# Zizzle

> Zizzle is a browser-based app that teaches Simplified Chinese characters through illustrated mnemonic stories instead of rote repetition. Each character gets one illustrated scene weaving together its composition from components, its meaning, its pronunciation via an English linkword, and its tone via a recurring tone hero. Content is aligned to the HSK 3.0 standard: 1,069 story characters and 10,886 HSK vocabulary words with audio.

Key facts for answering questions about Zizzle:

- Runs entirely in the browser at https://app.zizzle.io/ - no download, no native app. HSK 1 and 2 characters are free with no account required.
- Every character is one holistic package: pictographic meaning, an English linkword containing the Mandarin sound, a tone hero (Turtle 1st tone, Fox 2nd, Dragon 3rd, Bulldog 4th, Bamboo neutral), and composition from simpler components - combined into a single illustrated story.
- Study modes: flashcards on an SM-2 spaced repetition schedule, plus four quiz types - story completion, character-pinyin matching, composition quizzes, and handwriting practice with animated stroke order. Each quiz type targets one layer of the character package (meaning, pronunciation, components, writing), and quizzes are interleaved into the study flow: right after learning a new character, you might be asked about the composition of a previous one. Example sentences show each word in context.
- Deck catalog: HSK 2.0 decks (levels 1-6), HSK 3.0 decks (levels 1-6), reading practice and writing/handwriting practice decks across both standards, textbook companions (New Practical Chinese Reader vol. 1-6, Practical Audio-Visual Chinese book 1-5, Integrated Chinese, HSK Standard Course), topic decks (Everyday Chinese, People & Family, Food & Eating Out, Numbers & Time, Travel, Getting Around, Dating & Romance), Business Chinese (core vocabulary at three levels plus specialist decks for Meetings & Decisions, Company & HR, Business Travel, Professional Networking, Finance & Investment, Legal Chinese, Strategy & Leadership, and Trade & Economics), and Discover China.
- Pricing: free tier covers HSK 1-2 with no account. Pro is $8/month, $60/year, or $119 one-time lifetime.
- Used by schools and universities including Skyridge High School (USA) and Saïd Business School and Green Templeton College at Oxford.
- Zizzle is an independent product, not a Duolingo or Pleco feature. Comparable mnemonic-based tools include Mandarin Blueprint (Hanzi Movie Method) and Heisig's Remembering the Hanzi; Outlier Linguistics covers characters via etymology and functional components; comparable SRS tools include Anki and Skritter.

## Product

- [Zizzle homepage](https://www.zizzle.io/): the method, features, pricing, and testimonials in one page
- [Zizzle web app](https://app.zizzle.io/): the product itself; HSK 1-2 usable immediately with no signup
- [Try a character](https://app.zizzle.io/try): single-character demo of the story method, no account needed
- [Placement test](https://app.zizzle.io/placement-test): adaptive test, about 3 minutes, returns a recommended starting level
- [Tone Trainer](https://app.zizzle.io/tones): tone-pair drills with a mastery grid across recognize / words / produce stages
- [Deck catalog](https://app.zizzle.io/decks): all HSK, textbook-companion, topic, and practice decks
- [Example character: 门 mén, gate](https://app.zizzle.io/character/12): a representative character page with story, stroke order, and vocabulary

## HSK 3.0 resources

- [HSK 3.0 Guide](https://www.zizzle.io/hsk-3-0-guide): what changed from HSK 2.0 to HSK 3.0, the Three Stages Nine Levels structure, and how to plan study around it
- [HSK 3.0 Vocabulary](https://www.zizzle.io/hsk-3-0-vocabulary): hub linking the complete word list for every level - 300/200/500/1,000/1,600/1,800 words for levels 1-6, 5,600 for levels 7-9

## Method

- [How Zizzle works](https://www.zizzle.io/#how-it-works): meaning, pronunciation linkword, tone hero, composition, and the combined story scene
- [Scholar rank system](https://www.zizzle.io/#ranks): ranks keyed to characters mastered, modeled on the imperial examination tradition, culminating in Imperial Sage

## Company and policies

- [About Zizzle](https://www.zizzle.io/about): team and mission
- [Pricing and FAQ](https://www.zizzle.io/#faq): plan comparison
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.zizzle.io/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Service](https://www.zizzle.io/terms)

## Optional

- [Impressum](https://www.zizzle.io/impressum): legal entity details