The HSK, explained.
The 汉语水平考试 (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is the standard way to prove how much Chinese you have. This is what it is, how it is built, what each level asks of you, what changes in December 2026, and how to study for it without wasting a year.
The HSK is run by Chinese Testing International (CTI) at test centres worldwide, on paper or on a computer at the centre, with sittings almost every month. You pick a level and sit that paper; you do not have to take them in order. The six-level version, known as HSK 2.0, is the one most textbooks and word lists are built around, and it is what regular sittings use until 13 December 2026, when CTI has said the nine-level HSK 3.0 opens worldwide. The advanced HSK 7 to 9 exam already runs on the new system.
The single most important fact: the HSK 2.0 written papers have no speaking section. At HSK 1 and 2 there is no writing either, only listening and reading. That makes the lower levels a fair measure of recognising Chinese and a poor measure of whether you can hold a conversation. Speaking is a separate test, the HSKK, and HSK 3.0 makes it part of the exam from level 3.
Word counts are cumulative: HSK 3 includes everything in HSK 1 and 2.
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Questions | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 20 | 20 | - | 40 | about 40 min |
| HSK 2 | 35 | 25 | - | 60 | about 55 min |
| HSK 3 | 40 | 30 | 10 | 80 | about 90 min |
| HSK 4 | 45 | 40 | 15 | 100 | about 105 min |
| HSK 5 | 45 | 45 | 10 | 100 | about 125 min |
| HSK 6 | 50 | 50 | 1 | 101 | about 140 min |
Times include about five minutes for filling in your details. The computer-based paper asks the same questions; in the writing section you type in pinyin instead of writing characters by hand, and results come back sooner.
| Level | Sections scored | Total | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 and 2 | Listening and reading, 100 each | 200 | 120 |
| HSK 3 to 6 | Listening, reading and writing, 100 each | 300 | 180 |
| HSKK (speaking) | One spoken test at the level you choose | 100 | 60 |
It is 60% at every level, there is no penalty for a wrong answer, and the pass is on the total rather than on each section, so a strong reading score can carry a weak listening one. Many universities and scholarships ask for a higher score than the pass, so check the number they want, not just the level.
Elementary
Everyday exchanges and simple descriptions and opinions on familiar topics. The ground this course covers, and a little beyond.
Intermediate
Wider social, study and work situations, and longer texts that are not written for learners.
Advanced
One combined internet-based exam of 98 questions, about 210 minutes, that awards level 7, 8 or 9 from the result.
| Level | HSK 2.0 words | HSK 3.0 vocabulary entries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 150 | 300 |
| 2 | 300 | 500 |
| 3 | 600 | 1,000 |
| 4 | 1,200 | 2,000 |
| 5 | 2,500 | 3,600 |
| 6 | 5,000 | 5,400 |
| 7 to 9 | - | 11,000 |
Both columns are cumulative, and they are two different lists, not a conversion table: HSK 3 on the new system is not the same exam as HSK 3 on the old one. The new syllabus also sets characters, grammar, topics and tasks for each level, not only words, and tests speaking from level 3. There is no official table matching the new levels to the European CEFR scale, whatever charts elsewhere suggest.
The HSKK (汉语水平口语考试) is the spoken test, booked and sat separately, at beginner, intermediate or advanced level. You speak into a recorder: repeating sentences you hear, describing pictures, answering questions, and at the higher levels retelling a passage and reading one aloud. It is scored out of 100 and 60 passes.
Under HSK 2.0 it is optional, which is why so many people hold an HSK 4 certificate and cannot order dinner. Under HSK 3.0 the speaking part becomes compulsory from level 3.
Dates. CTI publishes a yearly calendar at chinesetest.cn, with written HSK 1 to 6 sittings almost every month, matching HSKK dates, and fewer dates for HSK 7 to 9. For the first HSK 3.0 sitting on 13 December 2026, registration for the paper test closes on 16 November and for the computer test on 3 December, both at midnight Beijing time.
Paper or computer. Pick the one that matches how you practise. If you have learned to write characters by hand, the paper test lets you use that; if you type in pinyin, the computer test does.
Validity and cost. CTI states that HSK 1 to 6 scores are valid for two years from the test date, and the institution receiving the score decides what it accepts. Fees are set by each country and centre, so check with yours.
1. Check which version your booking names. HSK 2.0 word lists and HSK 3.0 practice papers do not mix. Study the list that matches the paper you will actually sit.
2. Train listening from day one. Each recording plays once, it is where most people lose marks, and it improves slowly. Do timed listening sections, not just reading.
3. Wean yourself off pinyin early. HSK 1 prints pinyin next to the characters. From HSK 3 you read characters alone, and the jump catches people who kept pinyin on for too long. Turn it off in the lessons here once a word is familiar.
4. Let spaced repetition carry the vocabulary. The exam tests recognition at speed, so a little every day beats a weekend cram.
5. Do not let the test define your Chinese. Passing a written paper and being understood are different projects. Keep saying things out loud, tones included, and book the HSKK when you are ready.
6. Book early. Popular centres fill quickly, and registration closes weeks before the test.
Ninety days of ten minutes covers roughly HSK 1 and a good part of HSK 2, with better pronunciation than a word list alone would give you. Use the exam as a deadline if deadlines help you. Do not let it decide what you study.
The HSK 1 and 2 course walks through every part of the paper, drills the words that score, shows the listening traps and ends with a short mock test. Its first three days are free. The daily lessons build the foundations alongside it.
Format, timing and scoring are from Chinese Testing International (chinesetest.cn); the HSK 3.0 figures are from its November 2025 syllabus and its announcement of the 13 December 2026 launch. Checked September 2026. Always confirm dates, fees and the paper version with your test centre.