HSK placement test: find your HSK 3.0 level
This free placement test estimates your level on the new HSK 3.0 scale. It has 28 questions, four for each band from HSK 1 to HSK 7-9, takes about ten minutes, and needs no signup. Answer what you can and leave the rest blank: a blank is better than a guess.
Your level is the highest band where you get at least 3 of 4 right with every band below it also held. The result shows the count for every band and the reason for every answer.
The placement test
How this placement test works
- Seven bands, four questions each. Questions 1 to 4 are HSK 1, 5 to 8 are HSK 2, and so on up to HSK 7-9. They get harder as you go.
- Each question tests a word of its own band. The sentence has a gap, and the word that fills it is one the HSK 3.0 vocabulary list places at exactly that band. The other three choices are real words that do not fit.
- A band is held at 3 of 4. The estimate is the last band held before the first one that is not. One lucky answer at a higher band does not move it.
- Nothing is hidden. You see the per-band count and an explanation for every question, right or wrong.
What it does not measure. This is a reading test of vocabulary and grammar. It has no listening, writing or speaking, and four questions per band is a quick estimate, so treat the result as a starting point. The 20-question test for each level is the confirmation, and the exam format lists what the official paper adds.
HSK 3.0 levels at a glance
| Level | Stage | New words | Words in total | Full test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | Elementary | 302 | 302 | HSK 1 test |
| HSK 2 | Elementary | 198 | 500 | HSK 2 test |
| HSK 3 | Elementary | 491 | 991 | HSK 3 test |
| HSK 4 | Intermediate | 991 | 1,982 | HSK 4 test |
| HSK 5 | Intermediate | 1,580 | 3,562 | HSK 5 test |
| HSK 6 | Intermediate | 1,778 | 5,340 | HSK 6 test |
| HSK 7-9 | Advanced | 5,562 | 10,902 | HSK 7-9 test |
Word counts are from the HSK 3.0 vocabulary list as this site vendors it. What each level lets you do is on the HSK levels page.
Frequently asked questions
What HSK level am I?
Take the 28 questions on this page. Your level is the highest HSK 3.0 band where you get at least 3 of 4 right, with every band below it also held. The result shows the count for each band, so you can see how the estimate was reached.
Is this HSK placement test free?
Yes. There is no account, no email field, and no limit on retakes. The estimate and the explanation for every question appear on this page.
How accurate is the estimate?
It is a quick estimate from four questions per band, and it measures reading vocabulary and grammar only. It will not tell you about listening or speaking. To confirm it, take the 20-question test for the level it gives you: one free test per level.
Is this for the new HSK 3.0 or the old HSK?
The new one. Every question has a correct answer that the HSK 3.0 word list places at exactly the band being tested, including the 7-9 band the old six-level exam did not have. Levels 1 to 6 keep their names in HSK 3.0 but ask for different words: HSK 3.0 against HSK 2.0.
How is the level worked out?
Bands are checked from HSK 1 upward. A band is held with 3 or 4 correct out of 4. The estimate is the last band held before the first one that is not, so a lucky guess at a higher band does not raise it.
I am a complete beginner. Should I take it?
No need. If you cannot read any Chinese yet, your level is "before HSK 1" and the place to begin is from zero.