HSKK Beginner (初级), explained
HSKK Beginner (HSK 口语考试初级) is the lowest of the three HSK speaking tests. You repeat 15 sentences, answer 10 short questions and speak for a minute and a half on each of 2 printed questions, all into a recorder. It takes about 20 minutes, assumes about 200 words, and passes at 60 of 100.
The format
| Part | Task | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listen and repeat (听后重复) | 15 | 6 min |
| 2 | Listen and answer (听后回答) | 10 | 4 min |
| 3 | Answer the questions (回答问题) | 2 | 3 min |
| Total | 27 | 13 min, plus 7 min preparation |
These are the figures on the official test site as of October 2026. Older sample papers print 4, 3 and 3 minutes for the same three parts, 17 minutes in all. The items and the answer times in part 3 are the same in both, so prepare for 27 items and treat the clock as approximate.
Scoring and pass mark
The test is scored out of 100 and 60 is a pass. There is no interviewer. Your answers are recorded and graded later. The score is valid for two years from the test date. The HSKK overview covers all three levels side by side.
Which HSK level it matches
The test is written for people who have studied for one to two semesters and know about 200 of the most common words. In ability that is HSK 1 to HSK 2. The current HSK 1 and HSK 2 lists hold 150 and 300 words, so a solid HSK 2 learner has more than enough vocabulary.
Registration is a separate matter. At many centers outside mainland China, HSK 3 has been booked together with HSKK Beginner since 2022. So the people sitting this test are often HSK 3 candidates.
What each part asks you to do
Part 1: listen and repeat
A short sentence plays once and you say it back. You do not need to add anything. Example:
我每天早上七点起床。 Wǒ měi tiān zǎoshang qī diǎn qǐchuáng. I get up at seven every morning.
Part 2: listen and answer
You hear a short question and give a short answer. One clear sentence is enough. Example:
Question: 你家有几口人？ Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén? How many people are in your family?
Answer: 我家有四口人。 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén. There are four people in my family.
Part 3: answer the questions
Two questions are printed on the paper with pinyin. You get 7 minutes to prepare both, then 1.5 minutes to answer each. This one is from an official sample paper:
你喜欢和谁一起去旅游？为什么？ Nǐ xǐhuan hé shéi yìqǐ qù lǚyóu? Wèi shénme? Who do you like to travel with? Why?
How to prepare
- Shadow short sentences every day. Play a sentence of 6 to 10 syllables, pause, say it back, and record yourself. Part 1 is more than half the items.
- Drill the question words. Part 2 turns on hearing 谁, 什么, 哪儿, 几, 多少 and 怎么样 the first time. Have one ready answer shape for each.
- Build ten 90-second answers. Family, your day, food, weather, hobbies, study, work, travel, friends, your city. Say each one aloud against a timer until you can fill the time.
- Use the preparation time to plan. Write key words in pinyin or characters on the scratch paper. A script you read aloud sounds flat and usually runs short.
- Fix tones first. The repeat section is marked on how it sounds. See the four tones, explained.
Common ways people lose points
- Starting to speak before the beep, so the first words are cut from the recording.
- Flattening the third tone and the neutral tone when repeating.
- Answering part 2 with a single word when a sentence was easy to give.
- Stopping after 20 seconds in part 3. The window is 90 seconds and silence earns nothing.
- Reaching for a pattern you half know. A simple correct sentence scores better than a broken long one.
Under HSK 3.0 the three-level HSKK is joined by a speaking paper for each HSK level from 3 to 6, and HSK 1 and 2 still have no speaking test. The first official HSK 3.0 sitting is 13 December 2026. See how speaking is tested under HSK 3.0 and the new HSK, explained.
Frequently asked questions
Is HSKK Beginner hard?
It is the easiest speaking exam in the system. It assumes about 200 common words, and 25 of the 27 items are a single sentence. Most people who lose the pass lose it on tones in the repeat section or by going silent in the last two answers.
What is the pass mark for HSKK Beginner?
60 out of 100. The test reports one score, and the result is valid for two years from the test date.
Can I take HSKK Beginner without taking the HSK?
In mainland China the HSKK is booked on its own. At many test centers outside China the two have been registered together since 2022 for HSK 3 and above, and HSK 3 is paired with HSKK Beginner. Check the booking page for your own center.
Do I need HSKK for HSK 1 or HSK 2?
No. Neither level has a speaking requirement, under the current exam or under HSK 3.0. You can still choose to sit HSKK Beginner alongside them if you want a spoken result.
Do I need to read characters for HSKK Beginner?
Barely. The first 25 items are played to you and never shown. The last two questions are printed with pinyin above the characters.
How long is HSKK Beginner?
About 20 minutes by the current official structure: 13 minutes of answering and 7 minutes of preparation. Older sample papers print 17 minutes for the same 27 items.
Say it from the first lesson. GraphChinese teaches tones and pinyin first, then every word inside a sentence you produce aloud, so the repeat and answer tasks are things you have already done. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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