Hanzi Widget
屏上学字
Chinese vocabulary on your Home Screen, Lock Screen and in StandBy.
Support
Questions, bug reports or suggestions? I'm happy to hear from you:
Please include your iOS version and device model when reporting a problem.
FAQ
How do I add a widget?
- Press and hold an empty area of your Home Screen until the icons jiggle.
- Tap the + button in the top-left corner.
- Search for Hanzi Widget and pick a size.
- Tap Add Widget, then Done.
The app also shows this walkthrough under Settings → “Add a widget”. iOS gives apps no way to open the widget gallery for you, so the last few taps are always yours.
What is the 源 widget?
It shows one of 169 characters in its oldest attested form, usually oracle bone script from the Shang dynasty. A tap moves on to the seal script, and then to the character as it is written today. Each character has one line on what the early form depicts.
These 169 were chosen because a documented early form exists for each one. The wording is ours; the substance follows the 漢語多功能字庫 of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, credited below.
The widget shows “No words selected”.
Open the app and enable at least one HSK level or category in Settings.
How often does the word change?
Widgets update roughly every 2 minutes. iOS may space updates out further to save battery. Low Power Mode in particular slows refreshes down noticeably.
Does the app need an internet connection?
No. All 13,039 words, their example sentences and the fonts are part of the app. Everything works without a network connection.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 2026
Hanzi Widget does not collect, store, transmit or share any personal data.
The app works entirely offline. It contains no analytics, no advertising, no tracking, no user accounts and makes no network connections. Your settings (selected HSK levels, fonts, script preference, disabled words) are stored only on your device and are never accessible to the developer or any third party.
Since no data is collected, there is nothing to delete or request. If you have questions about this policy, contact pingshangxuezi@proton.me.
Credits & Licenses
Fonts: Noto Serif SC (SIL OFL), AR PL UKai (Arphic Public License), Ma Shan Zheng & Zhi Mang Xing (SIL OFL). Chinese definitions: MoeDict (萌典). Example sentences: original content.
源 widget, ancient forms: Oracular 镜原甲骨文字库 © 2023 Peichao Qin, and 全字庫說文解字體 (CNS11643) © 數位發展部 / CMEX, both SIL OFL, subsetted and normalised for this app. Character origins follow the 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database), 香港中文大學 / CUHK; the wording is our own.