Band 1 · Elementary
Levels 1–3
Everyday language. By the end of HSK 3: 1,000 words, 655 reading characters, 250 written by hand.
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HSK 3.0 — what changes, and what is actually settled.
HSK 3.0 is the new standard for China's official Mandarin proficiency exam. It replaces six flat levels with nine levels in three bands, examines five skills instead of two, and raises the vocabulary requirement to 11,000 words and 3,088 characters. This page has the numbers, what changed, and all three published lists in full.
What changed
What actually changed
| HSK 2.0 2009 syllabus | HSK 3.0 published November 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 6 flat levels | 9 levels in 3 bands +3 levels elementary 1–3 · intermediate 4–6 · advanced 7–9, examined together |
| Words at HSK 1 | 150 | 300 ×2 |
| Words in total | ≈ 5,000 by HSK 6 | 11,000 across levels 1–9 ×2.2 |
| Characters to read | ≈ 2,600, one undivided list | 3,088 认读字 +19% |
| Characters to write | not separated out | 1,200 书写字, a named subset new |
| Grammar syllabus | none published | 429 points, level by level new |
| Skills examined | mainly listening & reading | listening, speaking, reading, writing, translation |
| Speaking | HSKK — a separate exam, booked and sat on its own | part of the HSK examination itself now included |
Speaking used to be HSKK, a separate exam; HSK 3.0 brings it inside the HSK examination itself. The syllabus rounds its character headline to 3,000; the published lists add up to 3,088. Every figure here is from the official HSK 3.0 考试大纲 of November 2025.
When it applies
When does it apply?
This is the question everyone asks and the one with no clean answer. The syllabus was published in November 2025. Public statements about when the exam itself switches over disagree with each other, and the regular test cycle has continued to run largely on HSK 2.0 while the transition is worked out.
There is no binding date right now. Anyone giving you one has not checked.
In practice that means preparing for the content rather than for the calendar: the vocabulary, the character split and the grammar syllabus are published and stable, and they are what any version of the exam will test.
Nine levels, three bands
The bands are what employers and universities will quote. Levels 7, 8 and 9 share one advanced examination rather than three separate ones.
Band 2 · Intermediate
Levels 4–6
Working fluency. By the end of HSK 6: 5,400 words, 1,940 reading characters, 700 written by hand.
Band 3 · Advanced
Levels 7–9
Examined as one. 11,000 words, 3,088 reading characters, 1,200 written by hand.
The whole syllabus, already built into cards.
Every word on this page is in Gushi as a finished card — story, tones, audio, examples — scheduled by FSRS so it comes back exactly when you are about to forget it.
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Per level
Words and characters, level by level
The per-level figures alongside the cumulative ones, so you can see what each level adds rather than only where it lands.
| Level | New words | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 300 |
| HSK 2 | 200 | 500 |
| HSK 3 | 500 | 1,000 |
| HSK 4 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| HSK 5 | 1,600 | 3,600 |
| HSK 6 | 1,800 | 5,400 |
| HSK 7–9 | 5,600 | 11,000 |
| Level | To read (认读字) | To write (书写字) |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 150 |
| HSK 2 | 465 | 200 |
| HSK 3 | 655 | 250 |
| HSK 4 | 1,000 | 350 |
| HSK 5 | 1,500 | 500 |
| HSK 6 | 1,940 | 700 |
| HSK 7–9 | 3,088 | 1,200 |
Poem of Farewell to Liu Man. Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain.
Word list
The complete HSK 3.0 word list.
