At 48, I coded the Chinese-learning app I'd been looking for for 2 years

Note. No affiliate links here. Pandarine is my own product — I'm telling you openly why and how I built it. More practical resources are in my Tech section.

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Two years of Mandarin… through English

I've been learning Mandarin for over two years. (If you're wondering why: I dream of working in tech in China — I explain it here: Working in tech in China after 40.)

And from day one, I've had the same frustration: almost every resource goes through English.

My native language is French. In practice, that means you read a Chinese character, then an English translation, and your brain translates it again into French. One extra detour, on every word, thousands of times.

At first, I told myself it was a nice bonus — I'd brush up my English along the way. Then I realized it was slowing me down more than anything else.

A few years ago, I would have grumbled and kept going. But today, I'm a developer. So I did what developers do: I built the tool I was missing.

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So what is Pandarine?

Pandarine is an app for learning HSK vocabulary (HSK is the official Chinese proficiency exam) straight from Chinese to French:

• definitions written in French, not translated from English;
• example sentences matched to your level, not newspaper sentences packed with words you won't meet for another three years;
• spaced repetition powered by FSRS, an open-source algorithm that works out the right moment to show you each word again — just before you forget it.

To be upfront: Pandarine is made for people who learn in French. If that's you (or a francophone friend of yours), it's built for you. If not, the lessons below still apply to any project you build.

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What this project taught me (and what will help you too)

1. Your own problem is your best portfolio project

I know the user's pain because it's mine. I didn't have to invent a "persona" — I am the persona. Recruiters and clients pick up on that instantly, because you talk about the problem with precision instead of generalities.

If you're changing careers and wondering what to build, start right there: whatever annoys you every day. It's exactly the approach I make the case for in Becoming a developer after 40 when AI already codes.

2. A real product is 50% non-code work

Deployment, legal notice, GDPR, payments, brand name: I learned all of it on the way. Tutorials barely mention any of this, yet it's exactly what separates a demo project from a product people can actually use (and pay for).

3. Staying in France is a technical decision

Pandarine is hosted in France. For an app that stores your learning data, that matters. Where the data lives, who can access it, which law applies: those are architecture decisions, not end-of-project details.

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Pandarine is live: where do you start?

Pandarine has been live since late September 2026, and HSK levels 1 and 2 are free: create your account and start reviewing right away.

If you want to go further, the Pandarine subscription unlocks HSK levels 3 to 9.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Pandarine free?

Yes, for HSK 1 and 2: you create an account and study without paying. The subscription is only needed to unlock HSK levels 3 to 9.

Can I use Pandarine if I don't speak French?

Not really. Definitions and example sentences are deliberately written in French — that's the whole point of the app. If you read French comfortably, you're good; if not, it isn't built for you (yet).

What is FSRS?

FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) is an open-source spaced repetition algorithm. For each word, it estimates when you're likely to forget it and brings it back just before. The result: you see the words you know less often, and the tricky ones more often.

Why learn Chinese without going through English?

Because every intermediate language adds a translation step in your head. Across thousands of words, that detour costs you time and accuracy: some nuances get lost between Chinese, English and your own language.

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Learning Chinese in French? HSK 1 and 2 are free: create your account and run your first review in a few minutes. → Start for free on pandarine.fr

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You'll find more guides and field reports in the Tech section.