HSK Exam Guide HSK topics by level: how many topics the syllabus lists for each level
The HSK syllabus lists topics in three tiers — 一级话题, 二级话题 and 三级话题. The table below shows the totals the syllabus prints for each level. The HSK topic syllabus (HSK 话题大纲) starts on page 55 and has one chapter per level.
English terms on this page are this site's own translation and are unofficial.
The topic syllabus in the syllabus
The syllabus is the New HSK Test Syllabus (HSK 考试大纲), published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. The cover shows it was issued in November 2025 and came into force in July 2026.
The table of contents lists five parts. One part is the topic syllabus (HSK 话题大纲), which begins on page 55. Each part has one chapter per level: 一级, 二级, 三级, 四级, 五级, 六级, and one joint chapter 七—九级 (levels 7–9). The levels are described on the HSK levels page.
Topic totals by level
The syllabus prints the following totals for each level's topics.
| Level | First-tier (一级话题) | Second-tier (二级话题) | Third-tier (三级话题) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 5 | 15 | 30 |
| HSK 2 | 5 | 18 | 34 |
| HSK 3 | 6 | 22 | 54 |
| HSK 4 | 7 | 31 | 77 |
| HSK 5 | 7 | 29 | 72 |
| HSK 6 | 7 | 25 | 68 |
| HSK 7–9 | 5 | 29 | 92 |
These figures are the totals printed in the syllabus for each level.
Level 1 first-tier topics
The HSK level 1 topic table is printed on pages 56–57. It lists five first-tier topics in Chinese:
- 基本信息 (basic information)
- 日常生活 (daily life)
- 教育情况 (education)
- 职场生活 (work and the workplace)
- 文化与传统 (culture and tradition)
The Chinese above is from the syllabus. The English in parentheses is this site's own translation and is unofficial.
Questions people ask
Where are the topic lists in the syllabus?
The topic syllabus (HSK 话题大纲) starts on page 55. It runs through one chapter per level, ending with the joint 七—九级 chapter, which begins on page 72.
Sources
- Syllabus for the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK 考试大纲) — Center for Language Education and Cooperation
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary; it is not published by Chinese Testing International, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation or the Ministry of Education, and the official page prevails if they differ.