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Pinyin — The official system for writing Mandarin sounds with the Latin alphabet.

Pinyin shows you how a Chinese word sounds before you can read characters. For example, 你好 (hello) is written nǐ hǎo in pinyin. HanziQuest always shows pinyin with tone marks after you answer, so you can check the exact pronunciation.

Hanzi — The Chinese characters used for writing — each one is a word or word-part.

Hanzi (汉字) are the written symbols of Mandarin, like 你 (you) or 好 (good). Unlike an alphabet, each character carries its own meaning and sound. HanziQuest teaches them through matching games and daily lessons.

HSK — The official Chinese proficiency test, divided into levels 1–6.

HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is the standardized Mandarin test for learners. Level 1 covers the first ~150 words; level 6 covers the full advanced range. HanziQuest uses the HSK word lists to sequence what you practice.