Phase 9: ESL superpowers — Chinese gloss + tone-rewrite

Inline Chinese gloss (offline) and a "say it more naturally" / tone-rewrite,
the two ESL features for the Mandarin-speaking writer.

Gloss: embedded English→Chinese dictionary (gloss.json.gz, 57k common words
built from ECDICT via scripts/build_gloss.py). lexicon gains Gloss()/Result.Gloss
and a lightweight GET /api/gloss/{word}; the right-click WordCard leads with the
中文; GlossTip shows it on a 350ms hover (reuses wordAt, so CJK is never glossed).
Offline + instant, works with the LLM down.

Rewrite: selecting text pops a SelectionBubble (✨更自然 + the tone vocabulary);
picking a style calls POST /api/docs/:id/rewrite (llm.RunRewrite, stateless,
owner-scoped) and shows a RewritePreview (original→rewrite, accept/cancel/retry).
Accept applies it in-editor.

Tests added in lexicon and suggestions. go build/vet/test, tsc, vite all clean;
live smoke vs a fake vLLM verified gloss + rewrite + 400/404/502 paths.

Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_016Yr6jELuRc7hyzYLccQKZd

web/src/api/client.ts

@@ -37,14 +37,21 @@ export interface WordMeaning {
   example?: string
 }
 
-// The offline lookup for one word: a few definition senses and a list of
-// synonyms. Either list may be empty when the word isn't a headword.
+// The offline lookup for one word: a Chinese gloss, a few definition senses, and
+// a list of synonyms. Any of these may be empty when the word isn't a headword.
 export interface WordInfo {
   word: string
+  gloss: string // Chinese translation; '' when the word isn't in the gloss set
   definitions: WordMeaning[]
   synonyms: string[]
 }
 
+// The lightweight Chinese-only gloss behind the inline hover/select tooltip.
+export interface Gloss {
+  word: string
+  gloss: string
+}
+
 export type SuggestionType = 'grammar' | 'phrasing' | 'idiom' | 'clarity' | 'voice'
 
 // A point-in-time snapshot of a document. List responses omit the heavy
@@ -134,8 +141,19 @@ export const api = {
   exportUrl: (id: string, format: ExportFormat) =>
     `/api/docs/${id}/export?format=${format}`,
 
-  // Offline word lookup (definition + synonyms) for the right-click popover.
+  // Offline word lookup (gloss + definition + synonyms) for the right-click popover.
   lookupWord: (word: string) => req<WordInfo>(`/word/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`),
+  // Lightweight Chinese-only gloss for the inline hover/select tooltip — instant
+  // and offline, so it fires on hover without spinning up the heavier lookup.
+  glossWord: (word: string) => req<Gloss>(`/gloss/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`),
+  // Tone-rewrite: rewrites a selected passage in the given style ('natural',
+  // 'academic', …) and returns the rewritten text for an in-editor preview. Not
+  // persisted — the editor applies it directly on accept.
+  rewriteSelection: (docId: string, text: string, style: string) =>
+    req<{ rewrite: string }>(`/docs/${docId}/rewrite`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: JSON.stringify({ text, style }),
+    }),
 
   // Current deployed build id — changes whenever a new frontend ships. The
   // app polls this to offer a refresh. Bypasses any cache so the answer is live.

web/src/components/Editor/EditorCore.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import { SuggestionHighlight, setSuggestions, findRange } from './SuggestionHigh
 import { SpellCheck, setSpellChecker, wordAt } from './SpellCheck'
 import { MisspellCard } from './MisspellCard'
 import { WordCard } from './WordCard'
+import { GlossTip } from './GlossTip'
+import { SelectionBubble } from './SelectionBubble'
+import { RewritePreview, type RewriteStatus } from './RewritePreview'
 import { api, type Suggestion, type WordInfo } from '../../api/client'
 import type { SpellChecker } from '../../hooks/useSpellChecker'
 
