HSK characters by level
The 2025 HSK syllabus lists 3,088 characters to recognise and 1,200 to write by hand, spread across nine levels. Each level page has both lists, with readings, example words and stroke-order practice.
| Level | New to read | Total to read | New to write | Total to write |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 246 | 246 | – | – |
| HSK 2 | 125 | 371 | 100 | 100 |
| HSK 3 | 284 | 655 | 150 | 250 |
| HSK 4 | 441 | 1,096 | 150 | 400 |
| HSK 5 | 431 | 1,527 | 150 | 550 |
| HSK 6 | 413 | 1,940 | 150 | 700 |
| HSK 7–9 | 1,148 | 3,088 | 500 | 1,200 |
The syllabus gives one combined handwriting list of 100 characters for HSK 1 and 2; we count it under HSK 2, the first level with a writing section.
Reading characters and writing characters
Recognising a character and writing it from memory are different skills. The syllabus asks for far more of the first: by HSK 4 you should recognise 1,096 characters but only need to write 400 of them. That reflects how people use Chinese today, typing on phones and computers, while still keeping a core set of characters you can write by hand.
Characters and words
The HSK tests words, and most Chinese words have two characters. Knowing 机 helps you with 手机, 飞机, 机场 and 机会, so learning characters makes new words easier. But a character on its own does not always tell you the meaning of a word: 东西 is “thing”, not “east-west”. Learn characters inside the words from your word list.
How handwriting is tested
- HSK 2: choose the right component to complete a character that matches a picture, and write one missing character in a sentence, with the pinyin given.
- HSK 3: write a missing character in a sentence with no pinyin, then write whole sentences with given words.
- HSK 4 and up: sentences and essays. On the computer test you type your answers; on paper you write every character by hand.
See the writing guide for each task in detail and the writing practice page for prompts.
Stroke order rules
Every character has a standard stroke order. Following it makes characters look right, makes them easier to remember, and helps you read handwriting. A few rules cover most characters:
- Top before bottom: 三 is written from the top line down.
- Left before right: 你 is written 亻 first, then 尔.
- Horizontal before vertical when they cross: 十 is 一 then 丨.
- Left-falling before right-falling: 人 is 丿 then ㇏.
- Outside before inside, then close the frame: 国 is the left and top of the box, then 玉, then the bottom stroke.
- Middle before the sides when the sides are small: 小 is the middle hook first.
- Enclosures at the bottom left come last: in 这 and 远, write 辶 after the inside.
Each level page shows the stroke order for every handwriting character as an animation, and lets you trace it.
Common components
Most characters are built from a part that hints at the meaning and a part that hints at the sound. Learning the meaning parts helps you guess new characters, and the HSK 2 writing section tests them directly.
| Part | Meaning | In |
|---|---|---|
| 氵 | water | 河 洗 汉 海 游 |
| 亻 | person | 你 他 住 休 作 |
| 口 | mouth | 吃 喝 叫 吗 唱 |
| 扌 | hand | 打 找 拿 把 换 |
| 讠 | speech | 说 话 请 认 识 |
| 女 | woman | 妈 姐 妹 好 她 |
| 木 | tree, wood | 树 桌 椅 林 校 |
| 艹 | grass, plant | 花 茶 菜 草 药 |
| 宀 | roof | 家 安 室 字 客 |
| 忄 | heart, feeling | 快 忙 慢 情 怕 |
| 日 | sun, time | 早 晚 时 明 昨 |
| 月 | moon; body (as ⺼) | 朋 期 脑 脚 腿 |
| 纟 | silk, thread | 红 给 绿 经 练 |
| 钅 | metal | 钱 错 银 铁 钟 |
| 饣 | food | 饭 饿 饱 馆 饺 |
| 辶 | walking, movement | 这 进 远 近 送 |
Where to start
If you are new to writing, start with the HSK 1–2 handwriting list: 100 common characters such as 人, 大, 中, 学 and 的. Watch the stroke order once, then write each character three times from memory.
Sources
- HSK 考试大纲 (HSK Test Syllabus), released November 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC). Checked 2026-10-20.