6 TOPIK Vocabulary Study Tips That Actually Stick (Plus an App to Practice Daily)
Whether you are aiming for TOPIK I or TOPIK II, vocabulary underpins every section of the test. Without enough words, even solid grammar will not help you decode a listening clip or a reading passage. The frustrating part is that many learners spend hours on TOPIK vocabulary, only to forget most of it a few days later.
This guide collects six study tips that help Korean words stay in long-term memory, and shows how to put each one into practice with TOPIK Vocabulary: ศัพท์เกาหลี, an iPhone and iPad app from ChatStick Company Limited.
6 TOPIK vocabulary study tips that stick
Keep the daily goal small, but never skip it: 5 to 20 words every day beats cramming 200 words once and then stopping for a week.
Use spaced repetition: review a word just before you would forget it. Words you know get longer gaps; words you miss come back sooner.
Learn words inside example sentences: context teaches you both the meaning and how the word is used, which matters a lot in reading questions.
Listen while you learn: TOPIK includes a listening section, and hearing each word repeatedly helps you catch it faster in real conversations.
Review in both directions: go from Korean to meaning and from meaning back to Korean, so recall works both ways.
Study by topic and level: start with everyday categories and TOPIK I words, then move on to TOPIK II themes such as society, economy and business.
How the TOPIK Vocabulary app supports these tips
TOPIK Vocabulary contains about 4,700 words across 47 categories, organized into four learning paths: beginner, TOPIK I, TOPIK II and practical Korean. Note that meanings and translations are given in Thai, so it suits learners who read Thai. Here is how its features map to the tips above.
Complete word entries: every word includes Hangul, romanization, Thai meaning, part of speech, TOPIK level, Hanja and an example sentence with translation.
Flashcards: tap to flip, swipe right when you know it and left to review again. Modes include Korean to Thai, Thai to Korean, shuffle, saved words, missed words and by TOPIK level.
Automatic review scheduling: rate each card from again to easy, and the app schedules reviews and tracks each word from new to mastered.
Seven quiz types: including matching, listen and choose, fill in the blank and meaning in context, in sets of 5, 10 or 20 questions.
Audio for every word: with a slow playback option (example-sentence audio is part of the unlocked version).
Daily goals and stats: choose 5, 10, 20 or 30 words a day and track a 7-day graph, a study calendar, TOPIK I and II progress and accuracy, with XP and achievement medals.
A 15-minute daily routine with the app
Start with the day's scheduled reviews to catch words you are about to forget.
Learn new words up to your daily goal, reading each example sentence and playing the audio.
Run a Thai-to-Korean flashcard round on the words you just learned.
Finish with a 5 to 10 question quiz, then review any words you missed.
Once a week, check the stats screen to see which categories still have low accuracy.
Tip: use search by Hangul, romanization or Thai meaning to look up words you meet in past TOPIK papers, then save them for review.
App information and pricing
Price: free to download, with all basic categories and some TOPIK categories available for free.
Unlocking more: watch optional ads to unlock up to 3 special categories per day, or buy Unlock All Features for ฿99 as a one-time purchase with no subscription. It unlocks every TOPIK I and II category, unlimited flashcards and quizzes, example-sentence audio and removes ads.
Compatibility: iPhone and iPad running iOS / iPadOS 18.0 or later.
Size: about 37 MB.
Category: Education, rated 4+.
Developer: ChatStick Company Limited.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this app for?
Beginners in Korean, learners preparing for TOPIK I or TOPIK II, and anyone who needs Korean vocabulary for travel, work or the office. Meanings are given in Thai.
How many words does it include?
About 4,700 words in 47 categories, from greetings, numbers, food and emotions to business, society, economy and Korean idioms.
How much is free?
All basic categories and some TOPIK categories are free. You can unlock up to 3 special categories a day by watching ads, or unlock everything with a one-time ฿99 purchase.
Does ChatStick have other TOPIK apps?
Yes, TOPIK Ready is a TOPIK exam-prep app from ChatStick. You can see all apps on the developer page on the App Store.
Conclusion
Effective TOPIK vocabulary study is less about how many words you cram and more about consistency, spaced review and seeing words in context. TOPIK Vocabulary brings those tools together in one free-to-start app. Set a goal of 10 words a day, keep it up for two weeks, and you will notice the difference.
Other ChatStick vocabulary and exam-prep apps: TOPIK Ready · HSK Vocab Master · JLPT Vocab Bloom
See every ChatStick app on the ChatStick Company Limited developer page on the App Store.
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