Every word in the published syllabus, searchable, with pinyin, meaning and recorded audio. Levels 1 to 9.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level | Audio and example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 爱 | ài | to love | HSK 1 | |
| 真可爱！Zhēn kěài!How cute! | ||||
| 吧 | ba | particle indicating polite suggestion | HSK 1 | |
| 你没事吧？Nǐ méishì ba?Are you okay? | ||||
| 八 | bā | eight | HSK 1 | |
| 妹妹八岁了。Mèimei bā suì le.My younger sister is eight years old. | ||||
| 爸爸 | bàba | father, dad | HSK 1 | |
| 我爸爸很忙。Wǒ bàbà hěn máng.My dad is busy. | ||||
| 百 | bǎi | hundred | HSK 1 | |
| 我有一百块钱。Wǒ yǒu yībǎi kuài qián.I've got one hundred RMB. | ||||
| 白天 | báitiān | daytime; during the day; day | HSK 1 | |
| 他白天睡觉，晚上工作。Tā báitiān shuìjiào, wǎnshàng gōngzuò.He sleeps during the day and works at night. | ||||
| 半 | bàn | half; semi-; incomplete | HSK 1 | |
| 我工作了半年。Wǒ gōngzuòle bàn nián.I worked for half a year. | ||||
| 包子 | bāozi | steamed stuffed bun | HSK 1 | |
| 中国人普遍都爱吃包子。Zhōngguórén pǔbiàn dōu ài chī bāozi.Most Chinese love to eat baozi. | ||||
| 杯子 | bēizi | cup, glass | HSK 1 | |
| 杯子在桌上。Bēizi zài zhuōshàng.The cup is on the table. | ||||
| 本 | běn | (a measure word for books) | HSK 1 | |
| 我是日本人。Wǒ shì rìběn rén.I am Japanese. | ||||
| 边 | biān | side; edge; margin | HSK 1 | |
| 那边有人吗？Nàbiān yǒurén ma?Is anybody there? | ||||
| 病 | bìng | illness; disease; to fall ill | HSK 1 | |
| 我生病了。Wǒ shēngbìng le.I'm ill. | ||||
| 不 | bù | no, not | HSK 1 | |
| 不可能！Bù kěnéng!No way! | ||||
| 不客气 | bú kèqì | you are welcome, don't mention it | HSK 1 | |
| “谢谢你！”“不客气。”"Xièxie nǐ!" "Bú kèqi.""Thank you!" - "You are welcome." | ||||
| 不要 | búyào | don't!; must not | HSK 1 | |
| 不要说话了。Búyào shuōhuà le.Stop talking. | ||||
| 菜 | cài | dish; vegetable; food | HSK 1 | |
| 这道菜很好吃。Zhè dào cài hěn hǎochī.This dish is delicious. | ||||
| 茶 | chá | tea | HSK 1 | |
| 我们只有茶水。Wǒmen zhǐyǒu cháshuǐ.We only have tea. | ||||
| 唱 | chàng | to sing; to call loudly; to chant | HSK 1 | |
| 请唱歌。Qǐng chànggē.Please sing. | ||||
| 超市 | chāoshì | supermarket | HSK 1 | |
| 去了超市。Qù le chāoshì.I went to the supermarket. | ||||
| 车 | chē | car; vehicle; machine | HSK 1 | |
| 出租车到了。Chūzūchē dào le.The taxi's here. | ||||
| 吃 | chī | to eat | HSK 1 | |
| 我吃面包。Wǒ chī miànbāo.I eat bread. | ||||
| 穿 | chuān | to wear; put on; penetrate | HSK 1 | |
| 穿上衣服。Chuān shàng yīfú.Dress up. | ||||
| 出租车 | chūzūchē | taxi, cab | HSK 1 | |
| 出租车到了。Chūzūchē dào le.The taxi's here. | ||||
| 大 | dà | big | HSK 1 | |
| 我是个大学生。Wǒ shì gè dàxuéshēng.I'm a college student. | ||||
| 打电话 | dǎdiànhuà | make a phone call | HSK 1 | |
| 打电话回家！Dǎdiànhuà huíjiā!Call home! | ||||
| 大家 | dàjiā | everyone | HSK 1 | |
| 大家在吃午饭。Dàjiā zài chī wǔfàn.Everyone is eating lunch. | ||||
| 到 | dào | arrive (at a place); until (a time) | HSK 1 | |
| 出租车到了。Chūzūchē dào le.The taxi's here. | ||||
| 大学 | dàxué | university; college; the Great Learning, one of the Four Books 四书 in Confucianism | HSK 1 | |
