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How a student from Kazakhstan created the KaoHan app for Chinese learners around the world

The difficulty of learning Chinese has always been a hot topic among students and teachers. Especially when it comes to preparing for exams such as HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi), which are the official Chinese language proficiency test. Despite the abundance of resources for learning Chinese, many of them do not provide a holistic approach that would include all aspects of the language: from vocabulary and grammar to pronunciation and listening comprehension.     

This was the starting point for the creation of KaoHan, a mobile application (available on the App Store and Google Play) focused on preparing for the HSK exams. With KaoHan, you can prepare for all HSK levels (1-6) using a variety of tools and approaches that make the learning process more interactive, convenient and effective.     

What is KaoHan?

KaoHan is not just an application for learning Chinese, but a whole range of tools that include various types of training and self–testing. The application combines traditional learning methods and gamification elements, which allows you to keep interested and motivated throughout your training.     

Main functions of KaoHan

1. Dictionary and flashcards 

One of the main parts KaoHan is his dictionary, which includes about 5,000 words that are found in HSK exams. Each word is accompanied by a pinyin, translation, examples of usage in sentences and, importantly, information on how to spell and pronounce it correctly. In addition, there are flashcards for each word-translation pair that help you memorize new terms through active repetition. Users can mark words that they already know and words that still need to be repeated, which helps optimize the learning process.     

2. Grammar and Phonetics sections

Chinese grammar is one of the most difficult aspects of the language, and at KaoHan this section is an entire course explaining the basic rules and structures. Each section of the grammar is accompanied by examples that help not only to understand how sentences are constructed, but also to apply the knowledge gained in practice.     

Special attention is paid to phonetics. Correct pronunciation of Chinese is an essential part of successful learning, especially when it comes to tones. KaoHan has separate tasks that help improve pronunciation, as well as the ability to listen to the correct sound of each word.     

3. HSK Testing and Assignments

In the "HSK" section, you can complete real tasks from the exams, which allows you to feel the format of the exam and prepare for its passage. All tasks are divided by difficulty levels (HSK 1-6), and each level includes tasks in reading, listening, writing and grammar. This allows the user not only to evaluate their knowledge, but also to identify weaknesses that require additional study.     

4. Gamification and statistics

In order to prevent learning from becoming routine and boring, KaoHan has integrated a gamification system. Users receive points for completing various tasks, and can also compete on the leaderboard, which motivates them to take regular classes. The leaderboard helps you see how you are coping with tasks compared to other users, which becomes an additional motivation to achieve high results.     

In addition, the application provides detailed statistics. You can see how many words you have learned, how much time you have spent on completing tasks, which tasks are easier for you, and which ones you need to work with more. This allows you to create an individual lesson plan, focusing on weak points and improving results.     

5. Multilingualism and accessibility

KaoHan is available in 12 languages, making it a universal tool for Chinese language learners around the world. All interfaces and explanations are translated into these languages, which allows the user not to be limited to one language when learning. A dark theme is also supported, which helps to work with the application in low light conditions, which makes it convenient in all situations.     

6. Feedback support

For those who want to improve their training or share suggestions for improvement, the application provides the opportunity to leave feedback. This feature allows developers to take into account user wishes in a timely manner and improve the application.     

How was KaoHan created?

The main idea behind the creation of KaoHan was to provide the user with a convenient and effective tool for learning Chinese with an emphasis on preparing for the HSK exams. However, the development of the application became possible due to personal experience and the desire to help others. I am Mukhajan Abylay, a 4th year student of the Chinese Language Department at Abai University and a web developer with experience in the field of education, actively studied Chinese and took a mobility program in China myself. This experience was very useful when creating KaoHan, because I could see what difficulties people learning Chinese face and what features can really help facilitate the learning process.     

An important aspect in the development of the application was the understanding that each student is unique, and therefore the training should be adapted to individual needs. Gamification, statistics, and the ability to self-test have been added to the app to not only facilitate the learning process, but also make it more interesting and engaging.     

KaoHan in the future

We always try to make KaoHan even more convenient and functional. In the upcoming updates, it is planned to add more adaptive tasks, improve recommendation systems and expand functionality for users who study Chinese not only for passing the HSK, but also for everyday communication.     

KaoHan continues to evolve, and thanks to user feedback, we are constantly implementing improvements to make it the most useful tool for everyone who learns Chinese.

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