Master HSK vocabulary, level by level.

HSK 3.0 word lists

The current nine-level standard (2021), with an official list of 3,000 characters. Each level has a complete, printable word list with pinyin and English meanings.

• HSK 3.0 Level 1 vocabulary list (506 words). Your first characters: greetings, numbers, time, family and daily basics.
• HSK 3.0 Level 2 vocabulary list (750 words). Simple daily exchanges: shopping, directions, routines and short messages.
• HSK 3.0 Level 3 vocabulary list (953 words). The end of the elementary band: most everyday situations in simple sentences.
• HSK 3.0 Level 4 vocabulary list (972 words). Intermediate Chinese: familiar topics in conversation and simple articles.
• HSK 3.0 Level 5 vocabulary list (1,059 words). Upper intermediate: news-style vocabulary, opinions and longer texts.
• HSK 3.0 Level 6 vocabulary list (1,123 words). The end of the intermediate band: abstract topics and most general texts.
• HSK 3.0 Levels 7–9 vocabulary list (5,606 words). The advanced band: 1,200 more characters for academic, professional and literary Chinese.

HSK 2.0 word lists

The six-level exam used since 2010 and still the basis of many textbooks. Each level has a complete, printable word list with pinyin and English meanings.

• HSK 2.0 Level 1 vocabulary list (150 words). The starter level: very simple phrases for concrete, everyday needs.
• HSK 2.0 Level 2 vocabulary list (147 words). Simple, direct exchanges on familiar everyday topics.
• HSK 2.0 Level 3 vocabulary list (298 words). Everyday communication at work, at school and while travelling.
• HSK 2.0 Level 4 vocabulary list (598 words). Talk about a fairly wide range of topics with native speakers.
• HSK 2.0 Level 5 vocabulary list (1,298 words). Read newspapers and magazines, enjoy films and plays, give a full speech.
• HSK 2.0 Level 6 vocabulary list (2,500 words). Understand written and spoken Chinese with ease and express yourself fluently.

HSK 3.0 or HSK 2.0?

HSK 3.0 replaced the six-level exam with nine levels in three bands and a much larger syllabus: about 11,000 words in total, against 5,000 for HSK 2.0. The two lists overlap heavily at the start, but HSK 3.0 introduces many words earlier, so its level 1 is already bigger than HSK 2.0 level 2.

If you’re booking an exam, check which version your test centre runs and study that list. If you’re following a textbook built on the older levels, HSK 2.0 will line up with your lessons. Otherwise, start with HSK 3.0.