ONGO User Guide
Learn Chinese idioms through music and the 1,000-character Cheonjamun — discover every ONGO feature
New to ONGO? Don't worry! This one guide covers Today's Character, Deep Study, music tracks, and brain exercises.
Getting Started
New to ONGO? Learn the basics here.
What is ONGO?
ONGO is an innovative educational platform that teaches Chinese idioms (고사성어) through English music. Each idiom has a song that captures its meaning, allowing you to learn both the idiom and English naturally through music.
No Registration Required
You can use ONGO immediately without signing up! Your learning progress and XP are automatically saved using your browser's unique fingerprint. Your progress is maintained when you return with the same browser.
Finding Tracks
Browse various idiom tracks on the main page. Filter by genre, mood, or theme, or search directly in the search bar.
Track Playback & Lyrics
Listen to music and follow along with lyrics.
Audio Player
Use the audio player at the top of the page to play tracks. Control playback, adjust volume, and seek to any position using the progress bar.
Tip
Earn +10 XP when you listen to a track completely!
Viewing Lyrics
Click the "Lyrics" tab to see English lyrics with Korean translations. The Korean interpretation appears alongside the English lyrics for easy understanding.
Idiom Meaning
Below the lyrics, find the origin, meaning, and modern usage examples of the idiom. Learn how the idiom is used in real situations.
Learning Mode
Learn effectively with vocabulary cards and quizzes.
Learning Tab
Click the "Learning" tab to access study materials for the track. Here you can dive deep with vocabulary cards and quizzes.
Vocabulary Cards
Study key English words from the lyrics in card format. Check each word's meaning, pronunciation, and example sentences. Flip through cards to memorize.
Tip
+5 XP for completing vocabulary cards!
Taking Quizzes
Test your knowledge with quizzes. Multiple choice questions cover idiom meanings, English vocabulary, and lyric content. Don't worry about mistakes - explanations are provided with answers.
Tip
+15 XP for completing quiz, +25 XP for perfect score!
Music Information
Learn about music genres and terminology.
Genre Guide
Detailed explanations of each track's music genre. Learn about the characteristics and history of various genres like K-Pop, Rock, Jazz, Classical, and more.
Music Glossary
Find definitions of music terms used in the track. Learn what chords, riffs, bridges, and other terms mean and how they're used in the song.
Similar Tracks
Get recommendations for tracks with similar mood or genre. Discover new tracks that match your taste!
XP & Level System
Learn and grow like playing a game.
What is XP?
XP (Experience Points) are points earned through learning activities on ONGO. Earn XP by listening to tracks, completing quizzes, writing stories, and more.
How to Earn XP
- Complete track listening: +10 XP
- Study vocabulary cards: +5 XP
- Complete quiz: +15 XP (Perfect score +25 XP)
- Write story: +10 XP
- Share: +5 XP
- Complete tutorial: +30 XP
Leveling Up
As you accumulate XP, your level increases. Higher levels unlock new titles and badges. Check your current level and XP needed for the next level in the profile area.
Streaks
Study on ONGO daily to build your streak. Your consecutive learning days are recorded, and maintaining long streaks earns bonus XP. Check your current streak with the flame icon!
Tip
Special badge for 7-day streak!
Badges & Achievements
Achieve milestones and collect badges.
Badge System
Earn badges by achieving specific conditions. Badges are special rewards that commemorate your learning journey.
Badge Types
- First Steps: Complete first track
- Quiz Master: Complete 10 quizzes
- Music Lover: Listen to 50 tracks
- Streak Champion: 7-day learning streak
- And many more hidden badges!
Viewing Badges
Check earned badges and locked badges in the profile area or badges page. Plan which badge to aim for next!
Community
Share experiences with other learners.
Stories Tab
Read experiences shared by other users in the "Stories" tab. It's a space for sharing real experiences, thoughts, and usage examples related to the idiom.
Writing Stories
Share your own experiences related to the idiom. Feel free to share when you thought of this idiom or how you used it.
Tip
+10 XP for writing a story!
Helpful Button
If another user's story was helpful, click the "Helpful" button. Good stories get more visibility.
Sharing
Share your favorite tracks on social media! Study together with friends on KakaoTalk, Twitter, Facebook, and more.
Tip
+5 XP for each share!
Today's Character · Daily Update
Every visitor worldwide learns the same character on the same day.
