HSK 3.0 speaking: is it now required?

Published 2026-10-31 · sources last checked 31 October 2026 · counts read from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus data

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Short answer: at CTI's September 2026 trial sitting, HSK levels 3–6 had to be booked together with a speaking test of the same level, and levels 7–9 include speaking tasks. Ask your test center whether the same applies to the sitting you book.

Under HSK 2.0, speaking was a separate exam, the HSKK, that you could take or skip. That is the change people mean when they say speaking is now part of HSK.

What the official sources say

  • Levels 3–6: CTI's trial notice (20 September 2026 sitting) said these levels "需与对应级别口语同时报名", that is, they must be registered together with the speaking test of the same level. It gave the speaking test as about 15 minutes at level 3, 20 at level 4 and 23 at levels 5 and 6.
  • Levels 1–2: the same notice lists no speaking test for them.
  • Levels 7–9: the syllabus says the expression tasks appear in the exam as speaking and writing items.
  • The 13 December 2026 launch: CTI's launch notice gives the date and deadlines but, as of 31 October 2026, does not repeat the speaking rule in its text. Confirm it with your test center.

What the syllabus expects you to say

The syllabus describes each level as tasks you "can do". Even at level 1 these include asking and answering simple questions about yourself, an event or an object, so speaking runs through the whole syllabus, not only the levels with a speaking test.

A calm way to prepare is a little speaking every day rather than a lot just before the exam. Free tools on this site help: sentence shadowing compares your voice with a model sentence, the tone mirror shows the pitch of a single syllable, and the HSKK speaking practice covers the older separate speaking exam's tasks.

Check yourself: 5 questions

Pick an answer to see the explanation. Nothing is saved or sent.

  1. How many separate word lists does the HSK 3.0 syllabus give?
  2. At the September 2026 trial sitting, which written levels had to be booked together with a speaking test of the same level?
  3. In which forms is the HSK 3.0 exam offered?
  4. What do levels 7–9 add that levels 1–6 do not describe in the syllabus?
  5. How many words does the syllabus list in total, through levels 7–9?

Next step

Open the HSK 3.0 Level 3 word list: every word with pinyin, English and audio, plus that level's characters and grammar points.

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Levels 7–9

Studied for HSK 2.0? Paste your word list into the HSK 3.0 level checker to see which words moved up, moved down or left the syllabus.

More on HSK 3.0

Sources

Word, character and grammar counts are read from our copy of the syllabus data every time this page is built. Explanations are our own. ThePureLanguage is an independent learning site, not affiliated with or endorsed by CLEC, CTI or any exam body; HSK is a trademark of its owner.

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