After observing how so many people fiddle with their cellphones in China, Seso Nikolov, a Bulgarian man from Xiamen, Fujian province, came up with the idea of an application that will assist leaners of foreign languages.

The 27-year-old, who works as a salesman for a local lighting company and also as a part-time English teacher, came to China in 2012 to study international business at Xiamen University.

"I saw 90 percent of the people on a bus doing something on their phones. They were reading a book, using WeChat, which is Chinese-made phone messaging app, or playing games," Nikolov said.