HSK 1 Vocabulary List — All 150 Words

The complete official HSK 1 word list with Simplified & Traditional characters, pinyin, English meanings, example sentences, and audio. Search it, sort it, print it as a free PDF, practise all 190 examples in the sentence drill, then check yourself with a 20-question mock test. No sign-up.

150 words known in total at this level · ≈ CEFR A1

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Free self-study material — not an official HSK study guide, and no guarantee of any exam, admission or visa outcome. See Terms of Service §9.4.

150

new words at this level
(174 unique characters)

exam questions in ~40 min
(20 listening + 20 reading)

120/200

points to pass (60%)
pinyin shown on every question

40–60

study hours
(≈ 2–3 months at 30 min/day)

Which version? These figures and the word list below are HSK 2.0, tested at sittings up to 7 November 2026. From the 13 December 2026 sitting, HSK 1–6 runs under the new HSK 3.0 standard with larger word lists. Booked for that date or later? Confirm the version with your test centre, and see what HSK 3.0 changed.

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190 authored sentences

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HSK 1 Vocabulary List — All 150 Words

Chinese · Pinyin · English — free from ThePureLanguage.com/hsk/hsk-1

The full HSK 1 word list

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150 of 150 words shown — click a column header to sort, click 🔊 to hear it

#	汉字 Hanzi	Pinyin	English & example
1	爱愛	ài	Love; like 我爱我的家。 Wǒ ài wǒ de jiā. — I love my family.
2	八	bā	Eight 我们八点看电视。 Wǒmen bā diǎn kàn diànshì. — We watch TV at eight o'clock.
3	爸爸	bàba	Daddy; father; papa 我爸爸是医生。 Wǒ bàba shì yīshēng. — My dad is a doctor.
4	杯子	bēizi	Cup; glass 这个杯子很漂亮。 Zhège bēizi hěn piàoliang. — This cup is very pretty.
5	北京	běijīng	Beijing 我住在北京。 Wǒ zhù zài Běijīng. — I live in Beijing.
6	本	běn	This; mw for books; roots; original 这本书很好。 Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo. — This book is very good.
7	不客气不客氣	búkèqi	Rude; impolite; your welcome; don't mention it 谢谢你！— 不客气！ Xièxie nǐ! — Bú kèqi! — Thank you! — You're welcome!
8	不	bù	No; not 我不是老师。 Wǒ bú shì lǎoshī. — I am not a teacher.
9	菜	cài	Vegetable; dish 这个菜很好吃。 Zhège cài hěn hǎochī. — This dish is delicious.
10	茶	chá	Tea 请给我一杯茶。 Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi chá. — Please give me a cup of tea.
11	吃	chī	Eat 你吃饭了吗？ Nǐ chīfàn le ma? — Have you eaten yet?
12	出租车出租車	chūzūchē	Taxi 我们坐出租车去。 Wǒmen zuò chūzūchē qù. — We'll go by taxi.
13	打电话打電話	dǎdiànhuà	Makes a phone call 我明天给你打电话。 Wǒ míngtiān gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà. — I'll call you tomorrow.
14	大	dà	Big; oldest 这个房间很大。 Zhège fángjiān hěn dà. — This room is very big.
15	的	de	Of; the 这是我的书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. — This is my book.
16	点點	diǎn	O'clock; dot; point; mw for suggestions 现在几点？ Xiànzài jǐ diǎn? — What time is it now?
17	电脑電腦	diànnǎo	Computer; pc 我的电脑很小。 Wǒ de diànnǎo hěn xiǎo. — My computer is very small.
18	电视電視	diànshì	Television; TV 他在看电视。 Tā zài kàn diànshì. — He is watching TV.
