Interactive Chinese subtitles and transcripts

Learn Chinese with YouTube subtitles

Use Rolko on supported YouTube watch pages to explore Chinese subtitles for pinyin and meaning, or import a supported transcript into the web app when captions are available. Basic lookup is free; saving new words requires a paid plan, while previously saved words remain reviewable on Free. Support depends on usable subtitle or transcript data. Rolko is not affiliated with YouTube.

Start learning

The web app works in every modern browser. No extension required.

Compare plans for saving new words

Interactive product proof

Try an interactive YouTube-style subtitle

This product demo shows the real Rolko subtitle lookup and vocabulary-state interaction before you start.

Create

学中文说汉语听读

后来我发现，这座城市比想象中更温柔。★

0:00 / 0:15

↑Extension overlay — tap or hover a word to explore

■ learned■ learning■ new word

Rolko-specific evidence

What this workflow actually supports

Last verified 2026-09-03. Checked against Rolko’s current browser-capability gate, Chrome extension manifest 0.2.18, public routes, and shared interactive product demos.

Rolko compatibility and support matrix
Surface	Current support	Important limitation
Desktop browser extension	Supported desktop Chromium-family browsers	The install path is not offered to Safari, Firefox, Android, or iOS. Website access is requested from a user action.
Mobile web app	Reading, vocabulary, and review	The watch-page and webpage-hover browser-extension workflows are desktop-only.
YouTube	Interactive subtitles and supported transcript import	Requires usable captions in the active study language; not every video exposes a supported transcript.
Netflix	Interactive subtitles on supported watch pages	Requires usable subtitles in the active study language; title and page-state support can vary.
Normal webpages	Selectable Chinese text	Image, canvas, protected, or unusually structured text may not be available. Rolko does not provide OCR.
Transcript import	Supported sources in the Rolko web app	Requires a source and transcript that Rolko can retrieve or accept.

Worked example: from a YouTube caption to reusable vocabulary

The page keeps the watch-page lookup, transcript-reading, vocabulary, and review paths in one truthful sequence.

Encounter a supported caption
A YouTube watch page exposes usable Chinese subtitle text in a supported desktop browser.
Inspect the word in context
Use the subtitle word panel for pinyin and meaning without replacing the video context.
Save the useful word
With a signed-in account and a plan that permits new-word saving, mark it Learning or Learned in the shared vocabulary.
Continue in text or review
When a supported transcript is available, read it in the web app; otherwise continue with the same saved word in spaced-repetition review.

Product workflow

Two ways to learn from a YouTube video

Learn on the watch page

Use the desktop extension on supported YouTube watch pages with usable Chinese subtitles.

Import supported transcripts

Paste a supported YouTube URL into the web app when captions are available and study the transcript line by line.

Save and review vocabulary

Keep useful words from subtitles or transcripts and review them later with spaced repetition.

Continue in Rolko

Bring an available transcript into the web app

When a supported YouTube transcript is available, import it into Rolko to read line by line, explore words, and save useful vocabulary.

Reading workspace

学中文的秘诀

Tap or hover a word for its pronunciation and meaning. Mark it as learned or learning.

Word Coverage

Learned: 50%Learning: 20%New: 30%

主持人

你学中文多久了？

嘉宾

大概三年了，但是每天都要练习。

主持人

有什么好的学习方法吗？

嘉宾

我觉得看中文剧最有用，边看边学。

What is Rolko, and when should you use it?

Rolko is a language-learning web app and browser extension for interactive subtitles, webpage text, vocabulary tracking and spaced-repetition review.

A focused Language Reactor alternative for learning Chinese

Looking for a Language Reactor alternative focused on Chinese? Use Rolko to explore Chinese subtitles, save useful words and review them with spaced repetition.

Learn Chinese with Netflix subtitles

Learn Chinese with supported Netflix subtitles on desktop. Explore words for pinyin and meaning, save vocabulary and review it later with Rolko.

Read Chinese webpages. Review the words you save.

Look up pinyin and meanings on selectable Chinese webpages with Rolko’s desktop Chrome extension. Lookup is free; saving words requires a paid plan.

Connect the Chinese you read and watch to the words you review

Turn Chinese words from supported subtitles, webpages, transcripts and imported text into one connected vocabulary and spaced-repetition review routine with Rolko.

How to understand Chinese characters in videos

Learn when Rolko can make Chinese subtitles or transcripts interactive and when Chinese text baked into video pixels requires a separate OCR tool.

Common questions

What to know before you start

Does Rolko work with every YouTube video?

No. Interactive subtitles and transcript import depend on Chinese captions or transcript data being available through a supported watch or import flow.

Can Rolko import a YouTube transcript?

Yes, when a supported transcript is available. Paste the YouTube URL into the Rolko web app to import and read it line by line.

Do I need the browser extension?

Install the browser extension for interactive subtitles on supported desktop YouTube watch pages. Transcript reading in the web app does not require the extension.

Can I learn from YouTube on mobile?

Use the Rolko web app on mobile to read Chinese text and supported imported transcripts. The watch-page extension workflow is for desktop.

Is Rolko affiliated with YouTube?

No. Rolko is an independent learning product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by YouTube.