HSK Levels Explained — From HSK 1 to HSK 6
A plain-English guide to every HSK Chinese-proficiency band — what vocabulary count, what character count, what CEFR equivalent, what you can actually do, a sample sentence at-level, and exactly which scholarship, visa, or job each band unlocks for Indian candidates. We offer mocks for HSK 4, 5, and 6 — the three bands that have real recognition in the Indian-to-China pathway.
Hello, my name is...
HSK 1 · Absolute beginner
Vocabulary
150
Characters
150+
CEFR
A1
What you can do at HSK 1:
- Pinyin alphabet basics — initials, finals, four tones
- Greet, introduce yourself, count numbers 1–100
- Order food / drink in a simple restaurant
- Recognise ~150 essential characters in print
- Understand very slow, very clear native speech
Sample sentence at-level
你好，我叫李明。 (nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng — Hello, my name is Li Ming.)
What this level unlocks
Nothing visa / scholarship / job. Pure foundation. Not offered as a mock on this platform.
Asking for directions, basic shopping
HSK 2 · Tourist Mandarin
Vocabulary
300
Characters
300+
CEFR
A2
What you can do at HSK 2:
- Hold simple conversations about familiar daily topics
- Read basic signs, menus, simple text messages
- Use time expressions, dates, simple comparisons
- Understand simple announcements on transport
- Make purchases including basic price negotiation
Sample sentence at-level
请问，地铁站在哪里？ (qǐng wèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ — Excuse me, where is the metro station?)
What this level unlocks
Tourist survival. Some short-term cultural-exchange programmes accept HSK 2. Not offered as a mock here.
Daily-life conversations, basic work topics
HSK 3 · Conversational
Vocabulary
600
Characters
600+
CEFR
A2–B1
What you can do at HSK 3:
- Handle most routine daily-life conversations
- Read short articles in simplified-vocabulary publications
- Write short personal messages and emails
- Understand most spoken Mandarin at conversational pace
- Begin to handle basic workplace small-talk
Sample sentence at-level
我已经在上海住了三年了。 (wǒ yǐjīng zài Shànghǎi zhù le sān nián le — I've already lived in Shanghai for three years.)
What this level unlocks
Casual internship and homestay programmes. Some Mandarin-cultural-exchange grants. Entry-level Chinese-OEM India internships.
Universities, junior corporate, Z-visa floor
HSK 4 · Scholarship floor
Vocabulary
1,200
Characters
1,200+
CEFR
B1–B2
What you can do at HSK 4:
- Discuss a wide range of everyday and work topics
- Read short news articles, blog posts, forum threads
- Write a coherent personal essay (~80 characters)
- Follow most native-speed Mandarin conversation
- Handle Z-visa-related government counter interactions
Sample sentence at-level
随着经济的发展，越来越多的人愿意学习汉语。 (suízhe jīngjì de fāzhǎn, yuèláiyuè duō de rén yuànyì xuéxí Hànyǔ — As the economy develops, more and more people are willing to learn Chinese.)
What this level unlocks
CSC bachelor scholarships (Mandarin-medium provincial-tier); junior Chinese-OEM India roles; Z work-visa floor; junior interpreter trainee tracks.
Masters, embassy, senior corporate
HSK 5 · University & corporate
Vocabulary
2,500
Characters
1,700+
CEFR
B2–C1
What you can do at HSK 5:
- Read Chinese newspapers and magazines for general topics
- Watch native Chinese TV (with subtitle support)
- Write a structured 80-character essay from a word-list or photo prompt
- Deliver a prepared 5-minute presentation
- Handle business meetings in Mandarin at most contexts
Sample sentence at-level
无论环境多么困难，我们都应该坚持下去。 (wúlùn huánjìng duōme kùnnán, wǒmen dōu yīnggāi jiānchí xiàqù — Regardless of how difficult the environment, we should persist.)
What this level unlocks
CSC Mandarin-medium Masters at most universities; Chinese embassy / consulate locally-engaged staff; senior Chinese-OEM India roles; BPO/KPO Mandarin tier-2; Indian university Chinese-Studies BA faculty entry.
PhD, senior diplomatic, interpretation
HSK 6 · Mastery
Vocabulary
5,000
Characters
2,600+
CEFR
C1
What you can do at HSK 6:
- Read Chinese classical texts and technical / legal documents
- Watch and follow native Chinese news, films, lectures
- Write a 400-character summary essay from a 1,000-character source
- Hold professional debate / negotiation in Mandarin
- Recognise and use chéngyǔ (idiomatic four-character phrases) appropriately
Sample sentence at-level
纵观历史，所有伟大的文明都建立在持续不断的文化交流之上。 (zòngguān lìshǐ, suǒyǒu wěidà de wénmíng dōu jiànlì zài chíxù bùduàn de wénhuà jiāoliú zhī shàng — Looking across history, all great civilisations are built upon continuous cultural exchange.)
What this level unlocks
Mandarin-medium PhD at C9 League universities; senior diplomatic / academic / interpretation tracks; senior corporate India-China liaison; Indian university Chinese-Studies PhD-track faculty.
HSK 3.0 — the rolling reform you should know about
Hanban / CLEC is rolling out a redesigned HSK 3.0 framework that re-bands the original six levels into three stages of three levels each (HSK 1-2-3 = elementary stage, HSK 4-5-6 = intermediate stage, HSK 7-8-9 = advanced stage). The advanced stage HSK 7-8-9 is entirely new and targets near-native and academic-research level Mandarin. Most exam centres in India still administer the established HSK 2.0 structure described on this page. We will update guidance when the rollout reaches India's Confucius Institute network. The vocabulary boundaries and CEFR mapping shown above remain valid for HSK 2.0.
Pick your HSK level and start practising
We cover the three Indian-relevant bands: HSK 4, 5, and 6. Free demo, AI-graded.