The HSK 3.0 speaking test, explained
Under HSK 3.0, speaking is tested with a separate paper for each level from 3 to 6. It replaces the three-level HSKK for those candidates. Level 3 is 15 items in about 15 minutes, and levels 4 to 6 are 5 items in 20 to 23 minutes. HSK 1 and 2 have no speaking paper, and HSK 7 to 9 tests speaking inside the main exam.
What changed from the HSKK
| HSKK (HSK 2.0) | HSK 3.0 speaking | |
|---|---|---|
| Levels | Three: beginner, intermediate, advanced | One paper per HSK level, 3 to 6 |
| Items | 27, 14 and 6 | 15 at level 3, then 5 |
| Length | About 20, 23 and 25 minutes | About 15, 20, 23 and 23 minutes |
| Read aloud | Advanced only | Not in the sample papers |
| Picture task | Intermediate only | Every level, 3 to 6 |
| Score | 100 points, 60 to pass | Not published |
The old levels are covered one by one in HSKK Beginner, HSKK Intermediate and HSKK Advanced, and side by side in the HSKK overview.
The speaking paper at each level
These figures come from the official sample papers published with the HSK 3.0 syllabus.
| Level | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Items | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Listen and repeat, 8 items, 10 seconds each | Picture description, 5 items, 15 seconds each | Answer 2 questions, 1.5 min each | 15 | About 15 min, including 6 min preparation |
| 4 | Listen and retell, 2 items, 40 seconds each | Picture description, 1 item, 2 min | Answer 2 questions, 2 min each | 5 | About 20 min, including 10 min preparation |
| 5 | Listen and retell, 2 items, 1.5 min each | Picture description, 1 item, 2 min | Answer 2 questions, 2.5 min each | 5 | About 23 min, including 10 min preparation |
| 6 | Listen and retell, 2 items, 1.5 min each | Picture description, 1 item, 2 min | Answer 2 questions, 2.5 min each | 5 | About 23 min, including 10 min preparation |
Preparation is given per item. At level 3 each question gets 3 minutes. At levels 4 to 6 the picture gets 3 minutes and each question gets 3.5 minutes.
The vocabulary behind each paper is the level's own list: about 1,000, 2,000, 3,600 and 5,400 cumulative words for levels 3 to 6.
What the tasks ask, with official examples
- Listen and repeat (level 3). A sentence plays and you say it back within 10 seconds.
- Listen and retell (levels 4 to 6). A short passage plays once and you retell it in your own words.
- Picture description. At level 3, five pictures get about one sentence each. From level 4, one picture gets a two-minute talk.
- Answer the questions. Two printed questions per paper.
One question from each sample paper:
Level 3. 请介绍一下你的一位家人。 Qǐng jièshào yíxià nǐ de yí wèi jiārén. Please introduce one member of your family.
Level 4. 如果给你七天假，你打算怎么安排？ Rúguǒ gěi nǐ qī tiān jià, nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme ānpái? If you were given seven days off, how would you plan them?
Level 5. 你认为互联网对你的生活产生了哪些影响？ Nǐ rènwéi hùliánwǎng duì nǐ de shēnghuó chǎnshēng le nǎxiē yǐngxiǎng? What effects do you think the internet has had on your life?
Level 6. 有人说“最好的投资就是投资自己”，你赞成这个观点吗？请说明理由。 Yǒu rén shuō “zuì hǎo de tóuzī jiù shì tóuzī zìjǐ”, nǐ zànchéng zhège guāndiǎn ma? Qǐng shuōmíng lǐyóu. Some people say the best investment is investing in yourself. Do you agree? Give your reasons.
What is confirmed
- The first official worldwide HSK 3.0 sitting is 13 December 2026. The test authority announced it in September 2026.
- Official speaking sample papers exist for levels 3, 4, 5 and 6, with the structure above.
- There is no speaking sample paper for levels 1 and 2.
- In the pilot sittings of 31 January and September 2026, level 3 to 6 candidates had to register for the matching speaking paper.
- HSK 7 to 9 scores speaking as one of five skills inside a single exam. See the HSK 7 to 9 exam.
What is not confirmed yet
- The score scale and pass mark of the new speaking papers.
- How the result is reported. One certificate with the written exam, or a separate report.
- Whether the pairing is required at every regular sitting from December 2026, in every country.
- Whether the old three-level HSKK keeps running next to the new papers, and for how long.
- Whether you can sit a speaking paper on its own, without the written exam.
The item counts above come from sample papers. A live paper can differ, so the authority is your own booking on the official test site.
How to prepare
- Train retelling from level 4. It is new at that level. The old intermediate HSKK only asked you to repeat sentences.
- Practice pictures at every level. Who, where, doing what, why, what next.
- Time your answers. 90 seconds at level 3, two minutes at level 4, two and a half at levels 5 and 6. Record yourself and listen back.
- Keep the written side honest. The free HSK tests check the HSK 3.0 word list for your level, and the HSK exam format covers the written papers.
Which format are you sitting? Sittings before 13 December 2026 use the old papers and the three-level HSKK unless your booking says otherwise. The new HSK, explained covers the rest of the change.
Frequently asked questions
Is speaking mandatory in HSK 3.0?
From level 3 upward, that is how it has run so far. In both pilot sittings in 2026, candidates for levels 3 to 6 had to register for the speaking paper of the same level. The notice for the first official sitting on 13 December 2026 does not restate the rule, so read your own booking page. HSK 7 to 9 tests speaking inside the main exam.
Do HSK 1 and HSK 2 have a speaking test under HSK 3.0?
No. The official sample set has speaking papers for levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 only.
What is the pass mark for the HSK 3.0 speaking test?
Not published as of October 2026. The old HSKK is scored out of 100 with 60 to pass, and nothing official says the new papers keep that scale.
Is the HSKK being replaced?
For HSK 3.0 candidates at levels 3 to 6, a level-numbered speaking paper takes the place of the beginner, intermediate and advanced HSKK. The official site still lists the three HSKK levels in October 2026. Whether they keep running alongside the new papers has not been announced.
How long is the HSK 3.0 speaking test?
About 15 minutes at level 3, about 20 minutes at level 4, and about 23 minutes at levels 5 and 6. Those totals include 6 minutes of preparation at level 3 and 10 minutes at levels 4 to 6.
Is my old HSKK result still valid?
Yes. HSKK scores are valid for two years from the test date, and no announcement has shortened that.
Speaking is on the paper now. GraphChinese has trained it from lesson one all along, with every word taught inside a sentence you say aloud. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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