The HSK is the standardised test of Mandarin Chinese for people whose first language is not Chinese. The name is short for 汉语水平考试 (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì), which means “Chinese proficiency test”.

It is the most widely used measure of Chinese level in the world. Textbooks, courses, apps and flashcard decks are organised by HSK level, so “HSK 3” is a common shorthand for “lower-intermediate Chinese” even for learners who never sit the exam.

Who runs the HSK

The exam is administered by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, 中外语言交流合作中心) together with the Chinese International Education Foundation. Before 2020 this work was handled by the office widely known as Hanban.

Tests are held at test centres around the world, often at universities and Confucius Institutes, and there is also an online “home edition”. Registration, dates and official sample papers are on chinesetest.cn.

What the HSK tests

The written HSK tests listening, reading and, from the middle levels up, writing. Speaking is a separate exam, the HSKK (汉语水平口语考试), with its own levels.

Each level has a defined vocabulary list. That is the part most learners use day to day: the lists tell you which words are expected at each stage, whether or not you plan to take the test.

Two versions: HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0

There are two official frameworks in use:

  • HSK 2.0 (introduced in 2009) has 6 levels, from 150 words at HSK 1 to 5,000 words at HSK 6.
  • HSK 3.0 (the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education, published in 2021) has 9 levels in three bands, with about 11,000 words in total.

Most published textbooks still follow HSK 2.0, while newer materials follow HSK 3.0. That is why every entry on hanzi.ac shows both levels where they apply. See HSK 2.0 vs HSK 3.0 for the differences.

Why the HSK matters

  • Study in China. Chinese universities commonly set an HSK level as the language requirement for degree programmes taught in Chinese, and scholarship applications often ask for an HSK score.
  • Work. Some employers and visa categories accept an HSK certificate as proof of Chinese ability.
  • Learning. For self-learners, the HSK word lists are a ready-made syllabus: start with the 500 or so words of HSK 1 and work upward.

HSK word lists on hanzi.ac

Every HSK word has its own page with pinyin, audio, stroke order and example sentences. Browse them by level:

Next: HSK levels explained — what each level covers and how many words it has.