Built Chinese Learning Tool to Improve Experience of Learning Chinese with Youtube Videos (Feedback Welcome!)

[Badger]

I have spent 10 years learning Chinese, with a large amount of my study time spent on watching Chinese videos. But I have always wished Youtube had some features to improve my learning efficiency. 

 

As we know, Youtube isn't tailored for learning language. So I built a tool mostly for myself and thought maybe some other passionate learners would find it useful. 

 

Invite code: beta-cnforum (free premium for you too for helping check it out early, once I finish developing)

 

Chineselog.com . 

 

I wanted to keep the site very simple. It is really tailored towards intermediate or advanced learners, no games or quizzes, just the key features that to be honest I found useful for my own studies. 

 

Summary:

1) Highlighting: You can highlight the subtitles.

2) Review: You can review these highlights (loop through them) for efficient review

3) Dashboard: Logs all of your Chinese learning and words encountered. Helps with seeing progress and gamifies the learning process. 

4) Download: All highlights (.txt) for export to Anki or Pleco flash cards. 

5) Download: A .txt of the scripts of all videos you have watched. Can give to ChatGPT for review.

6) Improved video player: Loop mode, popup dictionary, highlights.

7) Compatible with any youtube video with CN subtitles. 

 

Would love any feedback. I spent a while creating this as it is something I have always wanted, but I realize it is quite niche and curious if anyone else would find it useful. 

 

Cheers!

 

[Wei-Ming 魏明]

YES! This IS something I want, and would pay money for.

 

Two user-friendliness things. 

 

I moused over the highlighter icon. I says, "Highlight Mode: Select Text Then Click Shift". Okay, I did that. But still, "No highlights found."

 

"Dictionary" button. I can make it blue or gray by clicking it, but it doesn't appear to do anything.

 

I look forward to using this regularly if I can figure it out!

[Jan Finster]

Good job. But, there are already several alternatives:

Lingq.com

Languageplayer (from te Chinese Zero to hero guys) 

Rooster Chrome extensions

Etc

 

[Badger]

@Wei-Ming 魏明thanks for the feedback/encouragement! The subtitles should appear below the video. It is likely you checked the site when I was making some updates, sorry about that. Let me know if you have any issues. I just put it online so I imagine there will be things that come up here and then, I will continue to spend time making improvements . 

[Badger]

@Jan Finsterthanks. Yeh certainly a lot of options. As an advanced learner, I found those platforms quite tailored towards beginner learners (makes sense, largest market) and packed with a lot of annoying "beginner" features and experience.  I found myself just sticking to Youtube. Really just wanted to create a place I can highlight subtitles, easily export for Pleco/ and track all of the content I am learning with a simple modern dashboard in one place.  Maybe not the best for beginners. 

 

 

[cbaker]

Did you take down the site? I'd love to try it out