Introduction

PyCN is literally means Python Chinese, which uses the same syntaxes as Python. However, it's keywords, literals, built-in functions and operators is using Chinese.

Let's have a look to this example:

定义 是否是质数（被判断的数）：
    如果 被判断的数 小于 二：
        返回 假
    迭代 数一 在 范围（二，整数（被判断的数 取幂 零点五）加 一）：
        如果 被判断的数 取余 数一 等于 零：
            返回 假
    返回 真

the code above means:

def is_prime(num):
    if num < 2:
        return false
    for i in range(2, int(num ** 0.5) + 1):
        if num % i == 0:
            return false
    return true

That's right! PyCN has exactly the same coding style as Python, but as you can see, the PyCN code is in Chinese like I said before.

Language coverage

PyCN mirrors Python's statements, expressions and data literals, then translates them back to Python before execution. Chinese numerals, full-width punctuation and local .pycn imports are supported as well.

The Syntax Reference lists every supported keyword, operator, built-in function and method, along with the constructs that are not implemented yet.

Install PyCN

Pre-built binaries are available on GitHub Releases. Download the archive for your platform, extract it, and you're ready to go.

Each release package includes the pycn binary and the Python standard library — no system Python or Rust toolchain required.

Supported Platforms

Platform	Architectures
Linux	x64, arm64
macOS	x64, arm64
Windows	x64, arm64

After downloading and extracting, you can run PyCN directly:

./pycn run your_file.pycn

Build from source (for contributors)

Prerequisites

• Rust toolchain
• Network connection (pre-built Python is downloaded on first setup)

Development Build (Recommended)

No setup required — the first cargo build automatically downloads a pre-built standalone Python (~25 MB) for static linking; the standard library itself is downloaded on first run when not found:

# Build pycn (auto-downloads standalone Python on first build)
cargo build -p pycn --release

# Run an example
cargo run -p pycn --release -- run examples/打印.pycn

What the first build does automatically:

1. Downloads a pre-built standalone Python from python-build-standalone into build/python-static/
2. Statically links libpython3.12, producing a binary independent of the system Python

The standard library is not handled at build time: on first run, pycn auto-downloads it (~25 MB, once) if python-stdlib/ is not found next to the binary.

NOTE

• To use the system Python instead, build with cargo build --no-default-features
• cargo clean will not remove the build/ cache (it lives at the project root, not inside target/); python-stdlib/ is generated at runtime

Other Crates

# C dynamic library
cargo build -p pycn-dylib --release

# Node.js / Web WASM
cd parser-wasm
wasm-pack build --out-dir output            # ES Module (--target bundler by default)
wasm-pack build --target nodejs --out-dir output  # CommonJS
wasm-pack build --target web --out-dir output     # Web

# HTTP Server
cargo build -p http-server --release

Release Build (Standalone Package)

# Linux / macOS
bash scripts/build-release.sh

# Windows (PowerShell)
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts\build-release.ps1

This script compiles pycn and packages the binary together with the Python standard library into target/release/pycn-standalone/, producing a standalone distribution that does not depend on a system Python installation.

Syntax Highlighting

Currently, PyCN supports syntax highlighting in VSCode.

Install Pycn extension and get highlight automatically.