Free Chinese Reading Practice
This is free, interactive Chinese reading practice built for learners. Read real graded Chinese short stories, then tap any word to reveal its pinyin and English translation — no dictionary, no copy-pasting, no guessing. Every story mimics the reading experience inside the Literate Chinese app, right in your browser.
Click or tap to reveal pinyin above the characters, show the full English translation of any sentence, and toggle between Simplified and Traditional characters. The stories are grouped into levels and themes so you can start easy and work up: from absolute-beginner dialogues to classic Chinese idioms, fables, and chapters of Journey to the West.
With 90+ free stories, it's ideal comprehensible-input reading whether you're a complete beginner, studying for an HSK exam, or a heritage speaker rebuilding fluency. Pick a category below and start reading.
Daily Life 14 stories
Stories about everyday activities and daily routines
Chinese Idioms 19 stories
Classic stories behind famous Chinese idioms
- The Crane Among Chickens
- Sai Weng Loses His Horse
- Breaking Pots and Sinking Boats
- Fox Borrows Tiger's Might
- Cao Cao and the Plum Trees
- The Shield and the Spear
- The Thief and the Bell
- Yu Gong Moves the Mountains
- The Farmer and the Rabbit
- Drawing a Snake and Adding Feet
- The Painter and the Horse-Tiger
- Give Up Halfway
- The Impatient Farmer
- Rise at the Rooster’s Crow
- The Sky-Fearing Man of Qi
- Blind Men Touching the Elephant
- Playing the Qin to a Cow
- Three Days Fishing, Two Days Drying Nets
- Dotting the Dragon's Eyes
John and Xiaoting 8 stories
Conversations between John and Xiaoting
Kitten and Puppy Adventures 5 stories
Heartwarming stories about friendship between a kitten and puppy
Business Stories 8 stories
Stories and case studies about innovative businesses and founders
A Day in the Life of Lil Jon 9 stories
Explore Lil Jon's daily routine and experiences
Classic Fables 9 stories
Timeless fables and stories that teach important life lessons
Journey to the West 10 stories
The classic Chinese novel about Monkey King and his companions on a pilgrimage to India
- Chapter 1: The Birth of the Monkey King
- Chapter 2: Apprenticeship and Skill Training
- Chapter 3: The Havoc in Heaven
- Chapter 4: Tang Sanzang’s Pilgrimage for Scriptures
- Recruiting Bajie at Gao Village
- Chapter 6: Recruiting Sha Monk at the Flowing Sand River
- Chapter 7: Three Battles with the White Bone Demon
- Chapter 8: The Clever Battle with the Red Boy
- Chapter 9: Crossing the Flaming Mountain
- Chapter 10: The Kingdom of Women and the True Scriptures
Christian Stories 2 stories
Stories from the Bible and Christian teachings
Other Stories 7 stories
A mix of standalone tales, myths, and journeys