@@ -106,6 +109,39 @@ interface HoverState {
   left: number
 }
 
+// The inline hover gloss: the word under the resting pointer, its Chinese
+// translation, the PM range it covers (to dedupe re-fetches), and where to anchor.
+interface GlossState {
+  word: string
+  gloss: string
+  from: number
+  to: number
+  top: number
+  left: number
+}
+
+// A non-empty text selection that the rewrite bubble hovers over.
+interface SelectionState {
+  from: number
+  to: number
+  text: string
+  top: number
+  left: number
+}
+
+// An in-flight or completed tone-rewrite preview, pinned over the selection it
+// came from. `from`/`to` are the PM range the accepted rewrite replaces.
+interface RewriteState {
+  from: number
+  to: number
+  original: string
+  style: string
+  top: number
+  left: number
+  status: RewriteStatus
+  rewrite: string
+}
+
 // EditorCore is the Tiptap instance: StarterKit formatting plus underline, text
 // alignment, a placeholder, character counting, and the suggestion-highlight
 // decoration layer. Hovering a highlight opens its SuggestionCard.
@@ -138,6 +174,15 @@ export function EditorCore({
   // While the Ask Petal panel is expanded the card is pinned: the hover-close
   // timer is suppressed so chatting doesn't dismiss it. A click outside closes.
   const [pinned, setPinned] = useState(false)
+  // Inline hover gloss (rest the pointer on a word → its Chinese meaning).
+  const [gloss, setGloss] = useState<GlossState | null>(null)
+  const glossTimer = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>(undefined)
+  const glossReqRef = useRef(0)
+  // The rewrite affordances: a bubble over the current selection, and the
+  // preview that replaces it once a style is chosen.
+  const [selection, setSelection] = useState<SelectionState | null>(null)
+  const [rewrite, setRewrite] = useState<RewriteState | null>(null)
+  const rewriteReqRef = useRef(0)
 
   const editor = useEditor({
     extensions: [
@@ -158,12 +203,37 @@ export function EditorCore({
       // Any edit shifts positions, stranding the popover anchors.
       setMisspell(null)
       setWordInfo(null)
+      setGloss(null)
+      setSelection(null)
+      // A stale rewrite preview points at a range that just moved — drop it.
+      rewriteReqRef.current++
+      setRewrite(null)
       onChange({
         content: JSON.stringify(editor.getJSON()),
         content_text: editor.getText(),
         word_count: editor.storage.characterCount.words(),
       })
     },
+    onSelectionUpdate: ({ editor }) => {
+      // A selection supersedes the hover gloss; an empty one clears the bubble.
+      setGloss(null)
+      const { from, to, empty } = editor.state.selection
+      const wrapper = wrapperRef.current
+      if (empty || !wrapper) {
+        setSelection(null)
+        return
+      }
+      const text = editor.state.doc.textBetween(from, to, ' ').trim()
+      if (!text) {
+        setSelection(null)
+        return
+      }
+      const start = editor.view.coordsAtPos(from)
+      const wrapRect = wrapper.getBoundingClientRect()
+      const left = Math.max(0, Math.min(start.left - wrapRect.left, wrapper.clientWidth - 360))
+      const top = start.top - wrapRect.top
+      setSelection({ from, to, text, top, left })
+    },
   })
 
   // When the selected document changes, swap in its content without emitting an
@@ -174,6 +244,10 @@ export function EditorCore({
     setHover(null)
     setMisspell(null)
     setWordInfo(null)
+    setGloss(null)
+    setSelection(null)
+    rewriteReqRef.current++
+    setRewrite(null)
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [docId, editor])
 
@@ -381,6 +455,143 @@ export function EditorCore({
     [editor, wordInfo],
   )
 
