The 10 Best Chinese Graded Readers for Every Level in 2026
Image by: Min An
By Hanyu Tales (6th April 2026)
Reading is one of the most effective ways to acquire a foreign language. Research by Hu and Nation found that learners need to understand roughly 98% of the words in a text for adequate unassisted comprehension. That's where graded readers come in: they control the vocabulary so you can actually enjoy what you're reading instead of reaching for a dictionary every other sentence. But with so many Chinese graded readers on the market in 2026, finding the right one for your level isn't straightforward. We've put together a list of the 10 best options, from absolute beginner to near-native, so you can spend less time searching and more time reading.
Why Graded Readers Work
Before jumping into the list, it's worth understanding why graded readers are so effective. Stephen Krashen's input hypothesis suggests that we acquire language by receiving input that is just slightly above our current level. Graded readers are built around this idea. By keeping unknown vocabulary to a minimum, they let you pick up new words from context rather than through brute-force memorisation, which Day and Bamford argue is exactly how extensive reading should function.
This matters even more for Chinese than for European languages. There's no shared alphabet to fall back on, so reading ability is tied directly to how many characters you've learned. A graded reader that stays within your character knowledge lets you build reading stamina without the constant frustration of hitting a wall every few lines.
This matters even more for Chinese than for European languages. There's no shared alphabet to fall back on, so reading ability is tied directly to how many characters you've learned. A graded reader that stays within your character knowledge lets you build reading stamina without the constant frustration of hitting a wall every few lines.
Image by: Min An
1. Mandarin Companion
Mandarin Companion is probably the most well-known Chinese graded reader series among English-speaking learners, and for good reason. The books are adaptations of Western classics (Sherlock Holmes, The Secret Garden, The Phantom of the Opera) re-set in China, so you already have a rough idea of the plot and can focus on the language. They grade by unique character count rather than HSK level: Level 1 uses around 300 unique characters, Level 2 uses around 450, and they go up from there.
At around $10-15 per book, they're not the cheapest option, but the production quality and storytelling make them worth it. If you're a beginner looking for your first graded reader, this is the safest bet.
At around $10-15 per book, they're not the cheapest option, but the production quality and storytelling make them worth it. If you're a beginner looking for your first graded reader, this is the safest bet.
2. Chinese Breeze
Chinese Breeze is published by Peking University Press and is arguably the most academically rigorous graded reader series available. It covers eight levels, from 300 words all the way up to 4,500, making it one of the few series that caters to advanced learners too. Each book includes vocabulary lists, pinyin annotations, and comprehension exercises, which is why it's the series most commonly recommended by Chinese language teachers and universities.
The stories are a mix of mystery, romance, and contemporary Chinese life. They're not as polished as Mandarin Companion's adaptations, but the sheer range of levels and the exercise component make Chinese Breeze the better pick for learners who want structure alongside their reading. At $8-12 per book, they're reasonably priced too.
The stories are a mix of mystery, romance, and contemporary Chinese life. They're not as polished as Mandarin Companion's adaptations, but the sheer range of levels and the exercise component make Chinese Breeze the better pick for learners who want structure alongside their reading. At $8-12 per book, they're reasonably priced too.
3. Hanyu Tales
Full disclosure: this is us. Hanyu Tales is a web-based graded reader focused on real Chinese literature. Stories from writers like Lu Xun, Pu Songling, and Zhu Ziqing are graded by HSK level, and each story also includes the original text by the author. So as your level improves, you can re-read the same story in the author's own words.
The reading tools are built in: tap any word for pinyin and definitions, save words to flashcards with spaced repetition, and get sentence-level translations when you're stuck. Stories range from HSK 4 to native level, and new ones are added regularly. The whole library is free. If you're interested in Chinese literature specifically, or you want to bridge the gap between graded and authentic texts, that's what we built this for.
The reading tools are built in: tap any word for pinyin and definitions, save words to flashcards with spaced repetition, and get sentence-level translations when you're stuck. Stories range from HSK 4 to native level, and new ones are added regularly. The whole library is free. If you're interested in Chinese literature specifically, or you want to bridge the gap between graded and authentic texts, that's what we built this for.
4. Du Chinese
Du Chinese is a popular app with a large library of short texts graded from HSK 1 to HSK 6+. Content includes folk tales, cultural articles, news, and short stories. You can tap any word for a definition, toggle pinyin on and off, and listen to sentence-by-sentence audio narration.
Where Du Chinese shines is convenience. The texts are short enough to finish on a bus ride, and the app's interface makes it easy to squeeze in reading practice throughout the day. It's less suited for deep, extended reading sessions, but for learners who want consistent daily exposure in bite-sized pieces, it's one of the best options. Premium runs around $12-15 per month.
Where Du Chinese shines is convenience. The texts are short enough to finish on a bus ride, and the app's interface makes it easy to squeeze in reading practice throughout the day. It's less suited for deep, extended reading sessions, but for learners who want consistent daily exposure in bite-sized pieces, it's one of the best options. Premium runs around $12-15 per month.
5. The Chairman's Bao
If fiction isn't your thing, The Chairman's Bao takes a different approach: every text is based on real Chinese news, rewritten at different HSK levels. This makes it a favourite among learners who want to understand contemporary China and find made-up stories uninspiring. Each article comes with a built-in dictionary, grammar breakdowns, and quizzes.
It's popular with schools and universities for a reason. The content is genuinely interesting if you care about what's happening in the Chinese-speaking world, and the grammar notes add an educational layer that most readers don't offer. Pricing is subscription-based, similar to Du Chinese.
