---
title: "Is It Okay to Use a Hint Feature While Learning Xiangqi? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Yes, in solo practice against the computer or puzzles, a hint is a normal learning tool. It only becomes a problem in a rated game against a real opponent."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/is-it-ok-to-use-a-hint-feature-while-learning
updated: 2026-09-23
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# Is it okay to use a hint or suggested-move feature while learning xiangqi?

These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.

> Direct answer
>
> **Yes, in the right setting.** Using a hint while practising alone, working through puzzles, or playing a casual game against the computer is a completely normal way to learn, no different from checking a rulebook. It only becomes a problem the moment it is used **during a rated game against a real person**, where it counts as the same outside assistance as engine cheating.

## Why hints are fine in solo practice

A hint feature during puzzle practice or a casual computer game is there specifically to help you learn, and using it that way is exactly what it is designed for. There is no opponent being disadvantaged, and stopping yourself from ever using it would only slow down learning for no real benefit.

## Where the line actually is

The moment a real opponent is relying on the game being a fair, unassisted contest, whether casual or rated, outside help of any kind stops being a learning tool and becomes exactly the problem described at [engine cheating](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-do-i-do-if-my-opponent-cheats). The setting is what matters, not the feature itself.

## Related questions

Should I wean myself off hints as I improve?

Gradually, yes. Relying on them less over time is a reasonable sign that recognition is developing on its own.

Is using a hint the same as looking up how a piece moves?

Related but not identical; see [looking up a piece's move mid-game](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-look-up-how-a-piece-moves-mid-game) for the narrower rules-lookup case.

## Related xiangqi resources

Play the computer

Four difficulty levels, no account needed

Tactics puzzles

One right idea per position

How to improve

What to study, in what order

## Try it on a real board

Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.