+  // Hover gloss: rest the pointer on an English word and, after a short delay,
+  // show its Chinese meaning from the offline gloss dataset. Suppressed while a
+  // selection, preview, or another popover is active, or over a word that has its
+  // own affordance (a suggestion highlight / a misspelling).
+  const handleMouseMove = useCallback(
+    (e: React.MouseEvent) => {
+      if (!editor) return
+      if (selection || rewrite || misspell || wordInfo || pinned) return
+      if (!editor.state.selection.empty) return
+      const t = e.target as HTMLElement
+      const clear = () => {
+        clearTimeout(glossTimer.current)
+        glossReqRef.current++
+        setGloss(null)
+      }
+      if (t.closest('.petal-suggestion') || t.closest('.petal-misspelling')) {
+        clear()
+        return
+      }
+      const coords = editor.view.posAtCoords({ left: e.clientX, top: e.clientY })
+      if (!coords) {
+        clear()
+        return
+      }
+      const range = wordAt(editor.state.doc, coords.pos)
+      if (!range) {
+        clear()
+        return
+      }
+      // Already showing this exact word — leave it be (no flicker on micro-moves).
+      if (gloss && gloss.from === range.from && gloss.to === range.to) return
+      clearTimeout(glossTimer.current)
+      const token = ++glossReqRef.current
+      glossTimer.current = setTimeout(() => {
+        api
+          .glossWord(range.word)
+          .then((g) => {
+            if (token !== glossReqRef.current) return
+            const wrapper = wrapperRef.current
+            if (!g.gloss || !wrapper) {
+              setGloss(null)
+              return
+            }
+            const start = editor.view.coordsAtPos(range.from)
+            const end = editor.view.coordsAtPos(range.to)
+            const wrapRect = wrapper.getBoundingClientRect()
+            const left = Math.max(0, Math.min(start.left - wrapRect.left, wrapper.clientWidth - 280))
+            const top = end.bottom - wrapRect.top + 6
+            setGloss({ word: range.word, gloss: g.gloss, from: range.from, to: range.to, top, left })
+          })
+          .catch(() => {
+            if (token === glossReqRef.current) setGloss(null)
+          })
+      }, 350)
+    },
+    [editor, selection, rewrite, misspell, wordInfo, pinned, gloss],
+  )
+
+  // Leaving the editor surface drops any pending/shown gloss.
+  const handleMouseLeave = useCallback(() => {
+    clearTimeout(glossTimer.current)
+    glossReqRef.current++
+    setGloss(null)
+  }, [])
+
+  // runRewrite fires the LLM rewrite for a captured range + style and tracks it
+  // through loading → ready/error. A request token discards a response whose
+  // preview has since been cancelled or superseded.
+  const runRewrite = useCallback(
+    (from: number, to: number, original: string, style: string, top: number, left: number) => {
+      const token = ++rewriteReqRef.current
+      setRewrite({ from, to, original, style, top, left, status: 'loading', rewrite: '' })
+      api
+        .rewriteSelection(docId, original, style)
+        .then((res) => {
+          if (token === rewriteReqRef.current) {
+            setRewrite((r) => (r ? { ...r, status: 'ready', rewrite: res.rewrite } : null))
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((err) => {
+          console.error('rewrite failed', err)
+          if (token === rewriteReqRef.current) {
+            setRewrite((r) => (r ? { ...r, status: 'error' } : null))
+          }
+        })
+    },
+    [docId],
+  )
+
+  // Picking a style in the selection bubble: capture the selection's range +
+  // text, anchor a preview below it, and kick off the rewrite.
+  const handleRewrite = useCallback(
+    (style: string) => {
+      if (!editor || !selection) return
+      const wrapper = wrapperRef.current
+      if (!wrapper) return
+      const start = editor.view.coordsAtPos(selection.from)
+      const end = editor.view.coordsAtPos(selection.to)
+      const wrapRect = wrapper.getBoundingClientRect()
+      const left = Math.max(0, Math.min(start.left - wrapRect.left, wrapper.clientWidth - 340))
+      const top = end.bottom - wrapRect.top + 6
+      setSelection(null)
+      setGloss(null)
+      runRewrite(selection.from, selection.to, selection.text, style, top, left)
+    },
+    [editor, selection, runRewrite],
+  )
+
+  const acceptRewrite = useCallback(() => {
+    if (editor && rewrite && rewrite.rewrite) {
+      editor.chain().focus().insertContentAt({ from: rewrite.from, to: rewrite.to }, rewrite.rewrite).run()
+    }
+    rewriteReqRef.current++
+    setRewrite(null)
+  }, [editor, rewrite])
+
+  const cancelRewrite = useCallback(() => {
+    rewriteReqRef.current++
+    setRewrite(null)
+  }, [])
+
+  const retryRewrite = useCallback(() => {
+    if (rewrite) runRewrite(rewrite.from, rewrite.to, rewrite.original, rewrite.style, rewrite.top, rewrite.left)
+  }, [rewrite, runRewrite])
+
+  // A pointer-down outside the rewrite preview dismisses it.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!rewrite) return
+    const onDown = (e: MouseEvent) => {
+      if ((e.target as HTMLElement).closest('.petal-rewrite-card')) return
+      rewriteReqRef.current++
+      setRewrite(null)
+    }
+    document.addEventListener('mousedown', onDown)
+    return () => document.removeEventListener('mousedown', onDown)
+  }, [rewrite])
+
   // A pointer-down outside the word popover (and not on another word, which would
   // reopen it via the context menu) closes it.
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -409,6 +620,7 @@ export function EditorCore({
   useEffect(() => () => {
     clearTimeout(closeTimer.current)
     clearTimeout(confettiTimer.current)
+    clearTimeout(glossTimer.current)
   }, [])
 
