The Chinese Language Institute
The HSK (汉语水平考试, Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is China's official Chinese proficiency test, and it's the score Chinese universities and scholarship programs usually ask for, as do some employers. HSK 3.0, the new nine-level version, officially launches worldwide on December 13, 2026, with the first regular exams for HSK 1 to 6.
We've put all 11,000 words on the HSK 3.0 syllabus here, level by level. Find the level you're aiming for in the table and open its list. Each list holds only that level's new words, so you'll need the levels below it too. Every word list also has flashcards, and you'll find more practice and our exam guides further down the page. It's all free, and you don't need to sign up.
| Level | New words | Total words | Lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary 初等 | |||
| HSK 1 | 300 | 300 | HSK 1 Word listHSK 1 PDF |
| HSK 2 | 200 | 500 | HSK 2 Word listHSK 2 PDF |
| HSK 3 | 500 | 1,000 | HSK 3 Word listHSK 3 PDF |
| Intermediate 中等 | |||
| HSK 4 | 1,000 | 2,000 | HSK 4 Word listHSK 4 PDF |
| HSK 5 | 1,600 | 3,600 | HSK 5 Word listHSK 5 PDF |
| HSK 6 | 1,800 | 5,400 | HSK 6 Word listHSK 6 PDF |
| Advanced 高等 | |||
| HSK 7–9 | 5,600 | 11,000 | HSK 7–9 Word listHSK 7–9 PDFHSK 7–9 SpreadsheetHSK 7–9 CSV |
Each list holds that level's new words, and each total includes the levels below it. Every word list also has flashcards and a CSV download. Spreadsheets: HSK 1 to 3, HSK 4 to 6.
Source: Syllabus for the Chinese Proficiency Test (November 2025). A script last checked these counts against the syllabus on November 2, 2026.
Two versions of the exam use the labels HSK 1 to 6, and their word lists are different. These lists follow HSK 3.0, whose first regular HSK 1–6 exams are on December 13, 2026. Regular exams through November 7, 2026, use HSK 2.0, and some test centers may hold their own HSK 2.0 sittings after that, so confirm the version with your test center before you pick a list.
| Level | HSK 2.0 words | HSK 3.0 words |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 150 | 300 |
| HSK 2 | 300 | 500 |
| HSK 3 | 600 | 1,000 |
| HSK 4 | 1,200 | 2,000 |
| HSK 5 | 2,500 | 3,600 |
| HSK 6 | 5,000 | 5,400 |
| HSK 7–9 | — | 11,000 |
The new HSK guide has the registration deadlines and the 2027 dates.
The syllabus also sets how many characters you should be able to read and how many you should be able to write by hand, and each count includes the levels below it. The writing counts matter most on the paper exam, where you do the writing section by hand from HSK 2 up. 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. HSK 7–9 is internet-based only, and not every test center offers both formats, so check yours before you book.
| Level | To read | To write |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 246 | — |
| HSK 2 | 371 | 100 |
| HSK 3 | 655 | 250 |
| HSK 4 | 1,096 | 400 |
| HSK 5 | 1,527 | 550 |
| HSK 6 | 1,940 | 700 |
| HSK 7–9 | 3,088 | 1,200 |
The syllabus has one handwriting list for HSK 1 and 2 together, so its 100 characters are counted at HSK 2.
The 2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus sets 300 words for HSK 1, 500 for HSK 2, 1,000 for HSK 3, 2,000 for HSK 4, 3,600 for HSK 5, 5,400 for HSK 6 and 11,000 for HSK 7–9. Each total includes the words from the levels below it.
Use the list that matches your exam. Regular HSK 1–6 exams through November 7, 2026, use HSK 2.0, and regular exams from December 13, 2026, use HSK 3.0, which is what these lists follow. Some test centers may hold their own HSK 2.0 sittings after November 7, so if your registration doesn't name the version, ask your test center.
Yes. HSK 7, 8 and 9 share one list and one exam, and your score decides whether you reach HSK 7, 8 or 9 or land below HSK 7. The syllabus adds 5,600 words to the 5,400 of HSK 6, for 11,000 in all.
They follow the Syllabus for the Chinese Proficiency Test, released in November 2025 by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. The syllabus gives each word's pinyin and part of speech. CLI added the English.
Many follow China's 2021 national standard, which came before the 2025 syllabus and set different word lists. Regular exams from December 13, 2026, are built on the 2025 syllabus.
The Chinese Language Institute (CLI) is a center for Chinese language and cultural studies based in Guilin, China. Founded in 2009, CLI has taught over 4,000 students, in person and online, from more than 50 countries and maintains a 4.95 out of 5.00 rating on GoOverseas. CLI's team includes Chinese language educators, program managers, and China specialists holding advanced degrees in Chinese studies, teaching Chinese as a foreign language, education, and related fields. Articles published under The CLI Team draw on the collective expertise of this group, informed by years of experience designing and delivering Chinese language immersion programs in Guilin and across China.