The current test has levels 1 to 6 and a combined test for levels 7 to 9. HSK 3.0 keeps nine levels in three stages. Figures are from the level pages on chinesetest.cn and from the official syllabus.
HSK1
HSK 1
Can use Chinese for simple exchanges in everyday-life situations.
- Questions
- 40
- Test time
- 40 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading
- Full score
- 200
- Pass mark
- 120
- Vocabulary
- 150 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 300 words
- New characters to recognise
- 246
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK2
HSK 2
Can use Chinese for basic exchanges in life, study and work situations.
- Questions
- 60
- Test time
- 55 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading
- Full score
- 200
- Pass mark
- 120
- Vocabulary
- 300 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 500 words
- New characters to recognise
- 125
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK3
HSK 3
Can use Chinese for effective exchanges in life, study and work situations.
- Questions
- 80
- Test time
- 90 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading, Writing
- Full score
- 300
- Pass mark
- 180
- Vocabulary
- 600 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 1,000 words
- New characters to recognise
- 284
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK4
HSK 4
Can use Chinese for complete, coherent exchanges in life, study and work situations.
- Questions
- 100
- Test time
- 105 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading, Writing
- Full score
- 300
- Pass mark
- 180
- Vocabulary
- 1,200 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 2,000 words
- New characters to recognise
- 441
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK5
HSK 5
Can use Chinese for accurate, appropriate exchanges in work and academic-study situations.
- Questions
- 100
- Test time
- 125 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading, Writing
- Full score
- 300
- Pass mark
- not stated on the level page
- Vocabulary
- 2,500 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 3,600 words
- New characters to recognise
- 431
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK6
HSK 6
Can use Chinese for rich, fluent exchanges in workplace, academic-study and general professional situations.
- Questions
- 101
- Test time
- 140 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading, Writing
- Full score
- 300
- Pass mark
- not stated on the level page
- Vocabulary
- 5,000+ words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 5,400 words
- New characters to recognise
- 413
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK7–9
HSK 7–9
7Can use Chinese for standard, fluent exchanges in workplace, general professional and general academic situations.
8Can use Chinese for appropriate, in-depth exchanges in workplace, general professional and general academic situations.
9Can use Chinese for precise, in-depth exchanges in all kinds of occupational, professional and academic situations.
- Questions
- 98
- Test time
- 210 min
- Sections
- Listening, Reading, Writing, Translation, Speaking
- Full score
- five section scores and a level result
- Pass mark
- not stated on the level page
- Vocabulary
- 11,000 words
- HSK 3.0 syllabus, words up to this level
- 11,000 words
- New characters to recognise
- 1,148
HSK 3.0 ability description: HSK 3.0 ability descriptions (PDF in Chinese, linked from chinesetest.cn) Our translation of the official Chinese text. · chinesetest.cn — HSK level page · Center for Language Education and Cooperation — HSK Test Syllabus (issued November 2025, in force July 2026; PDF linked from chinesetest.cn)
HSK Exam Guide