   // While pinned (Ask Petal open), a pointer-down outside the card closes it —
@@ -430,11 +642,32 @@ export function EditorCore({
         className="relative flex-1"
         onMouseOver={handleMouseOver}
         onMouseOut={handleMouseOut}
+        onMouseMove={handleMouseMove}
+        onMouseLeave={handleMouseLeave}
         onClick={handleSpellClick}
         onContextMenu={handleContextMenu}
       >
         <EditorContent editor={editor} className="h-full" />
         {confetti && <Confetti top={confetti.top} left={confetti.left} />}
+        {gloss && <GlossTip gloss={gloss.gloss} style={{ top: gloss.top, left: gloss.left }} />}
+        {selection && !rewrite && (
+          <SelectionBubble
+            style={{ top: selection.top, left: selection.left, transform: 'translateY(calc(-100% - 8px))' }}
+            onRewrite={handleRewrite}
+          />
+        )}
+        {rewrite && (
+          <RewritePreview
+            style={rewrite.style}
+            status={rewrite.status}
+            original={rewrite.original}
+            rewrite={rewrite.rewrite}
+            cardStyle={{ top: rewrite.top, left: rewrite.left }}
+            onAccept={acceptRewrite}
+            onCancel={cancelRewrite}
+            onRetry={retryRewrite}
+          />
+        )}
         {wordInfo && (
           <WordCard
             word={wordInfo.word}

web/src/components/Editor/GlossTip.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// GlossTip is the inline hover gloss: rest the pointer on an English word and a
+// small bubble shows its Chinese meaning, pulled instantly from the offline
+// gloss dataset. It's a pure reading aid — pointer-events are off so it never
+// steals hover or blocks a click, and it sits just under the word. Bilingual
+// chrome elsewhere puts zh first; here the gloss IS the content (the word is
+// already on screen), so the bubble shows only the 中文.
+
+interface Props {
+  gloss: string
+  style: React.CSSProperties
+}
+
+export function GlossTip({ gloss, style }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="petal-gloss-tip pointer-events-none absolute z-20 px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm"
+      role="tooltip"
+      style={{
+        maxWidth: 280,
+        background: 'var(--color-plum)',
+        color: 'var(--color-surface)',
+        borderRadius: 'var(--radius-input)',
+        boxShadow: 'var(--shadow-soft)',
+        lineHeight: 1.35,
+        fontFamily: "'Nunito','PingFang SC','Microsoft YaHei','Noto Sans CJK SC',sans-serif",
+        ...style,
+      }}
+    >
+      {gloss}
+    </div>
+  )
+}

