Vocabulary List

darkstar94

Yeah I've heard good things about Pleco, but I don't remember getting it to work. What I do is watch a program and then every word I don't know I add to my vocabulary list. Unfortunately, the speed in which words come in is faster than I can review them haha. What processes do you use?

darkstar94

This might be a stupid question, but Pleco is not just an app is it? Like can I get it for my PC?

darkstar94

Does Pleco have a wide range of vocabulary? Some things I add in can be a little weird.

podster

one problem I have with CPod vocab management is that I want to create vocab lists associated with specific lessons, but whenever I click to add a word it checks to see if the word has already been added (to the total set of words) and will not put it at the top of the list (where I want it, grouped with other recently added words) so that I can create a new list for that particular lesson, or that particular topic.

I have not tried memrise, put I have exported several lists I created in CPod to Pleco (cumbersome process) and also selected some of them from within Skritter (much easier). Pleco's flashcard system is very good (I use it on my iPhone) and Skritter has no equal for learning how to write characters.

root

Pleco is an app for iOS and android, not available for windows right now afaik. They have many pre-made lists, and you can add your own. Right now I am studying new HSk 1-4, in addition to monthly CPod imports, and also just added Rick Harbaugh's genealogy of Chinese characters.

If you want desktop flashcards, anki is your thing. Even more powerful for flashcards, but without dictionary functionality.

Both apps have the "add little by little function". Even though my HSK list has 6000 total items, I can limit review sessions to 150 unlearnt items, so never have to feel overwhelmed. This way I dump all CPod vocab at 400 new items every month, and I can tell if that's too fast or too slow judging by how many make progress to "learnt" in the same month. Seems just right for me (at least this month, for some reason there's more motivation)

darkstar94

Oh okay, thanks for the idea! Is it easy to export words from my ChinesePod vocabulary list to that website?

darkstar94

Okay, I just looked at that website and I have no idea how to add words. It just looks like adding sets, but no where you can add your own words. I'm probably wrong right?

alex186

It's a little complicated, yes, but I'll try to explain it the best I can.

Go to your dashbord/ homepage. On the left hand there is somewhat of a column, go to the bottom of that column and click "create list or course". On the next page, click the option "create a course". Select the category to be Chinese (in the category of "chinese" at the very bottom of the list is "chinese"). Then select the name of your course, usually I just put "my chinesepod words" or something.

Then, it will take you to the "levels editing" page, here is where you can add your Chinesepod words. For easy transfer, usually I copy and paste the Chinesepod words from the vocab list in the lesson to an excel spreadsheet, (copy special, don't just paste, right click and then select for basic text) flip the spreadsheet so the list from left to right reads: word, definition, pronunciation. I then delete the pronunciation and manually add it in (I like using numbers with pinyin much better, it's easier to type during a testing prompt). I then copy that entire excel spreadsheet, go back to my memrise tab and click the button that says "bulk entry" .

I then paste the excel spreadsheet, it loads. At the top, there is a tab that says "Test on word, prompt with definition" (click the pencil) I change this to "test on definition, prompt with word" After, I make a new level using the same vocab. I then change "test on word, prompt with definition" with "test on pronunciation, prompt with word". This way, I am practicing my pronunciation and tones while also practicing my character recognizance.

Finally, you can go back to your dashboard and click the name of your new, personally made course. If it is not there, click the "learning" tab and it will show you all the courses you have subscribed to/ made. To study, just click the button and begin. The algorithm remembers which ones you struggle with and which ones are easy for you and will prompt you to review accordingly, it's a good 3rd party to get you motivated about doing flashcards. I

alex186

It's also good to stick to between 15 and 50 words in one level (Ideal is 21 or 25, learning in 5s or 7s). This way you will have a nice even course :)

alex186

also find me on the website and we can be friends :), my name is ajphickman on the site.

darkstar94

21 to 25? Wow, I need to split 4000 words into that... I guess I can just do the words I've learnt recently. I don't know how to search for you, look for darkstar94

adam_p_lax

i checked out that website too and it looks very cool, much different than the average flashcard

alex186

Ah, wow, 4k! great job :D, I am not nearly that organized with my words... what I'd suggest is add like 25-100 per day (4 sets of 25). Once you add them, go to the level's testing page (the page where you click "start learning"). Instead of clicking "start learning" click "auto grow" and now you will only be asked to review these cards instead of having to relearn them (the website's learning mechanism is spot on by the way). Ideally, you could make those 4000 into a completely different section you can name "review" or something; then you can add all of your new flashcards into a separate lesson. :D

darkstar94

That's how I find words to learn. If I haven't seen them before when I watch a Chinese program, then I note it down, this way I automatically have context. But I have to admit, the only thing I think flashcards are good for are to jog your memory of words, but not really master them like you mention. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing, because when you come across another situation with that word, you already half understand it.

root

Totally agree, flashcards that link to whole sentences are very cool. Very disappointed CPod is not providing that, they have so much content, yet not willing to invest in a decent app.

podster

I always found the CPod vocabulary manager quite clunky. I have close to 80 decks, but never use CPod for reviewing flashcards. I export the CPod words to Pleco and review the cards on my iPhone in Pleco. The exporting process is also somewhat cumbersome but once done Pleco is very much more flexible in its flash card abilities and is more user friendly). CPod Podcasts, Pleco flashcard review on the go, and Skritter for writing practice are a great combination for me. Its very easy to add CPod lesson vocab to Skritter study because they are linked via an API so you can just look up the CPod lesson you want in Skritter. It would be cool if Pleco could do the same. That is, have a function where you could find the names of all the library of Cpod lessons and just click "import" to access the related vocabulary in a Pleco flashcard deck.