashcards, and document study in one offline-capable app. Buy the Basic Bundle for the most balanced set of tools; choose Professional only if its additional dictionaries and male TTS voice matter to your work. Look elsewhere if you need a broad multilingual dictionary, desktop-first coverage, or only occasional free web lookups.