HSK levels and vocabulary
HSK is a syllabus before it is an exam, and that is the more useful way to read it. The 2012 edition publishes a word list at every level, and those lists are what this site measures against: 4,995 words across 2,663 distinct characters, each word filed under the lowest level that introduces it. Because the lists are published and stable, they double as the only widely agreed answer to "is this word basic or advanced".
That is why level talk shows up in places that have nothing to do with sitting the test. Saying a passage is "HSK 4" is shorthand for a vocabulary distribution, and it is checkable: you can take any text, look every word up against the official list, and see where it lands.
These posts cover what each level holds and how steeply the jumps arrive. The curve is not gentle: HSK 5 and HSK 6 hold 3,799 of the 4,995 words between them, so more than three quarters of the vocabulary sits behind the two highest levels, and HSK 5 alone introduces more than twice what HSK 4 does. Knowing that in advance changes how you read a level label on a text.
11 posts on this
- Chinese Reading Practice Without Downloading an App
You can get real Chinese reading practice with dictionary lookup and saved vocabulary entirely in a phone browser — no install, no account. Here's how, and what you give up.
- Chinese Word Games for Daily Vocabulary Practice
Daily Chinese word games are a genuinely good habit anchor — and a genuinely bad primary study method. Here's how to use them for retrieval practice without fooling yourself.
- How to Choose Chinese Reading Material for Your HSK Level
Pick Chinese reading material that matches your level without relying on an HSK label alone, using a quick sample test for vocabulary, grammar, and reading flow.
- HSK 2 Vocabulary: What to Learn and How (2026)
What HSK 2 vocabulary actually covers, roughly how many words to expect, the grammar that comes with it, and a context-first way to make it stick in 2026.
- HSK 4 Vocabulary: What to Learn and How (2026)
What HSK 4 vocabulary covers, roughly how many words to expect, why it's the level most learners stall on, and a reading-first method that actually scales to 1,200 words.
- How Many Characters Do You Need to Read Chinese? (2026)
How many Chinese characters you need to read Chinese in 2026: ~100–300 for simple sentences, ~1,000 for basic literacy, and ~2,500–3,000 to read comfortably. Here's why the numbers work out this way.
- How to Study for HSK 1 for Free (2026)
A free, realistic study plan to pass HSK 1 in 2026 — vocabulary, pinyin, listening, reading, and a short daily habit that actually sticks.
- HSK 3 Vocabulary: What to Learn and How (2026)
What HSK 3 vocabulary covers, roughly how many words to expect, and a practical, context-first way to actually retain them in 2026.
- HSK Levels Explained (2026): HSK 1 to HSK 6
HSK 1 is ~150 words, HSK 6 is ~5,000. Here's what each HSK level covers, how many words it needs, how long it takes, and how to tell which one you're actually at.
- How to Read Chinese News (Without Getting Overwhelmed)
How to read Chinese news as a learner in 2026: a readiness check, where to find level-appropriate news free, a practical method, and a lookup workflow.
- 6 Free HSK Vocabulary Tools With Pinyin, Audio & Export
The best free HSK vocabulary tools with audio in 2026 — compared on pinyin, TTS, and CSV/Anki export, including a walkthrough of extracting vocab from HSK passages.