Word Pillar

How to play

Read the word on the current brick and choose its translation from the answers below. Each solved word adds another brick to your pillar. Work through a small set before you increase the size or add a timer. You can play with touch, a mouse, or the number keys.

Make a prediction before reading all five choices. Looking at the prompt first gives you a chance to retrieve the answer yourself; looking at the options immediately can turn the task into eliminating the least plausible translation. Both can help, but noticing the difference tells you which words still need attention.

Wrong choices remain marked while you finish the question. Use that feedback to compare the written forms and meanings. At the end, review the words that caused trouble and start a focused round with those words. Your normal unlocked vocabulary remains available when you return to a standard set.

Controls

Press 1–5 to select an answer, or click or tap an answer button. Tab and Enter also work with the native buttons. P toggles pinyin through the shared settings. Open the gear to change direction, set size or timed play. Leave Listen enabled if you want optional pronunciation feedback.

What it trains

Word Pillar practices choosing a translation from several plausible-looking alternatives. It is especially useful for slowing down around characters that share visible parts. Every recorded answer contributes to the same learning record used by matching, listening and word search. This is recognition practice, so pair it with listening to connected speech and producing your own sentences.

Tips for your next round

Start with the smallest set and read the entire word, including a second character when there is one. Resist clicking a familiar-looking first character alone. Reverse direction after a confident round, and use the word library to compare a word's pinyin and meaning. A correct answer after several guesses deserves another look.

Questions before you play?