Blog / HSK
The 2025 HSK syllabus and our levels: how they fit together
By MyChineseStory · 1 November 2026
The official HSK syllabus published in 2025 organises Chinese into nine levels. Here is what it covers, how it relates to the six MyChineseStory levels and how the HSK Path works.
The HSK is the official Chinese proficiency test for non-native speakers. In November 2025 the Center for Language Education and Cooperation published a new official syllabus, the 《HSK 考试大纲》, which has been in force since July 2026. It sets out, level by level, the words, characters and grammar points expected.
What the syllabus covers
The syllabus has nine levels. Levels 1 to 6 each have their own lists; levels 7, 8 and 9 share a single block. For every level it defines the vocabulary, the characters and the grammar points, all of them cumulative:
| HSK | Cumulative words | Characters to recognise | Grammar points |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 246 | 70 |
| HSK 2 | 500 | 371 | 148 |
| HSK 3 | 1,000 | 655 | 244 |
| HSK 4 | 2,000 | 1,096 | 339 |
| HSK 5 | 3,600 | 1,527 | 409 |
| HSK 6 | 5,400 | 1,940 | 459 |
| HSK 7–9 | 11,000 | 3,088 | 593 |
How our levels relate
At MyChineseStory we use six levels designed for reading, from L0 to L5. Their vocabulary combines the HSK lists with frequency data from real Chinese, so you learn first the words you will meet most often.
| Level | Name | Cumulative vocabulary | HSK reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| L0 | Absolute Beginner | 150 words | HSK 1 |
| L1 | Starter | 500 words | HSK 1–2 |
| L2 | Builder | 1,200 words | HSK 2–3 |
| L3 | Connector | 2,500 words | HSK 3–4 |
| L4 | Explorer | 4,500 words | HSK 4–5 |
| L5 | Independent Reader | 7,500 words | HSK 5–6 |
The equivalences are approximate: our levels are designed for reading stories, not to mirror an exam.
What if I'm studying for the HSK?
Choose the HSK Path among your topics. Its stories follow the official syllabus band by band, from HSK 1 to HSK 7–9:
- The HSK sets the path, not the subject. Stories can be about anything: work, travel, everyday life, a mystery… What changes is the vocabulary and grammar they use.
- Only the words of your band and the ones below. Each story introduces a few new words from your band, and none from a higher band.
- One official grammar point per story, taken from the syllabus of your band.
- Comprehension questions, like in every story. There are no exam texts or exam-style questions: the aim is to read and understand.
- You move up on your own. You choose your band (we suggest one) and, when you master 90% of the vocabulary up to that band, you move up to the next one automatically.
It is a way to cover the HSK vocabulary and grammar by reading stories, instead of memorising lists.
Your first story is waiting
Seven days free, no card required.