HSK 4: format, words and preparation

What HSK 4 means

CTI describes this level in one line: 能用中文就生活、学习、工作场景进行完整、连贯交流。

In English: Can communicate fully and coherently in Chinese about daily life, study and work.

Test format

These numbers come from CTI’s official HSK 4 sample paper for the new HSK. Includes 5 minutes for personal details and 5 minutes after listening to fill in the answer sheet. There is no pinyin on the paper. Answer choices: 4 choices.

Question types, part by part

Knowing the format in advance saves time on the day. Here is what each part of the HSK 4 paper asks you to do, with one tip for each.

The HSK 4 speaking test

CTI has published a separate speaking sample paper for each of HSK 3–6. About 20 minutes including 10 minutes of preparation. Sample questions: how you would spend seven days off; how you would settle in at a new company. CTI’s public notices do not yet say how speaking results combine with the written score, so check with your test centre when you register.

Words and characters

The 2025 syllabus lists 1,000 new words for HSK 4, for a total of 2,000 counting all earlier levels. You are expected to recognise 1,096 characters by this level and be able to write 400 of them by hand.

A sample of the new words at this level:

Topics and tasks in the syllabus

The syllabus lists real-life tasks you should be able to handle at HSK 4. Listening and reading questions are built around them, so they make a good checklist:

• Talking about people; handling daily errands and courtesy
• Feelings and relationships
• Food, transport, shopping and business
• Health care and healthy living; hobbies and holidays
• Housing, community and family life
• Teaching, learning, campus life and views on education
• Work performance, career history and workplaces
• Nature, environmental protection and new technology
• China’s main provinces, cities and ethnic groups
• Economic and social trends
• Arts, sports, sayings and proverbs
• Traditional food culture, customs, famous sights and historical figures

How to prepare

• Learn the 1,000 new HSK 4 words in context. Many are abstract (经验, 态度, 安排, 效果), so learn them through example sentences, not just English glosses.
• Read daily at about this level. 32 reading questions in 30 minutes leaves no time to translate word by word.
• Practise the picture-plus-word sentence task and write at least one 80–120 character paragraph each week. Write it by hand if you will take the paper test.
• For speaking, practise retelling a short recording in your own words. It tests listening and speaking together.
• Use timed practice tests: one early to find weak spots, one at the end to check speed.

How long it takes

From a solid HSK 3, 6–12 months of steady part-time study is a fair estimate. The word list doubles again, from 1,000 to 2,000.

Common mistakes

• Knowing words on flashcards but not recognising them inside a passage.
• Running out of time in reading because every sentence is translated.
• Leaving the essay to the end and writing 40 characters. Below the minimum length costs marks.

New HSK 4 vs old HSK 4

The old HSK 4 had 1,200 words, 100 questions and about 105 minutes. The new HSK 4 has 2,000 words, 70 questions and about 85 minutes. Writing changes from reordering words to picture sentences and an 80-character essay, and there is a separate speaking test.

CTI has not yet published the score scale or pass mark for the new HSK 1–6. Under the old format, the pass mark was 60% of the total score. We will update this page when CTI publishes the new rules.