Word lists
Chinese word lists by theme and HSK level
All 5,201 words — the complete HSK 1–6 vocabulary (4,995 words) plus 206 everyday words HSK leaves out — organised in 30 themes. Every word comes with simplified and traditional characters, pinyin, an English meaning and audio. Pick a theme and filter by HSK level, or work through one HSK level at a time.
Word lists by theme
Learn vocabulary the way you use it — by topic. Every list can be filtered by HSK level.
Greetings & expressions Hello, thank you, sorry and the set phrases you use every day. 79 Function words & particles Pronouns, particles, conjunctions, prepositions and question words that hold sentences together. 224 Measure words & quantities Classifiers and quantity words for counting things. 67 Numbers Learn to count in Chinese. 29 Time, dates & frequency Clock words, days, months, seasons and how often. 166 Everyday verbs Common everyday actions: eat, go, buy, open, take. 330 Speaking & thinking Verbs for saying, asking, thinking, knowing and deciding. 373 Adjectives Describing words to expand your sentences. 327 Adverbs & degree Very, also, already, always and other words of degree and manner. 178 People & family Family members, friends, relationships and titles. 121 Body & health Body parts, illness, medicine and the doctor. 201 Feelings & emotions Words to say how you feel. 243 Personality & behaviour Character traits, attitudes and manners. 332 Food & drink Dishes, ingredients, drinks, tastes and eating out. 139 Home & household Rooms, furniture, household items and chores. 86 Clothing & shopping Clothes, shops, sizes and paying. 74 Money, business & economy Prices, banking, companies, trade and the economy. 198 Work & career Jobs, the office, meetings and careers. 198 Education & learning School, university, exams and studying Chinese. 115 Travel & transport Planes, trains, directions and getting around China. 119 Places & city Buildings, places around town and location words. 76 Nature & weather Weather, seasons, landscape and the environment. 141 Animals & plants Common animals, insects, trees and flowers. 64 Technology & internet Phones, computers, apps, Wi-Fi and mobile payment. 99 Media, arts & entertainment Films, music, books, news and performances. 130 Sports & leisure Sports, hobbies, games, holidays and celebrations. 79 Society, politics & law Government, law, history and social life. 318 Science & abstract concepts Reasons, results, methods, situations and other abstract words. 545 Countries & languages Countries, nationalities, cities and languages. 20 Objects & materials Everyday objects, tools, materials and shapes. 130
Word lists by HSK level
Preparing for the exam? Work through the official HSK vocabulary level by level, from the first 150 words to advanced fluency.
HSK 1 The 150 words of HSK 1: the very first words every learner needs. 150 HSK 2 The 151 words of HSK 2: everyday basics for simple conversations. 151 HSK 3 The 300 words of HSK 3: talk about daily life, work and study. 297 HSK 4 The 600 words of HSK 4: discuss a wide range of everyday topics. 598 HSK 5 The 1,300 words of HSK 5: read newspapers and follow films. 1300 HSK 6 The 2,500 words of HSK 6: express yourself fluently on any subject. 2499 Daily life (beyond HSK) 200 everyday words that HSK 1–6 leaves out but you will hear on day one in China. 206