2025 HSK examination syllabus

HSK 4
vocabulary.

四级词汇

Read longer narratives and discuss familiar subjects with vocabulary for relationships, explanations, and abstract ideas.

1,000new words
2,000cumulative words
What to learn

Notice word combinations and sentence context instead of memorizing isolated translations.

How to use this list

Use the list as a reading reference: search for an unfamiliar word, hear it, and return to the sentence where you found it.

2026 rollout: This syllabus was published in November 2025 and became effective in July 2026. The official second-round HSK 3.0 global trial is scheduled for September 20, 2026, so confirm the syllabus and test format with your center.

List scope

All 2,000 words from HSK 1 through HSK 4.

HSK 4 only 1,000HSK 1–4 combined 2,000
Official 2025 syllabus

HSK 4 vocabulary

Words 1,901–2,000 of 2,000Hear any word · Save useful vocabulary

the head of an institution whose name ends in 院[yuan4]; chair of a board; university president; college dean; premier of the Republic of China

to say again; to put off a discussion until later

动、连

(after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ...; (after a noun) person involved in ...

(bound form) whole; complete; entire; (before a measure word) whole; (before or after number + measure word) exactly

certificate; papers; credentials; document; ID

after; behind; (at the beginning of a sentence) afterwards; since then

worth the money; to merit; to deserve; to be worth (doing sth)

direct (opposite: indirect 間接|间接[jian4 jie1]); immediate

to have no other option but to ...; to have to; to be forced to

(physics) mass; quality (i.e. degree of excellence)

important point; main point; focus; key (project etc)

名、副

specialized; dedicated (to a particular field or purpose); specially; specifically (for a particular purpose)

副、形

to transmit; to forward (mail, SMS, packets of data)

(to take) a turn for the better; to change planes

to study outside of class time (reviewing one's lessons); to study in one's free time

to have confidence in oneself; self-confidence

动、名、形

to dream; to have a dream; (fig.) to indulge in wishful thinking

to write an essay; composition (student essay)

动、名

to act on; to affect; action; function; activity

名、(动)

Vocabulary levels, pinyin, parts of speech, and counts follow the official 2025 HSK examination syllabus, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation and effective July 2026. English glosses are adapted from CC-CEDICT under CC BY-SA 4.0; context may change the best translation.