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Pleco Chinese Dictionary
What Pleco Chinese Dictionary is
Pleco Chinese Dictionary combines Chinese lookup, character input, flashcards, and document reading in apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Search by Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, or full text; results are combined and ordered by frequency. To look up a character, draw it or use the camera on Chinese text, including text in a still image. The flashcard tools let you make cards from dictionary entries or import word lists, then study with spaced repetition and modes such as tone drills. Included dictionaries vary by platform, and further dictionaries are available, including licensed titles from major publishers. Document support also differs: the upgraded iOS reader handles text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB, while Android opens text and PDF and can look up content from web pages and clipboard material. Pleco offers Mandarin and Cantonese audio. Downloaded dictionaries and features can work offline. The free version includes basic search and handwriting, while paid bundles add tools such as OCR, flashcards, stroke-order diagrams, document reading, and audio. Pleco was founded in 2000.
Who it suits
Pleco suits Chinese learners and readers who want dictionary lookup alongside handwriting input, audio, flashcards, or document reading. It also fits people who want downloaded dictionaries and features available offline, with a free version or one-time paid bundles.
What it does well
- Searches Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full text.
- Supports handwriting and camera lookup from Chinese text.
- Flashcards include spaced repetition and tone drills.
- Downloaded dictionaries and features can work offline.
- Paid add-ons are one-time purchases, with no ads or subscriptions.
What to know first
- The free version has limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions.
- The free app includes stroke-order animations for 500 characters; 28,000 are in a paid add-on.
- The iOS and Android document readers support different formats.
Limits
The free version costs nothing and includes basic dictionary search, handwriting, included dictionaries, and limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions. It includes stroke-order animations for 500 characters; 28,000 are available in the paid add-on.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free Version | Basic dictionary search · handwriting · included dictionaries · limited reader, audio, and flashcards | Free |
| Basic Bundle (iPhone/iPad) | One-time purchase · OCR · flashcards · stroke order diagrams · document reader · Mandarin audio · Kai font · Oxford Chinese Dictionary | $29.99, paid once |
| Basic Bundle (Android) | One-time purchase · OCR · flashcards · stroke order diagrams · document reader · Mandarin audio · Kai font · Oxford Chinese Dictionary | $29.99, paid once |
| Professional Bundle (iPhone/iPad) | One-time purchase · Basic Bundle features · Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries · male TTS voice | $59.99, paid once |
| Professional Bundle (Android) | One-time purchase · Basic Bundle features · Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries · male TTS voice | $59.99, paid once |
As pleco.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit https://www.pleco.com/.
- Install the iOS app on a device running iOS 15.6 or later, or the Android app on a 64-bit device running Android 9 or later.
- Start with the free version or choose a one-time Basic or Professional Bundle for your platform.
- Download dictionaries and features you want available offline.
Verdict
Pick Pleco if you want Chinese dictionary search with handwriting lookup and optional study, audio, and reading tools. The free version covers core lookup, while OCR, expanded flashcards, document reading, audio, and additional dictionaries require paid bundles or add-ons.
Questions
Is Pleco free?
Yes. The Free Version costs nothing and includes basic dictionary search, handwriting, included dictionaries, and limited reader, audio, and flashcard functions.
How much do the bundles cost?
The Basic Bundle costs $29.99, paid once on iPhone/iPad and Android. The Professional Bundle costs $59.99, paid once on either platform.
Which devices does Pleco support?
Pleco is available for iOS and Android. The listed requirements are iOS 15.6 or later and Android 9 or later on 64-bit devices.
Can Pleco work offline?
The maker says downloaded dictionaries and features let the app run without an internet connection after download.
Does Pleco have ads or subscriptions?
Pleco says it has no ads or subscriptions and that paid add-ons are one-time purchases.
What do the Professional Bundles add?
They include Basic Bundle features plus Oxford, ABC, New Century, Tuttle, and Guifan dictionaries, along with a male TTS voice.
Facts from Pleco Chinese Dictionary's own pages
- Ads and billing
- The maker says the app has no ads or subscriptions and that paid add-ons are one-time purchases. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Audio
- Pleco provides Mandarin and Cantonese audio support, including native-speaker Mandarin recordings for more than 34,000 words on Android. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- The maker says downloaded dictionaries and features let the app run without an internet connection after download. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Dictionaries
- The iOS app includes CC-CEDICT and the PLC dictionary, with additional free and paid dictionaries, including licensed titles from major publishers. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Document formats
- The upgraded iOS document reader supports text, HTML, DOC, DOCX, PDF, and EPUB files; the Android reader opens text and PDF files and supports lookup from web pages and clipboard content. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Flashcards
- The flashcard system supports creating cards from dictionary entries, importing word lists, spaced repetition, and study modes such as tone drills. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2000 · pleco.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Handwriting
- Users can look up words by drawing Chinese characters, and the maker describes its recognition as tolerant of stroke-order mistakes. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- On Android, a floating screen-reader interface can tap-lookup Chinese words in other apps. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- OCR
- The app can look up Chinese words through the camera or from text in a still image. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Platforms and requirements
- The maker lists iOS 15.6 or later and Android 9 or later on 64-bit devices as system requirements. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Pleco’s privacy policy says it does not share personal information with Apple or Google and does not share information with third parties or affiliates for marketing. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Product
- Pleco is an all-in-one Chinese dictionary, flashcard, and document-reading app offered for iPhone/iPad and Android. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Search
- Search supports Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, wildcards, and full-text lookup, with merged frequency-sorted results. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Stroke order
- The free app includes stroke-order animations for 500 characters, with 28,000 available in the paid add-on. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Pleco says users can contact support by email and that it reads every message and replies within a couple of business days. · pleco.com, 7 Oct 2026
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