HSK and other Chinese tests
The HSK is the general Chinese proficiency test most universities and employers in mainland China ask for. CTI also runs tests for children, for business Chinese and for speaking, and Taiwan has its own test. Here is how they compare, and which one fits your goal.
Which test should I take?
- University or job in mainland China: the HSK, at the level the institution names.
- A school student under about 15: YCT for early stages; HSK once they are beyond YCT 4.
- Proof of workplace Chinese: BCT, if the employer recognises it; many still ask for HSK.
- Study or a scholarship in Taiwan: TOCFL.
- Proof of speaking: the speaking test the institution names. The new HSK 3–6 have their own speaking tests; before that, the HSKK was the speaking test.
HSKK: the HSK speaking test
The HSKK (汉语水平口语考试) is CTI’s speaking test with three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. You record answers through headphones and a microphone. Before the new HSK, it was the way to show speaking ability alongside a written HSK result. With the new HSK, CTI has published separate speaking tests for HSK 3–6. If a school asks for “HSKK”, check whether a new HSK speaking result is accepted instead. See our HSKK guide for the format of each level.
YCT: the Youth Chinese Test
YCT (中小学生汉语考试) is for primary and secondary school students whose first language is not Chinese. It has four written levels and a separate speaking test with two levels. CTI’s own table compares the YCT word lists with the old HSK lists:
| YCT | Words | Old HSK equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| YCT 1 | 80 | — (below HSK 1) | Shortest written paper. Listening and reading. |
| YCT 2 | 150 | HSK 1 | Same list size as classic HSK 1. |
| YCT 3 | 300 | HSK 2 | Same list size as classic HSK 2. |
| YCT 4 | 600 | HSK 3 | Same list size as classic HSK 3. Writing appears on this YCT paper. |
YCT 4 is roughly the old HSK 3, so it will not meet a university requirement for HSK 4. The new HSK lists are larger at every level, so YCT 2–4 sit below the new HSK 1–3.
BCT: the Business Chinese Test
BCT (商务汉语考试) tests Chinese at work: meetings, emails, numbers and polite requests. It has three independent tests:
| Test | For | Compared with the old HSK |
|---|---|---|
| BCT (A) | Beginners: daily life plus basic workplace Chinese | Around HSK 3 / ~600 words on CTI’s table |
| BCT (B) | Intermediate and advanced workplace Chinese | Around HSK 6 / 5,000+ words on CTI’s table |
| BCT (oral) | Spoken business Chinese at any of five ability grades | Not a 1–6 written level |
HSK study helps with BCT, especially vocabulary and reading. What BCT adds is workplace situations. If an employer has not named a test, the HSK is more widely recognised.
TOCFL: Taiwan’s test
TOCFL (華語文能力測驗) is Taiwan’s Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language, run by SC-TOP. It uses traditional characters and Taiwan Mandarin in the listening. You register for a band, and your score places you at a level within it.
| Band | Levels | CEFR (SC-TOP’s reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Novice | Novice 1–2 | Pre-A1 |
| Band A | Level 1–2 | A1–A2 |
| Band B | Level 3–4 | B1–B2 |
| Band C | Level 5–6 | C1–C2 |
There is no official conversion between TOCFL and HSK. Vocabulary overlaps a lot, but some everyday words differ (地铁 / 捷運 for “subway”), and reading traditional characters under time takes practice even if you know the simplified forms.
HSK and CEFR levels
There is no official HSK–CEFR conversion approved by the Council of Europe. Two mappings are often quoted for the old six levels: Hanban’s historical table, and a lower estimate from European associations of Chinese teachers. Neither is official for the new HSK.
| Old HSK | Hanban table (historical) | European teachers’ estimate |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | A1 | Below A1 |
| HSK 2 | A2 | Around A1 |
| HSK 3 | B1 | A1–A2 |
| HSK 4 | B2 | A2–B1 |
| HSK 5 | C1 | B1–B2 |
| HSK 6 | C2 | B2 (sometimes B2–C1 in reading) |
| HSK 7–9 | — | Not a published CoE mapping |
If a university or employer gives a CEFR level for Chinese, ask which certificate and level they accept. Don’t convert your score yourself.
App levels and the HSK
Apps such as Duolingo organise their courses in units and levels of their own. Finishing a unit labelled “level 5” is not the same as passing HSK 5, and CTI does not publish any conversion. If an app got you started, take the placement test, then a full practice test at the suggested level, and check the word list for words you have not met yet.
Questions
Is HSK 6 equal to CEFR C2? +
There is no official HSK–CEFR conversion approved by the Council of Europe. An old Hanban table placed HSK 6 at C2, but European associations of Chinese teachers have argued it is closer to B2. If a school asks for a CEFR level, ask them which Chinese certificate they accept.
Can I use TOCFL instead of HSK, or the other way round? +
Only if the school or employer says so. There is no official conversion between them. Taiwan institutions usually ask for TOCFL; mainland Chinese institutions usually ask for HSK.
Should my child take YCT or HSK? +
YCT is designed for school students and covers the range up to about the old HSK 3. Children who are beyond that, or who need a certificate for admission, usually take the HSK.
Does finishing Duolingo Chinese mean I have a certain HSK level? +
No. An app course is not a test. Use a placement test and a practice test at a level to see where you are.
Sources
- CTI YCT page and BCT page — Chinese Testing International.
- CTI HSKK page.
- TOCFL (SC-TOP) band descriptions.
- Fachverband Chinesisch (Germany) statement on HSK and CEFR, 2010, and later European teacher-association notes.