What Is the HSK? Chinese Test Levels, HSK 3.0 and 2026 Dates

The HSK, or Chinese Proficiency Test, is China's official Mandarin test for people learning Chinese as a second language. It is run by Chinese Testing International (CTI), and Chinese universities, scholarship programs and employers ask for its scores. A score is valid for two years from the test date. The test is changing in 2026: the six-level HSK becomes HSK 3.0, with nine levels.

Bubblegum is a language app that writes Mandarin lessons at your level. Poppy, your AI tutor, picks the topics from what you enjoy, and one lesson sits near the end of this page with pinyin above every word.

What Are the HSK 3.0 Levels?

HSK 3.0 has nine levels. Levels 1 to 6 each have their own test, and Levels 7 to 9 share one test that gives you a level from your score. Each word count includes the words from the levels below it.

1. Level 1

   Listening and reading

   You can have simple conversations in Chinese about everyday life.

   • 300 words
   • 40 questions
   • About 40 minutes
2. Level 2

   Listening, reading and writing

   You can have basic conversations about life, study and work.

   • 500 words
   • 60 questions
   • About 60 minutes
3. Level 3

   Listening, reading and writing

   You can get your point across about life, study and work.

   • 1,000 words
   • 70 questions
   • About 83 minutes
4. Level 4

   Listening, reading and writing

   You can talk about life, study and work in full, connected sentences.

   • 2,000 words
   • 70 questions
   • About 85 minutes
5. Level 5

   Listening, reading and writing

   You can talk about work and study using the right words for each situation.

   • 3,600 words
   • 72 questions
   • About 110 minutes
6. Level 6

   Listening, reading and writing

   You can talk about work, study and general professional topics smoothly, with a wide range of words.

   • 5,400 words
   • 82 questions
   • About 125 minutes
7. Levels 7–9

   One test, five skills

   You can use Chinese at work and in professional and academic settings, from fluent and correct at Level 7 to precise and in depth at Level 9.

   • 11,000 words
   • 91 questions
   • About 200 minutes

The Level 7–9 test adds translation and speaking to listening, reading and writing. There are also separate HSK speaking tests for Levels 3 to 6, which take 15 to 23 minutes.

What If You Take the HSK Before December 13, 2026?

The tests in October and November 2026 still use the six-level format. Levels 1 and 2 are scored out of 200 points, and 120 passes. Levels 3 and 4 are scored out of 300, and 180 passes.

HSK 5 and 6 have no published pass mark, and HSK 3.0 pass marks aren't out yet. Check the official HSK page before you book.

When Is the HSK in 2026?

CTI runs the HSK on the same dates around the world, on paper and on computers at test centers. The December 13 test is the first HSK 3.0 test.

Sign-up for a paper test closes about four weeks before the test day, and for a computer test about ten days before. For December 13, that's November 16 on paper and December 3 on computer (Beijing time). The result days are on the official 2026 test calendar, and you can find a test center near you on the HSK website.

How to Prepare with Comprehensible Input

HSK listening and reading questions are built from everyday Chinese, and the higher levels add longer articles. You'll be ready for them sooner with plenty of comprehensible input: Mandarin texts and audio where you understand nearly every sentence.

• 🎯Pick a LevelRead the word counts above and pick the level just past what you can read now. If you are unsure, start one level lower.
• 🎧Read and ListenChoose Chinese texts that come with audio, where only a word or two in each line is new. Listen first, then read along. Do this three or four times a week.
• 📝Do a Sample PaperBefore test day, time yourself on the free HSK 3.0 sample papers from the HSK website.

This lesson follows a student finding their way around a university campus. It has four levels: start with the one you can read without much help, then try the next one up.

One Campus, Four Levels

From Bubblegum’s guide Navigating University Campus Life. It works here the way it works inside Bubblegum.

Choose your level

Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4

I follow conversations on familiar topics.

🌱

Getting to Know the University Campus

Lv 3

Pinyin

大学dà xué校园xiào yuán很hěn大dà，刚gāng来lái的de时候shí hou可能kě néng会huì迷路mí lù。

The university campus is very large, and you might get lost when you first arrive.

教学楼jiào xué lóu一般yī bān在zài校园xiào yuán中心zhōng xīn，大家dà jiā每天měi tiān都dōu在zài这里zhè lǐ上课shàng kè。

The teaching buildings are usually in the center of the campus, and everyone has classes here every day.

湖边hú biān有yǒu一yī座zuò很hěn大dà的de图书馆tú shū guǎn，外形wài xíng看kàn起来qi lai像xiàng一yī艘sōu白色bái sè的de大dà船chuán。

There is a very large library by the lake, and its exterior looks like a big white ship.

要是yào shi你nǐ想xiǎng安静ān jìng地de学xué下去xià qù，可以kě yǐ去qù图书馆tú shū guǎn三sān楼lóu看书kàn shū。

If you want to study in peace, you can go to the third floor of the library to read.

学生xué sheng宿舍sù shè在zài校园xiào yuán北边běi biān，离lí食堂shí táng和hé超市chāo shì都dōu很hěn近jìn。

The student dormitories are on the north side of the campus, very close to both the dining hall and the supermarket.

多duō看kàn几jǐ次cì校园xiào yuán地图dì tú，你nǐ就jiù能néng很hěn快kuài熟悉shú xī这些zhè xiē地方dì fang了le。

By looking at the campus map a few times, you will be able to get familiar with these places quickly.

More Level 3 lessons on this topic

Frequently Asked Questions About the HSK