19	电影電影	diànyǐng	Movie; film; flick 我喜欢看电影。 Wǒ xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng. — I like watching movies.
20	东西東西	dōngxī	Thing 你想买什么东西？ Nǐ xiǎng mǎi shénme dōngxi? — What things do you want to buy?
21	都	dōu	All; even; already 我们都爱吃米饭。 Wǒmen dōu ài chī mǐfàn. — We all love eating rice.
22	读讀	dú	Read 他在读书。 Tā zài dú shū. — He is reading.
23	对不起對不起	duìbuqǐ	Sorry; excuse me 对不起，我来晚了。 Duìbuqǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le. — Sorry, I'm late.
24	多	duō	Many; more; how 学校里人很多。 Xuéxiào li rén hěn duō. — There are many people in the school.
25	多少	duōshao	How much; how many 这个多少钱？ Zhège duōshao qián? — How much is this?
26	儿子兒子	érzi	Son 他的儿子是医生。 Tā de érzi shì yīshēng. — His son is a doctor.
27	二	èr	Two 现在是二月。 Xiànzài shì èr yuè. — It is February now.
28	饭店飯店	fàndiàn	Hotel; restaurant 我们在饭店吃饭。 Wǒmen zài fàndiàn chī fàn. — We eat at a restaurant.
29	飞机飛機	fēijī	Airplane 我坐飞机去北京。 Wǒ zuò fēijī qù Běijīng. — I fly to Beijing.
30	分钟分鐘	fēnzhōng	Minute 我们有二十分钟。 Wǒmen yǒu èrshí fēnzhōng. — We have twenty minutes.
31	高兴高興	gāoxìng	Happy; glad 认识你我很高兴。 Rènshi nǐ wǒ hěn gāoxìng. — I'm glad to meet you.
32	个個	gè	Measure word 我有一个儿子。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge érzi. — I have a son.
33	工作	gōngzuò	Work 他在银行工作。 Tā zài yínháng gōngzuò. — He works at a bank.
34	狗	gǒu	Dog 我很喜欢狗。 Wǒ hěn xǐhuan gǒu. — I like dogs very much.
35	汉语漢語	hànyǔ	Chinese language 我会说一点儿汉语。 Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎnr Hànyǔ. — I can speak a little Chinese.
36	好	hǎo	Good; well 今天天气很好。 Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo. — The weather is very good today.
37	号號	hào	Number; name; size; order; sign 今天是六月八号。 Jīntiān shì liù yuè bā hào. — Today is June 8th.
38	喝	hē	To drink 我每天喝茶。 Wǒ měitiān hē chá. — I drink tea every day.
39	和	hé	And; with 我和他是同学。 Wǒ hé tā shì tóngxué. — He and I are classmates.
40	很	hěn	Very 她很高兴。 Tā hěn gāoxìng. — She is very happy.
41	后面後面	hòumian	Back; behind; later 他在我后面。 Tā zài wǒ hòumiàn. — He is behind me.
42	回	huí	Return; answer; circle; turn around; mw for occurrences 我下午回家。 Wǒ xiàwǔ huí jiā. — I am going home in the afternoon.
43	会會	huì	Meeting; understand; able to; can; will; shall 我会说汉语。 Wǒ huì shuō Hànyǔ. — I can speak Chinese.
44	几幾	jǐ	Few; how many 你几岁？ Nǐ jǐ suì? — How old are you?
45	家	jiā	Family; home; domestic 我家有四口人。 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén. — There are four people in my family.
46	叫	jiào	Shout; calls; bid; by 你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? — What is your name?
47	今天	jīntiān	Today 今天是星期一。 Jīntiān shì xīngqīyī. — Today is Monday.
48	九	jiǔ	Nine 他九岁。 Tā jiǔ suì. — He is nine years old.
49	开開	kāi	Open; start; drive; boil 他会开车。 Tā huì kāichē. — He can drive.
50	看	kàn	Look at; see; read; visit 我喜欢看书。 Wǒ xǐhuan kàn shū. — I like to read books.
51	看见看見	kànjiàn	See 我看见你的猫了。 Wǒ kànjiàn nǐ de māo le. — I saw your cat.
52	块塊	kuài	Lump; piece; mw for things in chunks and sheets and slices 苹果三块钱。 Píngguǒ sān kuài qián. — The apples are three yuan.
53	来來	lái	Come; arrive 请你来我家。 Qǐng nǐ lái wǒ jiā. — Please come to my house.
