New HSK 6 Vocabulary

What’s on HSK 6

HSK 6 covers much of the same ground as HSK 5 at a higher standard. You’re expected to follow complicated explanations, speak smoothly, and write full articles rather than short pieces.

The topics run from a traffic violation notice or food safety to where your career is heading, economic and social issues, and China’s history, thought and art.

Words and characters

The exam

The written exam has 40 listening questions (about 30 minutes), 40 reading questions (40 minutes) and 2 writing tasks (45 minutes): a practical piece of at least 150 characters and an essay of at least 300. On paper tests, the total includes 5 minutes for your personal details and 5 minutes for the answer sheet.

Both 2026 pilot exams made you book the speaking test together with the written exam, but the launch notice doesn’t say whether that continues, so ask your test center.

Handwriting or typing

How you answer depends on the format you book. On the paper exam you do the writing section by hand. On the internet-based exam at a test center you only use a keyboard, mouse and headset, so you type with pinyin and choose the right characters on screen. Not every test center offers both formats, so check yours before you book.

Words and characters come from the Syllabus for the Chinese Proficiency Test (November 2025). The exam format comes from the official HSK 3.0 sample papers.