| 我是个大学生。Wǒ shì gè dàxuéshēng.I'm a college student. | ||||
| 大学生 | dàxuéshēng | university student; college student | HSK 1 | |
| 我是个大学生。Wǒ shì gè dàxuéshēng.I'm a college student. | ||||
| 的 | de | 's (possessive particle) | HSK 1 | |
| 谁的生日？Shuí de shēngrì?Whose birthday is it? | ||||
| 第 | dì | (prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六 "sixth"); (literary) grades in which successful candidates in t… | HSK 1 | |
| 我是第一。Wǒ shì dìyī.I'm first. | ||||
| 店 | diàn | inn; old-style hotel; (bound form) shop | HSK 1 | |
| 他去了商店。Tā qù le shāngdiàn.He went to the store. | ||||
| 点 | diǎn | dot; point; o'clock | HSK 1 | |
| 和气点。Hé qìdiǎn.Be nice. | ||||
| 电话 | diànhuà | telephone; phone call; phone number | HSK 1 | |
| 打电话回家！Dǎdiànhuà huíjiā!Call home! | ||||
| 电脑 | diànnǎo | computer | HSK 1 | |
| 我小时候的时候还没有电脑。Wǒ xiǎoshíhòu de shíhòu hái méiyǒu diànnǎo.We didn't have computers when I was growing up. | ||||
| 电视 | diànshì | television | HSK 1 | |
| 我弟弟在看电视。Wǒ dìdi zài kàndiànshì.My brother is watching TV. | ||||
| 电影 | diànyǐng | film, movie | HSK 1 | |
| 我们去看电影吧！Wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐngba!Let's go to the movies. | ||||
| 电影院 | diànyǐngyuàn | cinema; movie theater | HSK 1 | |
| 我们去电影院怎么样？Wǒmen qù diànyǐngyuàn zěnmeyàng?How about going to the movies? | ||||
| 弟弟 | dìdi | younger brother | HSK 1 | |
| 他是我弟弟。Tā shì wǒ dìdi.He's my younger brother. | ||||
| 东西 | dōngxi | thing, anything | HSK 1 | |
| 我正在吃东西。Wǒ zhèngzài chī dōngxī.I'm eating. | ||||
| 读 | dú | to read; to study | HSK 1 | |
| 我在读书。Wǒ zài dúshū.I'm reading. | ||||
| 都 | dū, dōu | all; both; even | HSK 1 | |
| 那些狗都很大。Nàxiē gǒu dōu hěndà.Those dogs are big. | ||||
| 对 | duì | correct; a pair; to face | HSK 1 | |
| 对不起。Duìbùqǐ.Excuse me. | ||||
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | sorry; excuse me | HSK 1 | |
| 对不起。Duìbùqǐ.Excuse me. | ||||
| 多 | duō | many; much; more | HSK 1 | |
| 你多吃苹果。Nǐ duō chī píngguǒ.Eat more apples. | ||||
| 多少 | duōshǎo | how many; how much | HSK 1 | |
| 汉字有多少个？Hànzì yǒu duōshǎo gè?How many Chinese characters are there? | ||||
| 读书 | dúshū | to read a book; to study; to attend school | HSK 1 | |
| 我在读书。Wǒ zài dúshū.I'm reading. | ||||
| 二 | èr | two | HSK 1 | |
| 我二十年前出生。Wǒ èrshínián qián chūshēng.I was born 20 years ago. | ||||
| 儿子 | érzi | son | HSK 1 | |
| 我的儿子长高了。Wǒ de érzi zhǎng gāo le.My son has grown tall. | ||||
| 饭 | fàn | cooked rice; meal; (loanword) fan | HSK 1 | |
| 我会做饭。Wǒhuì zuòfàn.I can cook. | ||||
The first page of each list is on the page itself; searching, filtering and audio need JavaScript.
Meanings and example translations are in English.
Reading the list is not learning it.
10,896 words is a memory problem. Gushi is the part that solves it.
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Grammar
The grammar syllabus, point by point.
All 429 published grammar points, level by level, with an example for each.