54	老师老師	lǎoshī	Teacher 王老师教数学。 Wáng lǎoshī jiāo shùxué. — Teacher Wang teaches math.
55	了	le	Past tense indicator 他去学校了。 Tā qù xuéxiào le. — He went to school.
56	冷	lěng	Cold; unpopular; ruthless; quiet 今天很冷。 Jīntiān hěn lěng. — It is very cold today.
57	里裡	lǐ	In; inside; inner; neighbourhood; Chinese mile half a km 猫在家里。 Māo zài jiā li. — The cat is in the house.
58	六	liù	Six 我们六点吃饭。 Wǒmen liù diǎn chī fàn. — We eat at six o'clock.
59	吗嗎	ma	Question indicator 你是学生吗？ Nǐ shì xuésheng ma? — Are you a student?
60	妈妈媽媽	māma	Mother; mom; mama 妈妈，我爱你！ Māma, wǒ ài nǐ! — Mom, I love you!
61	买買	mǎi	Buy; business 我想买一杯咖啡。 Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì bēi kāfēi. — I want to buy a cup of coffee.
62	猫貓	māo	Cat 她的猫很小。 Tā de māo hěn xiǎo. — Her cat is very small.
63	没关系沒關係	méiguānxi	It doesn't matter 对不起！— 没关系。 Duìbuqǐ! — Méi guānxi. — Sorry! — It doesn't matter.
64	没有沒有	méiyǒu	Not have; did not; is not 我没有钱。 Wǒ méiyǒu qián. — I don't have money.
65	米饭米飯	mǐfàn	Cooked rice 我想吃米饭。 Wǒ xiǎng chī mǐfàn. — I want to eat rice.
66	名字	míngzi	Name; a person's 你的名字怎么写？ Nǐ de míngzi zěnme xiě? — How is your name written?
67	明天	míngtiān	Tomorrow 明天见！ Míngtiān jiàn! — See you tomorrow!
68	哪	nǎ	Which; how 你是哪国人？ Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén? — Which country are you from?
69	哪儿哪兒	nǎr	Where 你去哪儿？ Nǐ qù nǎr? — Where are you going?
70	那	nà	That; those 那是我的学校。 Nà shì wǒ de xuéxiào. — That is my school.
71	呢	ne	Question particle 我很好，你呢？ Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne? — I am fine, and you?
72	能	néng	Can; ability; capable; energy 你能来我家吗？ Nǐ néng lái wǒ jiā ma? — Can you come to my house?
73	你	nǐ	You 你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? — What is your name?
74	年	nián	Year; age; old 我学了一年汉语。 Wǒ xué le yì nián Hànyǔ. — I studied Chinese for one year.
75	女儿女兒	nǚ'ér	Daughter 我女儿今年三岁。 Wǒ nǚ'ér jīnnián sān suì. — My daughter is three years old this year.
76	朋友	péngyou	Friend 他是我最好的朋友。 Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou. — He is my best friend.
77	漂亮	piàoliang	Beautiful; pretty 这条裙子很漂亮。 Zhè tiáo qúnzi hěn piàoliang. — This skirt is very pretty.
78	苹果蘋果	píngguǒ	Apple 这个苹果很大。 Zhège píngguǒ hěn dà. — This apple is very big.
79	七	qī	Seven 他七点回家。 Tā qī diǎn huí jiā. — He goes home at seven o'clock.
80	前面	qiánmian	Fore; front 请看前面。 Qǐng kàn qiánmiàn. — Please look ahead.
81	钱錢	qián	Money 我没带钱。 Wǒ méi dài qián. — I didn't bring money.
82	请請	qǐng	Please; ask; invite; request 请喝茶。 Qǐng hē chá. — Please have some tea.
83	去	qù	Go; leave; remove; send; past 我们去公园吧。 Wǒmen qù gōngyuán ba. — Let's go to the park.
84	热熱	rè	Hot; heat; warm up 今天天气很热。 Jīntiān tiānqì hěn rè. — The weather is very hot today.
85	人	rén	Person; people 他是中国人。 Tā shì Zhōngguó rén. — He is Chinese.
86	认识認識	rènshi	Acquainted with; know; familiar with; recognize; understand 我认识她。 Wǒ rènshi tā. — I know her.
87	三	sān	Three 我有三本书。 Wǒ yǒu sān běn shū. — I have three books.
88	商店	shāngdiàn	Store; shop 商店里东西很多。 Shāngdiàn li dōngxi hěn duō. — The store has many things.
89	上	shàng	Above; on; go up; upper; first 书在桌子上。 Shū zài zhuōzi shang. — The book is on the table.
