01 / STUDY GUIDECheck which list you are studying
Before planning exam preparation, confirm the syllabus and test version for your booking with your test centre. Use the official HSK syllabus resources to check vocabulary, grammar and task requirements. A level label on an older book, website or app collection is not enough to establish that it matches your test.
Browse the HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 word lists by source version and level, or read how the official vocabulary lists differ. Each level offers new-entry and cumulative downloads.
This page is a study guide, not an official HSK vocabulary list, mock exam or coverage checklist. The small practice set below is original beginner material; it is not assigned to an HSK version or level. Laowai’s built-in HSK collections are a study option, but check their contents against the syllabus you need.
02 / STUDY GUIDEPractise pronunciation, meaning and use
For a small group of words from your chosen list, practise three things separately:
- Recognise it: see the characters, then recall the pronunciation and meaning.
- Understand it: find it in a short sentence and explain what the sentence says.
- Use it: answer a simple question or change one detail in an example.
Keep the words you confuse together in your notes. For example, 看 can mean “look”, “watch” or “read” in different phrases. Learn 看书 as “read a book”, rather than forcing one English gloss into every sentence.
03 / STUDY GUIDEPractise with six words
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning for this activity |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | wǒ | I; me |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 看 | kàn | to read, in 看书 |
| 书 | shū | book |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like |
| 吗 | ma | yes-or-no question particle |
我喜欢看书。
I like reading books.
你喜欢看书吗？
Do you like reading books?
Cover the translations. Say which sentence is a statement and which is a question. Then answer the question for yourself: 喜欢。 (Xǐhuan., “I do.”) or 不喜欢。 (Bù xǐhuan., “I don’t.”).
Explore questions with 吗 and the difference between 不 and 没 if you need more examples.
04 / STUDY GUIDECheck what you can recall
At the next session, shuffle the words and try again before rereading your notes. Mark what you can recognise, what you can pronounce and what you can use. Note which of these still needs practice.
Use a short reading as a separate check: can you follow the situation and answer a question without translating every word? Our three original readings include pinyin, translations, vocabulary and a comprehension question. Their difficulty labels are editorial guidance, not HSK placements.
For an exam, also practise the task types in official sample papers. A vocabulary list alone does not demonstrate listening, reading or writing readiness.
Examples written for this guide.