Global Today's-Character System
ONGO's "Today's Character" follows a 1,000-day Cheonjamun schedule starting with 天 (Heaven) on March 29, 2026 as Day 1. The homepage hero, Deep Study page (/brain/cheonjamun), and YouTube Shorts all stay aligned to the same global calendar (America/New_York time).
Tip
Tap the hero character on the homepage to jump straight into today's Deep Study.
3-Day Timeline (Yesterday · Today · Tomorrow)
The homepage timeline shows yesterday, today, and tomorrow's characters at a glance. Yesterday links to its published YouTube Short; today opens Deep Study; tomorrow unlocks at midnight ET.
Synced with YouTube @ONGO_BLOG Shorts
A matching character Short is published daily on @ONGO_BLOG on YouTube. Get the one-minute hook on Shorts, then go deep with the 10-section study on the website.
Idiom Tracks & Notifications
New Chinese idiom music tracks are added regularly. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new tracks and Today's Character updates by email.
Brain Health Center
Train your brain to think independently in the AI era
What is Brain Health Center?
In an era where AI does everything, the ability to think independently matters. The Brain Health Center offers various brain exercises like initial consonant quizzes, Hanja reading, and meaning matching to train your thinking, memory, and language skills.
Cheonjamun · 1,000-Day Journey
Work through all 1,000 characters of Cheonjamun, one per day. Each character unpacks into 10 deep sections: Origin, Structure, Philosophy, Idioms, Proverbs, Daily Words, K-Culture, World Culture, AI Era Lessons, and Classical Poetry. Progress through 10 levels: Pupil (1–100), Apprentice (101–200), … all the way to Scholar Emeritus (901–1,000).
Tip
Every visitor learns the same character on the same day (Day 1 = March 29, 2026 · 天 Heaven). Just 3 minutes a day!
Daily Talisman
Each Hanja character in Cheonjamun features a unique talisman image carrying the character's spirit. Save it or share it with friends — a beautiful way to share ancient wisdom.
Tip
Tap the Share button to send the talisman image via KakaoTalk, LINE, or other messaging apps!
Hanja Memory Game
Flip Hanja cards and find matching pairs in this memory game. Train your brain with timed scoring across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Brain Type Test
Answer 10 questions to discover your brain type (Thinker, Memory Master, Communicator, or Creator). Get personalized training recommendations based on your results.
Effective Learning Tips
How to use ONGO more effectively
Power of Repetition
Listening to the same track multiple times helps the lyrics become familiar naturally. First with lyrics, then try without.
Sing Along
Singing along naturally improves your pronunciation and intonation. Don't be shy - sing out loud!
Use in Daily Life
Try using learned idioms in conversations and writing. Using idioms in appropriate situations enriches your expression.
Consistency is Key
Studying even one track daily is important. Grow little by little each day while maintaining your streak!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use it on mobile?
Yes! ONGO is mobile-responsive and works great on smartphones and tablets.
My progress isn't being saved
Progress may not be saved in incognito or private browsing mode. Please use normal mode. Also, clearing browser data may reset your progress.
Music won't play
Due to browser autoplay policies, you may need to manually click the play button initially. Also check that volume isn't muted.
Can I continue on another device?
Currently, progress is only maintained on the same browser. Different devices or browsers start as a new profile. Account sync will be available when account system is introduced.
When are new tracks added?
New idiom tracks are added regularly. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know about new tracks!
How do I start Cheonjamun?
Tap "Today's Character" on the homepage, or go to Brain Health Center > Cheonjamun. The schedule starts with 天 (Heaven) on March 29, 2026 (Day 1), and every visitor worldwide unlocks the same character on the same day. No sign-up required, and every character from Day 1 through today is always reviewable.
Do the homepage character and the Deep Study character ever differ?
No — the homepage, Deep Study (/brain/cheonjamun), and YouTube Shorts all share one global calendar (anchor: 2026-03-29, America/New_York). Every visitor sees the same character on any given calendar day regardless of their timezone. If you see a mismatch, hard-refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R) to clear the browser cache.
How do I share talisman images?
When viewing a character with a talisman in Cheonjamun, tap "Share" to send it via messaging apps on mobile, or copy the link on desktop. You can also tap "Save" to download the image directly.
Do daily brain exercises change?
Yes! The Brain Health Center presents 5 new exercises daily, including initial consonant quizzes, Hanja reading, and meaning matching puzzles.
Still have questions?
If you couldn't find your answer in the guide, feel free to contact us.
support@ongo.blogWant to try it yourself?
Learn on actual screens with our interactive tutorial
