HSK 4 Course Book: 12 Lessons for the New HSK 4

By the end you can

• Talk about how you learn and what you can work out. Say you've worked something out with verb + 出来, and stress a surprising case with 连……都 or 也.
  他连这么难的字都认识。 · Tā lián zhème nán de zì dōu rènshi. · He even knows such a difficult character.
• Plan a degree and talk about exams. Talk about majors, fees and goals, draw a conclusion with 既然……就……, and say you'll do it anyway with 不管 or 无论……都…….
  不管考得怎么样，我都要试试。 · Bùguǎn kǎo de zěnmeyàng, wǒ dōu yào shìshi. · No matter how the exam goes, I want to try.
• Apply for a job and work in a team. Read a job ad, talk up your strengths with 不仅……而且……, give first impressions with 看起来 and 听起来, and say you had no choice with 只好 or 不得不.
  这个工作听起来很有意思。 · Zhège gōngzuò tīng qilai hěn yǒu yìsi. · This job sounds very interesting.
• Handle delays, traffic and changed plans. Say whether there's time with 来得及 and 来不及, react with 原来 and 竟然, and talk about a jam with 即使……也…… and 否则.
  即使堵车，我也不会迟到。 · Jíshǐ dǔchē, wǒ yě bú huì chídào. · Even if there's a jam, I won't be late.
• Sort out home repairs and shop smart. Use the passive with 让 and 叫, say not a single one with 一……也不, compare with 不如 and 相比, and hold firm with 再……也…….
  这件外套不如那件好看。 · Zhè jiàn wàitào bùrú nà jiàn hǎokàn. · This coat isn't as nice as that one.
• Talk about health, sport, family and feelings. Say although with 尽管……还是……, give a formal cause with 由于……因此……, describe people with 既……又……, and ask a rhetorical question with 难道……吗？
  尽管很累，他还是去健身房了。 · Jǐnguǎn hěn lèi, tā háishi qù jiànshēnfáng le. · Although he was tired, he still went to the gym.
• Discuss media, the environment and your future. Add a surprising example with 甚至, show a contrast with 却 and 然而, say how things change with 随着, and give your view on a topic with 对于.
  随着科技的发展，生活越来越方便了。 · Suízhe kējì de fāzhǎn, shēnghuó yuèláiyuè fāngbiàn le. · As technology develops, life gets more and more convenient.
• Check yourself and learn all 1,000 HSK 4 words. Three reviews with a roleplay, exam-style questions and a can-do list, a page of connectors and formal words, a list of all 1,000 new HSK 4 words by lesson, and an answer key.

What’s inside

• Lesson 1: Dialogue: A New Term, a New Level · Words: Language Skills · More Words: Right, Wrong and Learning · Grammar: Working It Out: Verb + 出来 · Grammar: Even This: 连……都 / 也 · Read: How Lin Hao Learns Words · Practice: Practice: Learning Better
• Lesson 2: Dialogue: A Plan for a Master's Degree · Words: Degrees and Fees · More Words: Exams and Goals · Grammar: Since That's So: 既然……就…… · Grammar: No Matter What: 不管 / 无论……都…… · Read: Xiaoyu's Study Plan · Practice: Practice: Plans and Exams
• Lesson 3: Dialogue: A Job Ad Online · Words: Applying for a Job · More Words: Strengths and Conditions · Grammar: Not Only … But Also: 不仅……而且…… · Grammar: It Seems: 看起来 / 听起来 · Read: Lin Hao's Interview · Practice: Practice: Getting the Job
• Lesson 4: Dialogue: The First Team Meeting · Words: Tasks at the Office · More Words: Ideas and Opinions · Grammar: No Other Choice: 只好 / 不得不 · Grammar: Anyone, Anything: 谁都 / 什么都 · Read: A Busy Week · Practice: Practice: Working as a Team
• Review A: Roleplay: Plans and Careers · Practice: Review A: Test Yourself · Can-Do: What I Can Do Now
• Lesson 5: Dialogue: A Delayed Flight · Words: At the Airport · More Words: On the Road · Grammar: Enough Time? 来得及 / 来不及 · Grammar: So That's Why: 原来 and 竟然 · Read: A Holiday to Remember · Practice: Practice: When Plans Change
• Lesson 6: Dialogue: Stuck in Traffic · Words: Roads and Traffic · More Words: Getting There · Grammar: Even If: 即使……也…… · Grammar: Or Else: 否则 · Read: Lin Hao's Way to Work · Practice: Practice: The Best Way There
• Lesson 7: Dialogue: Things Keep Breaking · Words: Renting a Flat · More Words: Cleaning and Cooking · Grammar: Passive with 让 and 叫 · Grammar: Not a Single One: 一……也不 · Read: Repair Day · Practice: Practice: Home Repairs
• Lesson 8: Dialogue: Online or In the Shop? · Words: Shopping Online · More Words: Paying and Saving · Grammar: Not as Good As: 不如 and 相比 · Grammar: However Much: 再……也…… · Read: Online and Offline · Practice: Practice: Smart Shopping
• Review B: Roleplay: Problems and Solutions · Practice: Review B: Test Yourself · Can-Do: What I Can Do Now
• Lesson 9: Dialogue: A Check-up and a Match · Words: Health and Check-ups · More Words: Teams and Matches · Grammar: Although: 尽管……还是…… · Grammar: Due to: 由于……因此…… · Read: The Big Match · Practice: Practice: Health and Sport
• Lesson 10: Dialogue: A Forgotten Birthday · Words: Family and Love · More Words: Feelings · Grammar: Both … and: 既……又 / 也…… · Grammar: Surely Not? 难道……吗？ · Read: Father and Daughter · Practice: Practice: Family and Feelings
• Lesson 11: Dialogue: Planning a Class Party · Words: Celebrations and Shows · More Words: Media and the Arts · Grammar: Even: 甚至 · Grammar: But: 却 and 然而 · Read: Our Festival Party · Practice: Practice: Parties and Media
• Lesson 12: Dialogue: Choosing a Future · Words: Nature and the Environment · More Words: Society and Dreams · Grammar: As Things Change: 随着 · Grammar: As for: 对于 · Read: Why I Chose the Environment · Practice: Practice: Our World
• Review C: Roleplay: The Last Class of the Year · Practice: Review C: Test Yourself · Can-Do: Ready for HSK 4
• Connectors: Connectors and Formal Words
• Word list: All 1,000 New HSK 4 Words by Lesson