web/src/components/Editor/RewritePreview.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+import { REWRITE_STYLES } from './SelectionBubble'
+
+// RewritePreview shows the result of a tone-rewrite before it touches the
+// document: the writer's original passage, the model's rewrite beneath it, and
+// accept/cancel. It mirrors the SuggestionCard's warm, bilingual chrome. While
+// the model runs it shows a breathing dot; on failure it offers a gentle retry.
+
+export type RewriteStatus = 'loading' | 'ready' | 'error'
+
+interface Props {
+  style: string // the chosen rewrite style key (for the header label)
+  status: RewriteStatus
+  original: string
+  rewrite: string
+  cardStyle: React.CSSProperties
+  onAccept: () => void
+  onCancel: () => void
+  onRetry: () => void
+}
+
+const CJK = "'Nunito','PingFang SC','Microsoft YaHei','Noto Sans CJK SC',sans-serif"
+
+export function RewritePreview({
+  style,
+  status,
+  original,
+  rewrite,
+  cardStyle,
+  onAccept,
+  onCancel,
+  onRetry,
+}: Props) {
+  const meta = REWRITE_STYLES.find((s) => s.value === style) ?? REWRITE_STYLES[0]
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="petal-rewrite-card absolute z-30 p-3.5 text-sm"
+      role="dialog"
+      aria-label="Rewrite preview"
+      onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+      style={{
+        width: 340,
+        background: 'var(--color-surface)',
+        border: '1px solid var(--color-border)',
+        borderRadius: 'var(--radius-card)',
+        boxShadow: 'var(--shadow-soft)',
+        fontFamily: CJK,
+        ...cardStyle,
+      }}
+    >
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+        <span
+          className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full px-2.5 py-0.5 text-xs font-bold"
+          style={{ background: 'var(--color-accent)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+        >
+          <span aria-hidden>{meta.emoji}</span>
+          {meta.zh} · {meta.en}
+        </span>
+        <span className="text-xs font-semibold" style={{ color: 'var(--color-muted)' }}>
+          改写 · Rewrite
+        </span>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Original passage, dimmed — what's being replaced. */}
+      <p
+        className="mt-3 leading-snug"
+        style={{ color: 'var(--color-muted)', textDecoration: 'line-through', textDecorationColor: 'var(--color-border)' }}
+      >
+        {original}
+      </p>
+
+      {status === 'loading' && (
+        <div className="mt-3 inline-flex items-center gap-1.5" style={{ color: 'var(--color-muted)' }}>
+          <span
+            className="petal-checkpoint-dot inline-block h-2 w-2 rounded-full"
+            style={{ background: 'var(--color-accent)' }}
+            aria-hidden
+          />
+          改写中… · Rewriting…
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {status === 'error' && (
+        <div className="mt-3">
+          <p className="leading-snug" style={{ color: 'var(--color-muted)' }}>
+            改写失败，请再试一次 · Couldn’t rewrite — try again
+          </p>
+          <div className="mt-2.5 flex justify-end gap-2">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onCancel}
+              className="rounded-full px-3 py-1 text-xs font-semibold"
+              style={{ background: 'var(--color-surface-alt)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+            >
+              取消 · Cancel
+            </button>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onRetry}
+              className="rounded-full px-3 py-1 text-xs font-bold"
+              style={{ background: 'var(--color-accent)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+            >
+              重试 · Retry
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {status === 'ready' && (
+        <>
+          <p className="mt-2 leading-snug" style={{ color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}>
+            {rewrite}
+          </p>
+          <div className="mt-3 flex justify-end gap-2">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onCancel}
+              className="rounded-full px-3 py-1 text-xs font-semibold"
+              style={{ background: 'var(--color-surface-alt)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+            >
+              取消 · Cancel
+            </button>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onAccept}
+              className="rounded-full px-3 py-1 text-xs font-bold"
+              style={{ background: 'var(--color-accent)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+            >
+              用这个 · Use this
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
+}