90	上午	shàngwǔ	Morning 我上午学习汉语。 Wǒ shàngwǔ xuéxí Hànyǔ. — I study Chinese in the morning.
91	少	shǎo	Few; lack; little; be missing 商店里人很少。 Shāngdiàn li rén hěn shǎo. — There are few people in the store.
92	谁誰	shéi	Who 她是谁？ Tā shì shéi? — Who is she?
93	什么什麼	shénme	What; something; anything 这是什么？ Zhè shì shénme? — What is this?
94	十	shí	Ten 我有十块钱。 Wǒ yǒu shí kuài qián. — I have ten yuan.
95	时候時候	shíhou	Time; moment 你什么时候回家？ Nǐ shénme shíhou huí jiā? — When are you going home?
96	是	shì	To be; is; are; am; yes 这是我的书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. — This is my book.
97	书書	shū	Book; write 我爱看书。 Wǒ ài kàn shū. — I love reading books.
98	水	shuǐ	Water; river 我想喝点水。 Wǒ xiǎng hē diǎn shuǐ. — I'd like to drink some water.
99	水果	shuǐguǒ	Fruit 我爱吃水果。 Wǒ ài chī shuǐguǒ. — I love eating fruit.
100	睡觉睡覺	shuìjiào	Sleep; go to bed 我十一点睡觉。 Wǒ shíyī diǎn shuìjiào. — I go to bed at eleven o'clock.
101	说說	shuō	Said; speak; say; talk; explain 他会说三种语言。 Tā huì shuō sān zhǒng yǔyán. — He can speak three languages.
102	四	sì	Four 现在四点。 Xiànzài sì diǎn. — It is four o'clock now.
103	岁歲	suì	Years old 他今年二十岁。 Tā jīnnián èrshí suì. — He is twenty years old this year.
104	他	tā	He; him; another; other 他是我的朋友。 Tā shì wǒ de péngyou. — He is my friend.
105	她	tā	She 她是老师。 Tā shì lǎoshī. — She is a teacher.
106	太	tài	Too; very; highest; great 这个太大了。 Zhège tài dà le. — This is too big.
107	天气天氣	tiānqì	Weather 今天天气怎么样？ Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng? — How is the weather today?
108	听聽	tīng	Listen; obey; supervise; tin can 请听老师说。 Qǐng tīng lǎoshī shuō. — Please listen to the teacher.
109	同学同學	tóngxué	Classmate; fellow student 他们是我的同学。 Tāmen shì wǒ de tóngxué. — They are my classmates.
110	喂	wèi	Hello; hey; telephone greeting; to feed 她每天早上喂院子里的鸟。 Tā měi tiān zǎoshang wèi yuànzi lǐ de niǎo. — She feeds the birds in the yard every morning.
111	我	wǒ	I; me; myself 我是学生。 Wǒ shì xuésheng. — I am a student.
112	我们我們	wǒmen	We; us; ourselves 我们是朋友。 Wǒmen shì péngyou. — We are friends.
113	五	wǔ	Five 我儿子五岁。 Wǒ érzi wǔ suì. — My son is five years old.
114	喜欢喜歡	xǐhuan	To like; be fond of 我喜欢看电影。 Wǒ xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng. — I like watching movies.
115	下	xià	Below; under; down; fall; next; lower; finish 猫在椅子下。 Māo zài yǐzi xià. — The cat is under the chair.
116	下午	xiàwǔ	Afternoon 我下午去学校。 Wǒ xiàwǔ qù xuéxiào. — I am going to school in the afternoon.
117	下雨	xiàyǔ	Rains; rainy 明天会下雨。 Míngtiān huì xià yǔ. — It will rain tomorrow.
118	先生	xiānsheng	Mr; teacher; husband; doctor; sir 王先生是老师。 Wáng xiānsheng shì lǎoshī. — Mr. Wang is a teacher.
119	现在現在	xiànzài	Now; at present 现在几点了？ Xiànzài jǐ diǎn le? — What time is it now?
120	想	xiǎng	Think; want to- to miss 我想回家。 Wǒ xiǎng huí jiā. — I want to go home.
121	小	xiǎo	Small; few; young 我有一只小猫。 Wǒ yǒu yì zhī xiǎo māo. — I have a little cat.
122	小姐	xiǎojie	Young lady; miss 王小姐，你好！ Wáng xiǎojiě, nǐ hǎo! — Hello, Miss Wang!
123	些	xiē	Some; a few 这些书都是我的。 Zhèxiē shū dōu shì wǒ de. — These books are all mine.
124	写寫	xiě	To write; describe; draw 我会写汉字。 Wǒ huì xiě Hànzì. — I can write Chinese characters.
