What HSK level am I?
Start with everyday Chinese and gradually move into more advanced language. Your result points to the level where you can still understand words, sentences, and short passages with confidence.
A useful level should make study material challenging without turning every sentence into a dictionary exercise. After the quiz, test the estimate by reading a complete passage at the suggested level.
HSK 3.0 vocabulary by level
The quiz tests newly assigned words at each band. The cumulative count shows the vocabulary listed from HSK 1 up to that level.
+300 at this band
Everyday foundation+200 at this band
Familiar situations+500 at this band
Connected ideas+1,000 at this band
Intermediate reading+1,600 at this band
Abstract discussion+1,800 at this band
Advanced expression+5,600 at this band
Combined advanced bandCounts follow the official 2025 HSK examination syllabus. HSK 7, 8, and 9 share one advanced vocabulary list, so this short quiz reports a combined HSK 7–9 result rather than pretending to separate those levels.
What you'll do
Move through seven short steps, beginning with everyday Chinese and finishing with an advanced sample.
Word meaning
Choose the closest English meaning for one word or expression assigned to that HSK band.
Sentence understanding
Read a complete Chinese sentence and identify the meaning, reason, action, or result.
Short passage
Follow two or three connected sentences and answer a question about their main information.
Get a best fit and a range
See the most likely HSK band, the uncertainty around it, and a practical starting point for your next reading.
A placement estimate,
not an exam certificate.
This test goes beyond recognising isolated words by checking sentence and short-passage comprehension at every level. It still cannot measure how well you hear natural speech, write Chinese, speak, or perform under exam time limits.
For a stronger check, inspect a real passage with the Chinese Text Annotator, read a graded Chinese story, and then try a timed HSK practice paper.
HSK level test questions
How long does the HSK level quiz take?
Most people finish in about five minutes. The quiz has 21 questions: three questions at each of seven HSK bands.
Does this quiz use HSK 3.0 or HSK 2.0?
It uses vocabulary bands from the official 2025 HSK examination syllabus associated with HSK 3.0. If you are preparing for an exam, confirm the syllabus and format named in your test center's registration notice.
How accurate is this short HSK level test?
It checks word meaning, sentence understanding, and short-passage reading, making it more useful than a vocabulary-recognition quiz alone. It still does not test listening, timed reading, writing, or speaking.
How is my HSK level calculated?
A simplified Bayesian item-response model considers the difficulty of every question, the one-in-four chance of guessing correctly, and occasional mistakes on easier questions. It reports the most likely band plus a likely range. Its starting parameters are editorial estimates and have not yet been calibrated from a large response dataset.
Is the HSK vocabulary quiz free?
Yes. The quiz is free, runs in your browser, requires no account or email, and gives the result immediately.
How many vocabulary words are in each HSK level?
The 2025 syllabus lists 300 cumulative entries at HSK 1, 500 at HSK 2, 1,000 at HSK 3, 2,000 at HSK 4, 3,600 at HSK 5, 5,400 at HSK 6, and 11,000 across the combined HSK 7–9 advanced band.
What should I do after finding my HSK level?
Read a graded passage near the estimated level and check whether you can follow the main meaning without constant lookup. Then use a timed practice paper to test reading speed and listening.
Turn recognised words into fluent reading.
Choose a complete story near your estimated level, hide the English, and see whether the meaning still flows.