HSK study guides
Each guide explains one part of the new HSK: what the questions look like at each level, what they really test, and a practice routine you can fit around work or school.
- Listening Every listening question type, what usually decides the answer, note-taking, and a daily routine.
- Reading Word banks, cloze, sentence gaps, paragraph ordering and long passages, with timing advice.
- Writing The writing tasks from HSK 2 to 6, with model answers and essay structures.
- Speaking The HSK 3–6 speaking tests: repeat, retell, describe a picture and answer questions.
- Vocabulary How many words a day, spaced repetition, Anki or an app, and learning words in sentences.
The sections at each level
Questions and minutes per section on the written test, from CTI’s HSK 3.0 sample papers.
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Translation | Speaking test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 20 · about 12 min | 20 · 20 min | — | — | — |
| HSK 2 | 25 · about 17 min | 25 · 25 min | 10 · 10 min | — | — |
| HSK 3 | 30 · about 23 min | 30 · 30 min | 10 · 20 min | — | about 15 min |
| HSK 4 | 32 · about 20 min | 32 · 30 min | 6 · 25 min | — | about 20 min |
| HSK 5 | 35 · about 25 min | 35 · 35 min | 2 · 40 min | — | about 23 min |
| HSK 6 | 40 · about 30 min | 40 · 40 min | 2 · 45 min | — | about 23 min |
| HSK 7–9 | 40 · about 33 min | 40 · 50 min | 2 · 55 min | 4 · about 42 min | — |
Where to start
If you are new to the HSK, read the level guide for your target level first, then the vocabulary guide, because words are the base of every section. If you already have a test date, take a practice test and read the guide for your weakest section.
How the sections fit together
Listening and reading make up most of the score at every level and draw on the same word list. Writing grows from single characters at HSK 2 to essays from HSK 4. Speaking is a separate test from HSK 3. Most people find that listening improves last, so start daily listening early, even a few minutes a day.
The time per question shrinks as the levels rise. At HSK 1 you have about a minute for each reading question; at HSK 6, the reading texts are several hundred characters long and you have about the same time per question. That is why the reading guide spends as much time on speed as on understanding.
Practise each section
- Listening: the listening parts of the practice tests, the tone drill and the audio for every story.
- Reading: the graded stories and the reading parts of the practice tests.
- Writing: the writing practice prompts and the character pages for handwriting.
- Speaking: the speaking sections of the HSK 3–6 practice tests, which let you record and play back your answers.
More help
- Grammar by level, with examples and quizzes.
- Study plans for different levels and amounts of time.
- Reading for the HSK: graded stories and how to use them.