web/src/components/Editor/SelectionBubble.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+// SelectionBubble floats above a text selection and offers to rewrite it: a
+// prominent "✨ 更自然 Say it naturally" action plus the tone vocabulary (学术,
+// 轻松, …) mirrored from the document-tone picker. Picking one hands the style up
+// to EditorCore, which calls the LLM and shows a preview. Buttons use
+// onMouseDown→preventDefault so clicking them doesn't collapse the selection
+// before the handler captures its range.
+
+export interface RewriteStyle {
+  value: string
+  emoji: string
+  zh: string
+  en: string
+}
+
+// 'natural' is the default "say it more naturally" rewrite; the rest mirror the
+// llm styleGuidance keys (and the ToneSelect labels) so the two stay in step.
+export const REWRITE_STYLES: RewriteStyle[] = [
+  { value: 'natural', emoji: '✨', zh: '更自然', en: 'Natural' },
+  { value: 'academic', emoji: '🎓', zh: '学术', en: 'Academic' },
+  { value: 'professional', emoji: '💼', zh: '专业', en: 'Professional' },
+  { value: 'casual', emoji: '☕', zh: '轻松', en: 'Casual' },
+  { value: 'humorous', emoji: '😄', zh: '幽默', en: 'Humorous' },
+  { value: 'creative', emoji: '🎨', zh: '创意', en: 'Creative' },
+  { value: 'persuasive', emoji: '📣', zh: '说服', en: 'Persuasive' },
+]
+
+interface Props {
+  style: React.CSSProperties
+  onRewrite: (style: string) => void
+}
+
+const CJK = "'Nunito','PingFang SC','Microsoft YaHei','Noto Sans CJK SC',sans-serif"
+
+export function SelectionBubble({ style, onRewrite }: Props) {
+  const [natural, ...tones] = REWRITE_STYLES
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="petal-selection-bubble absolute z-30 flex max-w-[360px] flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5 p-2"
+      role="toolbar"
+      aria-label="Rewrite the selection"
+      onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()} // keep the editor selection
+      style={{
+        background: 'var(--color-surface)',
+        border: '1px solid var(--color-border)',
+        borderRadius: 'var(--radius-pill)',
+        boxShadow: 'var(--shadow-soft)',
+        fontFamily: CJK,
+        ...style,
+      }}
+    >
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => onRewrite(natural.value)}
+        className="inline-flex h-8 items-center gap-1.5 whitespace-nowrap px-3 text-sm font-bold"
+        style={{ borderRadius: 'var(--radius-pill)', background: 'var(--color-accent)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+        title="Rewrite the selection to sound more natural"
+      >
+        <span aria-hidden>{natural.emoji}</span>
+        <span>{natural.zh}</span>
+        <span className="font-semibold" style={{ color: 'var(--color-plum)', opacity: 0.7 }}>
+          {natural.en}
+        </span>
+      </button>
+
+      <span className="mx-0.5 h-5 w-px shrink-0" style={{ background: 'var(--color-border)' }} />
+
+      {tones.map((t) => (
+        <button
+          key={t.value}
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => onRewrite(t.value)}
+          className="inline-flex h-8 items-center gap-1 whitespace-nowrap px-2.5 text-sm font-semibold"
+          style={{ borderRadius: 'var(--radius-pill)', background: 'var(--color-surface-alt)', color: 'var(--color-plum)' }}
+          onMouseEnter={(e) => (e.currentTarget.style.background = 'var(--color-lavender)')}
+          onMouseLeave={(e) => (e.currentTarget.style.background = 'var(--color-surface-alt)')}
+          title={`Rewrite in a ${t.en.toLowerCase()} tone`}
+        >
+          <span aria-hidden>{t.emoji}</span>
+          <span>{t.zh}</span>
+        </button>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  )
+}

web/src/components/Editor/WordCard.tsx

@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ interface Props {
 export function WordCard({ word, info, loading, style, onReplace }: Props) {
   const definitions = info?.definitions ?? []
   const synonyms = info?.synonyms ?? []
-  const empty = !loading && definitions.length === 0 && synonyms.length === 0
+  const gloss = info?.gloss ?? ''
+  const empty = !loading && !gloss && definitions.length === 0 && synonyms.length === 0
 
   return (
     <div
@@ -47,6 +48,19 @@ export function WordCard({ word, info, loading, style, onReplace }: Props) {
         </span>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Chinese gloss first — it's what the Mandarin-speaking writer reaches for. */}
+      {gloss && (
+        <p
+          className="mt-2.5 leading-snug"
+          style={{
+            color: 'var(--color-plum)',
+            fontFamily: "'Nunito','PingFang SC','Microsoft YaHei','Noto Sans CJK SC',sans-serif",
+          }}
+        >
+          {gloss}
+        </p>
+      )}
+
       {loading && (
         <div className="mt-3 inline-flex items-center gap-1.5" style={{ color: 'var(--color-muted)' }}>
           <span

web/src/index.css

@@ -163,6 +163,18 @@ button, a, input {
   animation: petal-suggestion-in 200ms ease both;
 }
 
+/* --- ESL superpowers (Phase 9) ----------------------------------------------
+   Inline Chinese gloss on hover (a small dark tooltip under the word), and the
+   selection rewrite bubble + its preview card. All share the soft pop-in. The
+   gloss tip fades in a touch faster — it's a fleeting reading aid, not a panel. */
+.petal-gloss-tip {
+  animation: petal-suggestion-in 140ms ease both;
+}
+.petal-selection-bubble,
+.petal-rewrite-card {
+  animation: petal-suggestion-in 200ms ease both;
+}
+
 /* --- Accept confetti --------------------------------------------------------
    A tiny CSS-only burst played where a suggestion is accepted: four colored
    dots spray up-and-out, then fade. No JS animation — each dot reads its
@@ -279,6 +291,9 @@ button, a, input {
   .petal-sidebar,
   .petal-suggestion-card,
   .petal-misspell-card,
+  .petal-gloss-tip,
+  .petal-selection-bubble,
+  .petal-rewrite-card,
   .petal-confetti,
   .petal-companion {
     display: none !important;