Taiwan writes Chinese in traditional characters, and its schools teach pronunciation with zhuyin, a set of 37 symbols. Some everyday words and readings are different from the mainland, so you take the 捷運 to work and throw away 垃圾, read lèsè. Many Chinese apps teach mainland Mandarin unless you change a setting. These apps teach the Mandarin people speak in Taiwan, or let you read it in traditional characters.
For Chinese in general, see our Chinese comprehensible input app comparison.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn 
Taiwan Mandarin. You learn from Taiwan Mandarin you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Taiwan Mandarin is its own course in Bubblegum. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes lessons for you about night markets, bubble tea, work, or anything else. News comes from Taiwan, and stories fit your level too. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask her to explain it.
- Lessons use traditional characters and the words people use in Taiwan.
- Read with zhuyin or pinyin over the characters.
- When Taiwan reads a word differently, you see the Taiwan reading first and the mainland one beside it.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You cannot bring in your own books, web novels, or articles.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
Mobile
Made for Taiwan Mandarin
These two apps teach only Taiwan Mandarin, so you never need to change a setting.
TaiwanCards
TaiwanCards is a free web app made in Taipei, with no ads. Each word has flashcards for five skills, and there are trainers for handwriting, zhuyin typing, and the TOCFL test. It suits learners who like to review words on their own schedule.
- Traditional characters, zhuyin, and Taiwan readings throughout.
- Word audio was recorded for Taiwan's Ministry of Education dictionary.
- Paste an article and read it with the dictionary open.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
Web
StayTW
StayTW teaches the Mandarin used in Taiwan through vocabulary, zhuyin lessons, and short readings about Taiwanese society. It suits learners who are preparing for the TOCFL test or for life in Taiwan.
- Traditional characters and Taiwan readings, not simplified.
- Over 1,600 TOCFL-aligned words with quizzes and spaced repetition.
- Easy readings about life and culture in Taiwan.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileWeb
Follow a Taiwan Mandarin Course
Glossika
Glossika teaches Taiwan Mandarin sentence by sentence, with sentences that get harder as you go. It suits learners who want to train their listening and speaking with audio from Taiwan.
- A course for Mandarin from Taiwan, from beginner to advanced.
- Native speakers from Taiwan read every sentence.
- Sentences show traditional characters with zhuyin.
- Traditional characters
MobileWeb
ChineseSkill
ChineseSkill offers a Taiwan course beside its mainland one. It suits learners who want lessons in order, from zhuyin and first words to short stories.
- A separate course for Mandarin from Taiwan, in traditional characters and zhuyin.
- About 300 short lessons.
- Free zhuyin drills.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileWeb
Look Up Words With Taiwan Readings
Pleco
Pleco is the dictionary many Chinese learners keep on their phone. Add the Cross-Straits dictionary, and Pleco shows how a word is said in Taiwan before the mainland reading.
- The free Cross-Straits dictionary gives Taiwan pronunciations first.
- Show zhuyin or pinyin over each word.
- A paid Taiwan Mandarin voice can read words aloud.
- Flashcards
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
Mobile
萌典 Moedict
萌典 Moedict puts Taiwan's official Mandarin dictionary on your phone, with stroke order for common characters. It also has dictionaries for Taiwanese and Hakka.
- Built on the Ministry of Education's dictionaries, with 160,000 Mandarin entries.
- Hear recorded pronunciations of common words.
- Works offline, and it is free.
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileWeb
Hanping
Hanping is a Chinese dictionary with about 5,800 Taiwan readings marked where they differ. It is free on Android and iPhone, with optional upgrades.
- A human voice reads Taiwan pronunciations.
- Zhuyin runs down beside each character, as in Taiwan's textbooks.
- Includes the full TOCFL word list of about 7,500 words.
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
Mobile
Practice Writing Characters
Skritter
Skritter suits learners who want to write characters by hand, not just read them. It has word lists for popular textbooks, including the ones many Taiwan language centers use.
- Write traditional characters on your screen and get feedback on each stroke.
- Show zhuyin instead of pinyin.
- Reviews come back on a schedule, so you remember how to write each word.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileWeb
Read Chinese in Traditional Characters
These apps teach mainland Mandarin but let you read in traditional characters. Check their audio and word choices if you want Taiwan Mandarin specifically.
Du Chinese
Du Chinese has graded stories with audio, translations, and grammar notes. You can switch the whole app to traditional characters and zhuyin. Du Chinese is one of the apps that inspired Bubblegum.
- Read every story in traditional characters.
- Show zhuyin over the characters.