| Point | Category | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 前缀“小-” | Word parts语素 | The prefix 小- before a surname or given name makes a friendly, familiar form of address. | |
| 小王是我的同学。Xiao Wang is my classmate. | |||
| 前缀“第-”第＋数词 | Word parts语素 | The prefix 第- before a numeral forms ordinal numbers: 第一 first, 第二 second. | |
| 今天是我上班的第一天。Today is my first day at work. | |||
| 后缀“-们” | Word parts语素 | The suffix -们 marks plural on pronouns and words for people: 我们, 老师们. | |
| 我们是学生。We are students. | |||
| 后缀“-边” | Word parts语素 | The suffix -边 attaches to direction words to form location words: 上边, 前边, 外边. | |
| 书在桌子上边。The book is on top of the table. | |||
| 方位名词（上、下、里、外、前、后） | Word classes词类 | Locality nouns like 上, 下, 里, 外 follow a noun to express “on / under / inside / outside”. | |
| 我的书在家里。My book is at home. | |||
| 能愿动词“会、能” | Word classes词类 | The modal verbs 会 and 能 before a verb express learned ability (会) or capability/possibility (能). | |
| 我会说汉语。I can speak Chinese. | |||
| 能愿动词“想、要” | Word classes词类 | The modal verbs 想 and 要 before a verb express wanting or intending to do something. | |
| 我想喝茶。I want to drink tea. | |||
| 能愿动词“可以” | Word classes词类 | The modal verb 可以 expresses permission or possibility: “may / be allowed to”. | |
| 你可以坐这儿。You may sit here. | |||
| 离合词（睡觉、说话、上课……）睡觉 → 睡（一个好）觉 | Word classes词类 | Separable verbs like 睡觉, 说话, 上课 are verb+object compounds that act as one verb - and come apart to take 了 or a measure phrase in the middle. | |
| 我晚上十点睡觉。I go to bed at ten in the evening. | |||
| 疑问代词（什么、谁、哪儿、几、多少……） | Word classes词类 | Question words like 什么, 谁, 哪儿 stand in the sentence position of the thing being asked about. | |
| 这是什么？What is this? | |||
| 人称代词（我、你、您、他、她、大家……） | Word classes词类 | Personal pronouns refer to people; 您 is the polite form of 你. | |
| 您好，王老师！Hello, Teacher Wang! (polite) | |||
| 指示代词（这、那、这儿、那儿、这些……） | Word classes词类 | Demonstratives 这 “this” and 那 “that” point to people, things, and places. | |
| 这是我的书。This is my book. | |||
| 数词（一……十、百、千、半、二/两） | Word classes词类 | Numerals count things; before a measure word, “two” is 两, not 二. | |
| 我有两个哥哥。I have two older brothers. | |||
| 名量词（本、个、家、口、块、件、只、元；杯） | Word classes词类 | A measure word must stand between a number or demonstrative and its noun; 个 is the most general one. | |
| 我买了三个苹果。I bought three apples. | |||
| 时量词（日、号、岁、点、分、年、天） | Word classes词类 | Time measure words count dates, ages, and clock time; 岁 counts years of age. | |
| 你儿子几岁？How old is your son? | |||
| 程度副词“很、太、非常、真、有点儿” | Word classes词类 | Degree adverbs stand before adjectives; a plain adjective predicate usually takes 很. | |
| 我今天很忙。I am very busy today. | |||
| 范围副词“都” | Word classes词类 | The adverb 都 before the verb means “all / both”, covering everything mentioned before it. | |
| 我们都是学生。We are all students. | |||
| 时间副词“在、正在”（正）在＋动词（＋呢） | Word classes词类 | 在 or 正在 before the verb marks an action in progress, often with 呢 at the end. | |
| 他在吃饭。He is eating. | |||
| 频率副词“再” | Word classes词类 | The adverb 再 before a verb means “again / once more”, for a repeated future action. | |
| 你明天再来吧。Come again tomorrow. | |||
| 关联副词“也、还” | Word classes词类 | The adverb 也 before the verb means “also / too”, linking a second parallel statement. | |
| 我是学生，他也是学生。I am a student, and he is a student too. | |||
| 否定副词“不” | Word classes词类 | 不 before a verb or adjective negates present, habitual, or intended actions and states. | |
| 我不是老师。I am not a teacher. | |||
| 否定副词“没（有）” | Word classes词类 | 没(有) negates possession and completed actions: “not have / did not”. | |
| 我没有钱。I have no money. | |||
| 介词“在”（引出时间、处所）在＋处所＋动词 | Word classes词类 | The preposition 在 introduces the place or time of an action, before the verb. | |
| 我在学校学习。I study at school. | |||
| 介词“和、对”（引出对象） | Word classes词类 | The preposition 和 introduces the person one does something with; 对 introduces the target “toward”. | |
| 我和妈妈去商店。I go to the store with Mom. | |||
| 连词“和”（连接词语） | Word classes词类 | The conjunction 和 joins nouns or noun phrases: “A and B”. | |
| 我有一只猫和一只狗。I have a cat and a dog. | |||
For learners
What this means if you are learning
The vocabulary roughly doubled and the characters split into a set you read and a smaller set you write. That is a memory problem before it is a study-technique problem — at 3,600 words by level 5, the difference between spaced repetition and re-reading a list is the difference between finishable and not. Learn against the published lists, and do not wait for a date.
For schools
What this means if you run a course
Course books are appearing staggered across 2026, and your students will ask you about the change before your material has caught up. The steady thing to teach against is the published syllabus. If the harder part is knowing what your group actually retained between two lessons, that is the problem we build for.