It's popular with schools and universities for a reason. The content is genuinely interesting if you care about what's happening in the Chinese-speaking world, and the grammar notes add an educational layer that most readers don't offer. Pricing is subscription-based, similar to Du Chinese.
Image by: Pixabay
6. Sinolingua's Rainbow Bridge Series
Sinolingua is a major Chinese state publisher, and their Rainbow Bridge series draws from Chinese folk tales, history, and classic literature. Think Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and other stories that Chinese people actually grow up with. The cultural depth is a real strength here.
Quality can be uneven across titles, and the English translations occasionally feel stiff. But at $6-12 per book, they're among the cheapest graded readers available, and the cultural content gives you knowledge that pays off in conversations with native speakers.
Quality can be uneven across titles, and the English translations occasionally feel stiff. But at $6-12 per book, they're among the cheapest graded readers available, and the cultural content gives you knowledge that pays off in conversations with native speakers.
7. Imagin8 Press
Imagin8 Press is a smaller publisher that grades by character count, similar to Mandarin Companion. The stories are original fiction set in modern China, aimed at beginners to lower-intermediate learners. They're a solid alternative if you've already worked through Mandarin Companion's catalogue and want more at a similar level. The stories feel a bit more contemporary and grounded in everyday Chinese life, which is a nice change from the adapted-classics approach.
8. Confucius Institute / Hanban Graded Readers
These readers, published through the Confucius Institute, adapt Chinese literary classics and folk tales across levels from 500 to 3,000 words. They're widely available and inexpensive. The downside is that the production quality and storytelling don't always match the more established series. But if you're on a tight budget and want physical books with Chinese cultural content, they're worth considering.
9. Pleco's Document Reader
Pleco isn't a graded reader. It's a dictionary app with a built-in document reader, and virtually every serious Chinese learner already has it installed. You can import any Chinese text and tap words for instant definitions, which turns any text into a semi-graded reading experience.
Why include a dictionary on a graded reader list? Because once you're past HSK 5 or 6, graded readers become hard to find. At that point, you'll want to start reading authentic Chinese content, and Pleco's reader is the best tool for making the jump. Import a news article, a short story, or even a novel chapter, and let the tap-to-translate do the heavy lifting while you build up tolerance for ungraded material. The base app is free, with add-ons ranging from $10-30.
Why include a dictionary on a graded reader list? Because once you're past HSK 5 or 6, graded readers become hard to find. At that point, you'll want to start reading authentic Chinese content, and Pleco's reader is the best tool for making the jump. Import a news article, a short story, or even a novel chapter, and let the tap-to-translate do the heavy lifting while you build up tolerance for ungraded material. The base app is free, with add-ons ranging from $10-30.
10. LingQ
LingQ isn't Chinese-specific, but its Chinese library is large and it takes a unique approach to reading. The system tracks every word you've encountered and marks unknown words in yellow, so you can see your vocabulary gaps in real time. As you read more and mark words as known, the yellow highlights disappear and you get a visual sense of your progress.
You can browse community-uploaded content or import your own. The reading experience is more analytical than enjoyable compared to a purpose-built graded reader, and the interface takes some getting used to. But for data-driven learners who want to track their vocabulary growth alongside their reading, LingQ offers something that none of the other options on this list do. Subscriptions start around $12-13 per month.
You can browse community-uploaded content or import your own. The reading experience is more analytical than enjoyable compared to a purpose-built graded reader, and the interface takes some getting used to. But for data-driven learners who want to track their vocabulary growth alongside their reading, LingQ offers something that none of the other options on this list do. Subscriptions start around $12-13 per month.
Picking the Right One
So which one should you use? It depends on your level and what you enjoy. Here's a rough guide:
- Absolute beginners (HSK 1-2): Mandarin Companion Level 1 or Chinese Breeze Level 1-2. You need tight vocabulary control at this stage, and physical books let you focus without app notifications stealing your attention.
- Lower-intermediate (HSK 3-4): Du Chinese, Hanyu Tales, or Chinese Breeze Level 3-4. You can start reading longer stories and exploring real Chinese literature at this stage.
- Upper-intermediate (HSK 5-6): The Chairman's Bao, Hanyu Tales, or Chinese Breeze's higher levels. At this stage, content that interests you matters more than grading, so pick whatever you'll actually stick with.
- Advanced (HSK 6+): Pleco's document reader with authentic texts, LingQ, or Hanyu Tales' original (ungraded) versions. You're ready for real content with dictionary support.
Further reading
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like Reading To Speak: How reading can improve your speaking skills. And if you want to master Chinese, get your free reading path to take you from your current level to reading Chinese literature.
Just Start Reading
The best graded reader is the one you'll actually open. Don't spend weeks comparing features and pricing when you could be spending that time reading your first story. Most of the options on this list offer free content or trials, so pick one that matches your level, give it a go, and adjust from there. The research is clear: reading works. The only thing left is to do it.
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Free stories with HSK-graded versions
New to graded reading? Start at HSK 4, HSK 5 or HSK 6.
Essay
差不多先生傳
Mr. Almost
By 胡適 (Hu Shi) • 1924
A satirical tale about 'Mr. Almost', a man whose indifference to precision leads to absurd—and fatal—consequences.
Satire
Philosophy
Available in:
845 chars
Short story
狂人日记
Diary of a Madman
By 鲁迅 (Lu Xun) • 1918
A classic short story exploring societal oppression and human cruelty.
Psychology
Political
Available in:
4032 chars
Short story
画皮
The Painted Skin
By 蒲松龄 (Pu Songling) • 17th Century
A scholar encounters a beautiful woman who turns out to be a demon in disguise.
Supernatural
Drama
Available in:
1260 chars