Efficacy of Mobile Apps in Teaching Chinese Characters: a Systematic Review Abstract

With the rise in popularity of Chinese language learning, this is a timely topic. Chinese is widely regarded as one of the most challenging languages to learn due to its complex characters. The aim of this study is to consider both the strengths and weaknesses of existing applications for teaching Chinese characters while creating a new app for Russian-speaking students. This paper examines three of the most popular mobile applications related to Chinese characters: Pleco, Chinese Deciphered, and Chineasy. The study analyzed the source base of Pleco and Chinese Deciphered dictionaries, compared information from these apps with information from Chinese etymological dictionaries, and examined the game and graphical components of Chineasy. Based on the analyses, a comparative table was compiled, which includes the content, exercise types, and functions of these apps. The research shows that there is currently no Russian-language application available for teaching the etymology of characters. Teaching etymology can help learners understand the internal logic of character interaction, leading to better memorization.