- Over 3,000 readings across six levels.
- Flashcards
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileWeb
LingQ
LingQ lets you read and listen to traditional Chinese from its library or from content you bring in. Some lessons that learners made are about Taiwan.
- A library of lessons in traditional characters.
- Bring in your own articles and videos.
- Flashcards
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- No Zhuyin
MobileWeb
Migaku
Migaku helps you learn from shows, web pages, and books you choose. Turn a word into a card with the sentence, sound, and a picture.
- Show zhuyin over words on web pages and shows.
- Choose a Taiwan Mandarin voice for read-along.
- Flashcards
- Doesn't teach Zhuyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
MobileBrowser extension
More Ways to Study
Many Taiwan language centers teach from A Course in Contemporary Chinese (當代中文課程). Its official app from National Taiwan Normal University covers Book 1 with audio, though it was last updated in 2020. To practice with a person, look for teachers from Taiwan on italki, or take classes in traditional characters at BaoDao Talk.
Compare Taiwan Mandarin Support
| App | Traditional | Zhuyin | Taiwan Words | Taiwan Audio | Taiwan Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TaiwanCards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| StayTW | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partly | Yes |
| Glossika | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| ChineseSkill | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Pleco | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 萌典 Moedict | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hanping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Skritter | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | No |
| Du Chinese | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | No | No |
| LingQ | Yes | No | Partly | Not confirmed | No |
| Migaku | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Partly | No |
Learn Taiwan Mandarin in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings, except TaiwanCards (its website). Word meanings, lesson explanations, and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| TaiwanCards | 2 | Full list |
| StayTW | 7 | Full list |
| Glossika | 2 | Full list |
| ChineseSkill | 17 | Full list |
| Pleco | 1 | Full list |
| 萌典 Moedict | 1 | Full list |
| Hanping | 1 | Full list |
| Skritter | 1 | Full list |
| Du Chinese | 1 | Full list |
| LingQ | 17 | Full list |
| Migaku | 4 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (9)
- Zhong ChineseA web app built for traditional characters and Taiwan Mandarin, with Taipei audio, a zhuyin guide, flashcards, and TOCFL-aligned lessons. It is new and growing.
- Literate ChineseGraded stories, dialogs, and easy news matched to the characters you know. Tap a word to see its pinyin or zhuyin and hear it.
- MonChineseTOCFL-aligned lessons in traditional Chinese the Taiwan way, with a camera lookup for menus and signs.
- Hack ChineseA spaced-repetition vocabulary app that some learners living in Taiwan recommend.
- ChineseClass101A series of 25 short audio lessons with phrases for getting around Taiwan.
- SpeechlingFree dictation practice in traditional Chinese, with feedback on your speaking from coaches.
- Zhuyin trainersSmall apps such as Bopomofo Studio drill the 37 zhuyin symbols and zhuyin typing.
- HelloChinese, LingoDeer, Ninchanese, Memrise, and Rosetta StoneWell-known Chinese courses that can show traditional characters. They teach the Mandarin used on the mainland.
- DuolingoA free, game-like Chinese course for beginners. It teaches simplified characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Taiwan Mandarin app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Taiwan Mandarin, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with ChineseSkill if you want lessons in order, from zhuyin and first words to short stories. Add Glossika if you want to train your listening and speaking with audio from Taiwan.
Should I learn zhuyin or pinyin?
Learn zhuyin if you want to read what Taiwan's schools and children's books use, and pinyin if you also study with mainland materials. Zhuyin has 37 symbols, and Bubblegum's free Zhuyin course teaches them in your browser with Taiwan audio.
Is Taiwan Mandarin the same as Taiwanese?
No. Taiwanese, also called Taiwanese Hokkien, is a separate language. The apps on this page teach Mandarin, the language taught in Taiwan's schools.
Can I understand mainland Mandarin if I learn Taiwan Mandarin?
Yes. The grammar is nearly the same, so you can follow people from both places. You will meet different words for some everyday things, like 計程車 for a taxi in Taiwan and 出租车 on the mainland.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
The Zhuyin course and the Taiwan Mandarin guides on this site are also free and need no account.
Sources
- Ministry of Education (Taiwan), 國語注音符號手冊
- TaiwanCards
- StayTW on the App Store
- Pleco forums, Taiwan pronunciations in the Cross-Straits dictionary
- Bubblegum
- Glossika
- ChineseSkill
- Pleco
- 萌典 Moedict
- Hanping
- Skritter
- Du Chinese
- LingQ
- Migaku
Checked on October 10, 2026 against each app's own pages.