How to use this book

Twelve lessons of seven pages, about 45 minutes each, with a three-page review after every four lessons. Three lessons a week takes you through the book in about five weeks.

1. Every lesson: Seven pages in order. Read the dialogue in characters first, then check new words on the two word pages. Then the two grammar pages, the reading and the practice page.
2. After each lesson: Write, then check. Do the practice page without looking back, then mark it with the answer key at the back of the book.
3. Lessons 1–4: Study and work. A new term, a master's plan, a job ad and an interview, and the first team meeting. Then Review A.
4. Lessons 5–8: Problems and solutions. A delayed flight, a traffic jam, things that keep breaking at home, and shopping online or in the shop. Then Review B.
5. Lessons 9–12: Life and the wider world. A check-up and a match, a forgotten birthday, a class party and choosing a future. Then Review C.
6. Before the exam: Words and connectors. Work through the 1,000-word list lesson by lesson and the connectors page, and go back to any lesson you couldn't tick on a can-do list.

Who it’s for

Intermediate learners who have finished HSK 3 and are working toward HSK 4 on the new HSK 3.0 syllabus (2025), on their own, in a class or with a tutor.

Before you start: Know the HSK 3 words and read characters with some confidence. The dialogues are in characters with an English line, the readings are in characters, and pinyin is on the word pages and grammar examples.

Frequently asked questions

What's in each lesson?

Seven pages: a dialogue, two word pages, two grammar pages, a reading and a practice page. The 12 lessons run from a new term and a job interview to a delayed flight, home repairs, a forgotten birthday and choosing a future. A three-page review after every four lessons has a roleplay, exam-style questions and a can-do list, and the answer key is at the back.

Do the dialogues have pinyin?

No. The dialogues are in characters with an English line, and the readings are in characters, so you practise reading as in the exam. Pinyin is on the word pages, the grammar examples and the reading's key sentences.

What should I know before I start?

The HSK 3 words, and enough characters to read with some confidence. If HSK 3 still feels new, the HSK 3 Course Book covers it in 12 lessons.

How long does it take?

About 45 minutes a lesson. Three lessons a week takes you through the book in about five weeks. Before the exam, go through the word list and the page of connectors and formal words, and go back to any lesson you couldn't tick on a can-do list.

Is there audio?

No. Read the dialogues aloud yourself. For listening in the exam format, the HSK 4 mock tests come with free audio.

Is there a workbook to go with it?

Yes. The HSK 4 Workbook has word, grammar, reading and writing exercises for each lesson of this book, with an answer key.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Keep going

HSK 4 Workbook: Exercises for All 12 Lessons, with Answers · HSK 4 Reading Practice: Longer Texts & Inference · HSK 4 Guided Writing Workbook · HSK 4 Vocabulary Workbook: Words in Context & Collocations · Browse all 294 workbooks