HSK 4 Chinese stories
with reading practice.
Develop intermediate reading fluency through Chinese folklore, mythology, idiom stories, and detailed scenes from modern life.
- STORIES
- 48
- WITH QUESTIONS
- 48
- SUPPORT
- Pinyin + audio
- TRANSLATION
- English
Three HSK 4 stories to start with
An immortal medicine, a difficult choice, and the moon goddess remembered every autumn.
→年兽的故事The Nian BeastHow one terrifying visitor became the reason China welcomes the new year in a blaze of red and sound.
→木兰从军Mulan Joins the ArmyThe older folk-ballad version of Mulan: a daughter takes her father’s place, serves for twelve years, and returns without asking for rank or riches.
→HSK 4 reading passages and stories
48 stories currently include three comprehension questions.
年兽的故事
The Nian Beast
愚公移山
Yu Gong Moves the Mountains
嫦娥奔月
Chang’e Flies to the Moon
神笔马良
Ma Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
白蛇传
The Legend of the White Snake
守株待兔
Waiting by the Tree for Rabbits
司马光砸缸
Sima Guang Breaks the Water Vat
女娲补天
Nüwa Mends the Sky
夸父追日
Kuafu Chases the Sun
牛郎织女
The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl
孟姜女哭长城
Meng Jiangnü Weeps at the Great Wall
聂小倩
Nie Xiaoqian
盲人摸象
The Blind Men and the Elephant
滥竽充数
The Man Who Pretended to Play
塞翁失马
The Old Man Loses His Horse
杯弓蛇影
The Snake Reflection in the Cup
哪吒闹海
Nezha Conquers the Sea
大闹天宫
Havoc in Heaven
木兰从军
Mulan Joins the Army
卧薪尝胆
Sleeping on Brushwood and Tasting Gall
为虎作伥
Helping the Tiger Hunt
后羿射日
Hou Yi Shoots the Suns
精卫填海
Jingwei Fills the Sea
东郭先生和狼
Mr. Dongguo and the Wolf
田忌赛马
Tian Ji’s Horse Racing Strategy
被取消的周末旅行
The Cancelled Weekend Trip
楼上的钢琴声
The Piano Upstairs
搬家前的最后一顿饭
The Last Dinner Before Moving
挂羊头卖狗肉
Hang a Sheep’s Head and Sell Dog Meat
发错群的语音
The Voice Message Sent to the Wrong Group
冰箱里是谁的东西
Whose Food Is in the Fridge?
鹬蚌相争
The Snipe and the Clam
熟能生巧
Practice Makes Perfect
惊弓之鸟
The Bird Startled by the Bow
纸上谈兵
War on Paper
郑人买履
The Zheng Man Who Bought Shoes
东施效颦
Dongshi Imitates a Frown
杞人忧天
The Man Who Worried the Sky Would Fall
一鸣惊人
A Single Cry That Amazed the World
一箭双雕
Two Eagles with One Arrow
闻鸡起舞
Rise at Cockcrow and Practise
疑邻盗斧
Suspecting the Neighbor’s Son
吴刚伐桂
Wu Gang and the Moon Tree
一叶障目
A Leaf Blocks the View
画饼充饥
Drawing a Cake to Satisfy Hunger
指鹿为马
Calling a Deer a Horse
负荆请罪
Carrying Thorn Branches to Apologize
螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后
The Mantis, the Cicada and the Yellow Bird
Read the whole story
Understand expressive language, cultural references, and longer narrative connections.
Use support carefully
Show pinyin or English when it solves a real reading problem, then hide it again for your second pass.
Check comprehension
Read for the complete meaning first, then review key vocabulary and listen again at natural speed.
HSK 4 reading practice questions
What is a HSK 4 story?
A HSK 4 story is a short Chinese reading text recommended for learners working at that level. Shanhai Story assigns levels editorially by checking vocabulary, grammar, sentence length, cultural terms, and the overall reading load; these are not official exam passages.
How many HSK 4 stories are available here?
This collection currently has 48 free HSK 4 Chinese stories. 48 include three comprehension questions, and every story includes pinyin, audio, English translation, and key vocabulary.
Should I keep pinyin visible?
Use pinyin when pronunciation is blocking you. On the second read, hide it and check which characters and words you can recognise without support.
How should I use the comprehension questions?
Answer the questions before opening the English translation. If an answer is wrong, reread the relevant Chinese sentence and replay its audio before trying again.
Which HSK 4 story should I read first?
Start with The Nian Beast (年兽的故事). Read once for the main event, answer the three questions, and then replay only the sentences that were unclear.