MDBG Chinese Dictionary combines Chinese-English and English-Chinese lookup with tools for reading and practicing Chinese. Search words by Chinese, Mandarin pinyin, or English definition, and use wildcard queries to find matches. Character entries can include radical and stroke counts, Mandarin pinyin, Yale and Jyutping Cantonese, Cangjie, and four-corner codes. For longer passages, the text lookup tool adds pinyin and English definitions inline or in popups. The free online dictionary also includes flashcards, quizzes, Chinese text input, and written Chinese tools. Its practice page offers vocabulary web feeds, a Chinese character quiz, and character flashcards. The word dictionary uses CC-CEDICT, and its downloadable data is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. MDBG also offers Chinese Reader editions and a macOS dictionary. Chinese Reader for Windows can scan selected text, look up and pronounce Chinese, translate text using Google and Microsoft services, and work offline. The macOS dictionary works offline; its no-time-limit trial covers HSK levels 1–4, approximately 3,000 entries, while the full version has over 120,000.
Who it is for
MDBG suits Chinese learners who want lookup, text annotation, and character practice tools in one service. It also suits readers who need offline dictionary access on macOS or Windows through the listed dictionary products.
What is good
- Search by Chinese, Mandarin pinyin, English, or wildcard query.
- Annotate Chinese text with pinyin and English definitions.
- Practice with flashcards, quizzes, and vocabulary web feeds.
- macOS dictionary supports offline lookup.
- Windows Chinese Reader supports scanning and pronunciation.
What to know first
- The macOS trial is limited to HSK levels 1–4 and about 3,000 entries.
- Chinese Reader Preview Edition is a 14-day trial.
- Paid plans start at $15.95.
Verdict
Choose MDBG for Chinese lookup paired with reading and practice tools, especially if offline access matters. Look elsewhere if you need a full macOS dictionary during the trial, which is limited to approximately 3,000 entries; the full version has over 120,000.
Get started with MDBG Chinese Dictionary
- Open the online dictionary at https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary.
- Choose a lookup route: Chinese, Mandarin pinyin, English definition, or wildcard query.
- Use text lookup to annotate Chinese passages, or open the practice page for quizzes and flashcards.
- For offline use, choose the macOS dictionary or Chinese Reader for Windows.
- Choose a listed free edition or trial, or a paid option starting at $15.95.
What the free plan stops at
The no-time-limit macOS trial covers HSK levels 1–4, approximately 3,000 entries; the full version has over 120,000. Chinese Reader Preview Edition is billed as a 14-day trial.
Questions about MDBG Chinese Dictionary
Is MDBG Chinese Dictionary free?
Yes. The online dictionary and learning tools are listed at 0.00 USD per free. Paid options start at $15.95.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Chinese Reader Preview Edition is a billed 14-day trial. The macOS dictionary trial has no time limit and covers HSK levels 1–4, approximately 3,000 entries.
What platforms are listed?
The listed platforms are Android, extension, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows.
Can I use it offline?
The macOS dictionary works offline. Chinese Reader for Windows can also work offline.
What does the dictionary include?
It supports Chinese-English and English-Chinese lookup, text annotation, flashcards, quizzes, Chinese text input, and written Chinese tools.
What is the dictionary data based on?
The word dictionary is based on CC-CEDICT. Downloadable CC-CEDICT data is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0.
MDBG Chinese Dictionary plans and pricing
All plansCompared on online dictionaries
- Free plan
- Yes
- Audio pronunciation
- Yes
- Usage examples
- Yes
- Translation lookup
- Yes
- Offline access
- Yes
- Mobile apps
- none
- Languages covered
- 2
