Word lists
Chinese word lists by theme and HSK level
All 5,662 words — the complete HSK 1–6 vocabulary (4,995 words) plus 667 everyday words HSK leaves out — organised in 31 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. 216 Measure words & quantities Classifiers and quantity words for counting things. 68 Numbers Learn to count in Chinese. 28 Time, dates & frequency Clock words, days, months, seasons and how often. 167 Everyday verbs Common everyday actions: eat, go, buy, open, take. 341 Speaking & thinking Verbs for saying, asking, thinking, knowing and deciding. 371 Adjectives Describing words to expand your sentences. 328 Adverbs & degree Very, also, already, always and other words of degree and manner. 179 People & family Family members, friends, relationships and titles. 120 Body & health Body parts, illness, medicine and the doctor. 199 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. 140 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. 197 Education & learning School, university, exams and studying Chinese. 115 Travel & transport Planes, trains, directions and getting around China. 120 Places & city Buildings, places around town and location words. 80 Nature & weather Weather, seasons, landscape and the environment. 140 Animals & plants Common animals, insects, trees and flowers. 64 Technology & internet Phones, computers, apps, Wi-Fi and mobile payment. 98 Media, arts & entertainment Films, music, books, news and performances. 130 Sports & leisure Sports, hobbies, games, holidays and celebrations. 77 Society, politics & law Government, law, history and social life. 319 Science & abstract concepts Reasons, results, methods, situations and other abstract words. 544 Countries & languages Countries, nationalities, cities and languages. 19 Objects & materials Everyday objects, tools, materials and shapes. 129 Others Useful words beyond the HSK lists: everyday vocabulary, set phrases, modern terms and Malaysian Mandarin. 461
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) Everyday words that HSK 1–6 leaves out but you will hear on day one — plus the extra vocabulary in the Others theme. 667