HSK 6: the complete guide — words, exam, textbook and preparation
HSK 6 is the sixth level of the international Chinese proficiency exam. How many words is HSK 6? Under the new HSK 3.0 syllabus, 5,400: 1,800 new ones, while the other 3,600 are built up over the first five levels. The old syllabus had 5,000. It's the biggest of the six levels, but no longer the last: levels 7–9 now sit above it.
How many words and characters are in HSK 6
In word count, level 6 changed the least of all: 5,400 instead of 5,000. But the words are spread differently. HSK 6 used to be a leap — after level 5's 2,500 words you had to double your vocabulary. Now the load is more even: 1,800 new words on top of 3,600.
The new syllabus counts characters separately. By the end of level 6 you need to recognize 1,940 characters when reading, 413 of them new. The standard asks you to write fewer by hand — about 150 per level. The full word list of the level by topic is on the HSK 6 words page, and the reform itself is covered in the article on HSK 3.0.
HSK 1–6: how many words at each level
To see level 6 alongside the rest, here are all six. The link in the first column goes to a detailed article on that level.
| Level | Words in total (HSK 3.0) | New at the level | Old HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 300 | 150 |
| HSK 2 | 500 | 200 | 300 |
| HSK 3 | 1,000 | 500 | 600 |
| HSK 4 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 1,200 |
| HSK 5 | 3,600 | 1,600 | 2,500 |
| HSK 6 | 5,400 | 1,800 | 5,000 |
HSK 5 and 6 together are 3,400 new words — almost two thirds of the whole six-level syllabus. In words, the road from level 4 to level 6 is longer than from zero to level 4.
What you can do at HSK 6
HSK 6 Chinese is the top of the syllabus's second stage, the one for study, work and daily life. At this level you follow talks and discussions, read long texts without a dictionary at hand, and can argue for your opinion in writing. The level's topics in the course: government and law, the economy, science and nature, the arts, Chinese history and traditions.
- 投票tóupiàoto vote
- 股市gǔshìthe stock market
- 细菌xìjūnbacteria
- 遗址yízhǐruins, historic site
- 借鉴jièjiànto learn from, to draw on (an example)
- 众所周知zhòngsuǒzhōuzhīas everyone knowsa set four-character expression
The last row is a hallmark of the level: the HSK 6 vocabulary includes set four-character expressions. You don't assemble them from parts — you learn them whole, like an English fixed phrase such as "as a matter of fact". There are also many words with fine shades of meaning, and those you have to learn in sentences, not from a list.
Level 6 is not the ceiling
In the old system HSK 6 was the top level, and that idea is still around. The new syllabus has nine levels. Levels 7–9 are professional and academic Chinese: another 5,600 words on top of the 5,400. They're taken as one combined exam, which includes translation from your chosen language into Chinese and back. So level 6 is a serious milestone, but not the finish line. An overview of the whole scale is in the article on HSK levels.
The HSK 6 exam: what's on it
The written paper in the new format is 82 questions in about 125 minutes; the old exam took 2 hours 20 minutes. The parts follow the official sample papers on chinesetest.cn.
| Part | Questions | Time | What's inside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 40 | about 30 min | pick the matching statement; talks and lectures with 3–4 questions |
| Reading | 40 | 40 min | gaps, putting phrases back into a text, five long texts |
| Writing | 2 | 45 min | a practical (business) text and an argumentative essay |
Listening starts with short recordings where you pick the statement that matches what you heard. Then come conversations and talks — three or four questions per recording, so you have to hold on to the details until the end.
Reading has gaps in a text, then phrase insertion: you get a text with holes and a set of phrases, one of which doesn't belong. That makes guessing by elimination harder. The part ends with five long texts with questions — and you have 40 minutes for all of reading, a minute per question.
Writing is two texts in 45 minutes. The first is a practical, business-style text of at least 150 characters. The second is an argumentative essay of 300 characters or more: you take a position and back it up with reasons.
The speaking test is required: with HSK 6 you take the advanced HSKK on the same day — the same one as with level 5. It's 24 minutes: retelling, reading aloud, answering questions; the pass mark is 60 out of 100.
The certificate is valid for two years, so it makes sense to take the exam close to when you'll need it. Which level and which version of the exam is accepted is decided by the university or employer. Registration, dates and fees are covered in the article on the HSK exam.
The HSK 6 textbook: choosing an edition
Most people prepare for level 6 with the HSK Standard Course series (HSK 标准教程) from Beijing Language and Culture University Press. For level 6 it comes in two parts, each with a textbook and a workbook. The series was written for the old format — for 5,000 words and the old question types.
The old and new HSK 6 vocabularies are close in size, but the exam tasks are different. New editions are coming out for HSK 3.0 — check which version of the syllabus a book follows: it says so on the cover and on the copyright page. You won't find "HSK 6 textbook PDF download" links here; how to choose materials is in the article on HSK textbooks.
How long HSK 6 takes, and how to prepare
In our course, level 6 has 302 lessons — more than any other level. At one lesson a day that's about ten months. That's the course's pace, not a promise: count from a solid level 5, and everyone has their own speed.
- Don't lose your vocabulary. You can't keep 5,400 words in your head without a review system. Rare words go first — exactly the ones that arrived at level 6.
- Read faster than you're used to. Five long texts plus two other task types in 40 minutes. Practice reading with a timer, without going back to every unknown word.
- Build an argument. 300 characters is a real essay with an introduction, reasons and a conclusion. That takes connectors and literary phrasing, not just vocabulary.
- Listen to long speech. A talk several minutes long and four questions after it — get used to taking in spoken Chinese in big chunks, not single phrases.
The level 6 lessons, following the new syllabus, are in the course; during the beta it's free with a Nomto account. The general order of exam preparation is in the article on preparing for the HSK.
Where to test yourself before HSK 6
A quick check: the HSK 6 vocabulary test — 20 questions, three or four minutes, free. If half the words are unfamiliar, hold off on the mock exam.
A full check: the HSK 6 mock test in the new exam format. The first paper is free with no sign-up; during the beta, the second paper and the review of your mistakes are free with a Nomto account. AI checks the business text and the essay: it gives a score and points out mistakes. Treat it as a hint — the real score comes from an examiner. There is no speaking part in the mock test.
HSK 6 mock test
A paper in the new exam format: timed listening, reading, writing and a score for each part. The first paper is free.
Take the test
