HSK 3.0 Vocabulary Lists All levels · 2026 syllabus
Every HSK 3.0 word list, level by level: 10,971 words with simplified and traditional characters, pinyin and zhuyin, English meanings, and example sentences — many taken from our own graded stories. Search any list, quiz yourself on it, print it, or download it as a CSV.
- Nine levels: 1–6 tested separately, 7–9 as one advanced exam.
- About 11,000 words in total under the November 2025 syllabus (300 at level 1, ~5,400 through level 6).
- The 2021 standard had 11,092 words and 500 at level 1; HSK 2.0 had 5,000 words in six levels.
HSK 3.0 levels compared
| Level | New words | Total words | New characters | Total characters | 2021 total | HSK 2.0 total | CEFR (approx.) | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 300 | 248 | 248 | 500 | 150 | A1 | CSV |
| HSK 2 | 199 | 499 | 123 | 371 | 1,272 | 300 | A1–A2 | CSV |
| HSK 3 | 498 | 997 | 284 | 655 | 2,245 | 600 | A2 | CSV |
| HSK 4 | 997 | 1,994 | 441 | 1,096 | 3,245 | 1,200 | B1 | CSV |
| HSK 5 | 1,598 | 3,592 | 431 | 1,527 | 4,316 | 2,500 | B1–B2 | CSV |
| HSK 6 | 1,794 | 5,386 | 413 | 1,940 | 5,456 | 5,000 | B2 | CSV |
| HSK 7–9 | 5,585 | 10,971 | 1,148 | 3,088 | 11,092 | — | C1–C2 | CSV |
Word counts are from our lists of the 2026 syllabus (each word once, at the level that introduces it). Character counts are the distinct characters used by those words, not an official requirement. “2021 total” is the cumulative count in the 2021 standard; “HSK 2.0 total” is the old test at the same level number. CEFR equivalents are the commonly cited approximations — there is no official mapping; see HSK to CEFR conversion.
HSK 2.0, the 2021 standard, and the 2026 syllabus
Three versions of the HSK word lists are in circulation, which is why sites disagree about how many words HSK 1 has.
- HSK 2.0 (2009): six levels, 150 words at level 1 and 5,000 in total. Still the version of most older textbooks and apps.
- The 2021 standard (GF 0025-2021): introduced nine levels and 11,092 words, starting with 500 at level 1. Many “HSK 3.0” lists online still show this version.
- The 2026 syllabus (published November 2025, for implementation from July 2026): keeps the nine levels but reshapes the lower ones — 300 words at level 1, about 500 through level 2, 1,000 through level 3. This is the list the new exam is written from, and the one on these pages.
Each level page shows, for every word, its old HSK 2.0 level and its 2021 level, lists the 2021 words that moved elsewhere, and offers the 2021 list as a separate download. For the full story of the rollout, read HSK 3.0 explained or compare vocabulary sizes across versions.
Learning for Taiwan?
The HSK is set in Mainland China and tests simplified characters. Every word here also shows traditional characters and zhuyin with Taiwan readings, so the lists work for Taiwan learners too — but if you need a certificate for study or work in Taiwan, the TOCFL is the exam to take. See TOCFL vs HSK for a level-by-level conversion and TOCFL vocabulary by band.
From word list to reading
Lists are where vocabulary starts, not where it sticks. Every level page links each word to an example sentence, and many of those come from our free stories, so you can read the word in a real context.
HSK 3.0 vocabulary FAQ
What is the HSK 3.0 vocabulary list?
HSK 3.0 is the nine-level version of China's Chinese proficiency test, built on the 2021 standard (GF 0025-2021). Its exam syllabus, revised in November 2025 for implementation from July 2026, sets the word list for each level. The lists on this site follow that 2026 syllabus: 10,971 words across levels 1–6 and the combined 7–9 band.
How many words are in HSK 3.0?
About 11,000. The 2026 syllabus targets roughly 300, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,600 and 5,400 words cumulatively for levels 1–6, and about 11,000 through 7–9. Our lists contain 10,971 words because each word appears once, at its introduction level. The 2021 standard it replaced had 11,092 words, starting with 500 at level 1.
Should I study the 2021 list or the 2026 list?
If you are sitting the HSK 3.0 exam, use the 2026 syllabus lists — that's what the test is written from. Textbooks published before 2026 may follow the 2021 standard, so every level page also offers the 2021 list as a CSV and shows each word's 2021 level.
What's the difference between HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0?
HSK 2.0 has six levels and 5,000 words; HSK 3.0 has nine levels and about 11,000 words, with more words at every level from 1 to 5. By word count, HSK 2.0 level 6 (5,000 words) sits close to HSK 3.0 level 6 (about 5,400). Each word on our level pages shows its old HSK 2.0 level so you can see what you already know.
Do the HSK lists come in traditional characters?
The HSK is a Mainland exam that uses simplified characters, but every list here also shows traditional characters and zhuyin with Taiwan readings. If you're learning for Taiwan, the TOCFL exam is the closer fit — see TOCFL vs HSK for how the levels map.
Can I download the HSK word lists as PDF or for Anki?
Each level has a free CSV (UTF-8, opens directly in Excel and Google Sheets, and imports into Anki) with simplified, traditional, pinyin, zhuyin, English, old levels, and an example sentence. For a PDF, open a level and use Print / PDF — the page prints as a clean table.
