HSK Vocabulary Lists
The new HSK (HSK 3.0, 2025 syllabus) has 300 words at HSK 1, 500 by HSK 2, 1,000 by HSK 3, 2,000 by HSK 4, 3,600 by HSK 5 and 5,400 by HSK 6. Every word has pinyin, English and audio.
Choose a level
All HSK 1–6 words in one file: HSK 1–6 vocabulary list (CSV). HSK 7–9 share one list of 5,600 more words.
What do I already know?
Paste words you know, or any Chinese text, and this page counts your words at each HSK 3.0 level and suggests what to learn next. It runs in your browser.
HSK 3.0, HSK 2.0 and the 2021 standard
| Level | HSK 3.0 exam (2025 syllabus) | HSK 2.0 exam | 2021 standard (GF0025-2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 / 300 | 150 / 150 | 500 / 500 |
| HSK 2 | 200 / 500 | 150 / 300 | 772 / 1,272 |
| HSK 3 | 500 / 1,000 | 300 / 600 | 973 / 2,245 |
| HSK 4 | 1,000 / 2,000 | 600 / 1,200 | 1,000 / 3,245 |
| HSK 5 | 1,600 / 3,600 | 1,300 / 2,500 | 1,071 / 4,316 |
| HSK 6 | 1,800 / 5,400 | 2,500 / 5,000 | 1,140 / 5,456 |
| HSK 7–9 | 5,600 / 11,000 | — | 5,636 / 11,092 |
Exam before 13 December 2026: Most test dates before 13 December 2026 still use HSK 2.0. Check your registration. Everyone else: the HSK 3.0 list, the exam’s list from 13 December 2026. Seen “HSK 1 = 500 words”? That is the 2021 standard, a teaching framework, not the exam’s word list.
Common questions
How many words are in each HSK level?
On the new HSK 3.0 exam, 300 words at HSK 1, 500 by HSK 2, 1,000 by HSK 3, 2,000 by HSK 4, 3,600 by HSK 5 and 5,400 by HSK 6, counted cumulatively; levels 7–9 share 11,000. The old HSK 2.0 needed 150, 300, 600, 1,200, 2,500 and 5,000.
What is the difference between HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0?
HSK 3.0 is the new HSK exam, first sat worldwide on 13 December 2026. It has nine levels instead of six, bigger word lists (300 words at HSK 1 instead of 150) and a translation section. HSK 2.0 is the classic six-level exam it replaces.
Which HSK word list should I study?
Study the list for the exam you will sit. Most test dates before 13 December 2026 use HSK 2.0, so check your registration; from that day the exam uses HSK 3.0. If you are not booked on a test soon, learn the HSK 3.0 list: most HSK 2.0 words are still on it.
Why do some HSK 1 lists have 500 words?
They come from the 2021 standard (GF0025-2021), a nine-level teaching framework published in 2021 with 500 words at level 1. It is often called HSK 3.0, but it is not the exam's word list. The HSK 3.0 exam syllabus, published in November 2025, has 300 words at HSK 1.
Can I download the HSK vocabulary lists?
Yes, free and without signing up. Each level downloads as a printable PDF with a box to tick for every word, and as a CSV file for Excel, Google Sheets or Anki. One CSV holds all 5,400 HSK 1–6 words.
Keep going
- Find your Chinese level
- HSK writing workbooks (free PDFs, HSK 1 to 6)
- HSK lessons
Word lists: HSK 3.0 syllabus, 新版HSK考试大纲 (Xīnbǎn HSK Kǎoshì Dàgāng), Center for Language Education and Cooperation, 2025; pinyin and parts of speech as printed there. HSK 2.0 lists: the classic HSK word lists. English meanings: SayMei.