125	谢谢謝謝	xièxie	Thanks; thank you 谢谢你的帮助。 Xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù. — Thank you for your help.
126	星期	xīngqī	Week 星期天我不工作。 Xīngqītiān wǒ bù gōngzuò. — I don't work on Sunday.
127	学生學生	xuésheng	Student 我是大学生。 Wǒ shì dàxuéshēng. — I am a university student.
128	学习學習	xuéxí	Study; learn 我喜欢学习汉语。 Wǒ xǐhuan xuéxí Hànyǔ. — I like studying Chinese.
129	学校學校	xuéxiào	School 我们学校很大。 Wǒmen xuéxiào hěn dà. — Our school is very big.
130	一	yī	One; single 我有一个苹果。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge píngguǒ. — I have an apple.
131	一点儿一點兒	yīdiǎnr	A little; this point; one o'clock 我想喝一点儿茶。 Wǒ xiǎng hē yìdiǎnr chá. — I would like a little tea.
132	医生醫生	yīshēng	Doctor 她想做医生。 Tā xiǎng zuò yīshēng. — She wants to be a doctor.
133	医院醫院	yīyuàn	Hospital 医院在学校后面。 Yīyuàn zài xuéxiào hòumiàn. — The hospital is behind the school.
134	衣服	yīfu	Clothes 妈妈在买衣服。 Māma zài mǎi yīfu. — Mom is buying clothes.
135	椅子	yǐzi	Chair 那个椅子是我的。 Nàge yǐzi shì wǒ de. — That chair is mine.
136	有	yǒu	To have; has; there is; there are 我有两个姐姐。 Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè jiějie. — I have two older sisters.
137	月	yuè	Month; moon 我五月去中国。 Wǒ wǔ yuè qù Zhōngguó. — I am going to China in May.
138	再见再見	zàijiàn	Goodbye 老师，再见！ Lǎoshī, zàijiàn! — Goodbye, teacher!
139	在	zài	Located; in; at; exist 我在家。 Wǒ zài jiā. — I am at home.
140	怎么怎麼	zěnme	How; can it be that 这个字怎么读？ Zhège zì zěnme dú? — How is this character pronounced?
141	怎么样怎麼樣	zěnmeyàng	How; how about 这个电影怎么样？ Zhège diànyǐng zěnmeyàng? — How is this movie?
142	这這	zhè	This; these 这是我的书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. — This is my book.
143	中国中國	zhōngguó	China 我想去中国旅行。 Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó lǚxíng. — I want to travel to China.
144	中午	zhōngwǔ	Noon; midday 我中午不睡觉。 Wǒ zhōngwǔ bú shuìjiào. — I don't nap at noon.
145	住	zhù	Live; reside; dwell; stay; stop 你住在哪儿？ Nǐ zhù zài nǎr? — Where do you live?
146	桌子	zhuōzi	Table; desk 桌子上有一个杯子。 Zhuōzi shang yǒu yí ge bēizi. — There is a cup on the table.
147	字	zì	Character; symbol; letter; word 这个字怎么写？ Zhège zì zěnme xiě? — How do you write this character?
148	昨天	zuótiān	Yesterday 昨天他没有来。 Zuótiān tā méiyǒu lái. — He didn't come yesterday.
149	做	zuò	To do; make; write; hold; be used as 你在做什么？ Nǐ zài zuò shénme? — What are you doing?
150	坐	zuò	Sit; travel by; take a 请坐！ Qǐng zuò! — Please sit down!

The word order follows the standard pinyin-alphabetical HSK 1 list. Traditional characters are shown under the Simplified form when they differ. Download the whole list as a PDF for a clean handout — all 150 words, typeset, free and with no sign-up. All six HSK PDFs are on one page, with what is in each file and what you may do with it. Word list: official HSK 1 list (2012 standard). English definitions are from ThePureLanguage's own dictionary, except those marked †, which are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors and based on CEDICT © 1997, 1998 Paul Andrew Denisowski, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Free HSK 1 vocabulary mock test — 20 questions, 10 minutes

Check whether the words are really sticking. The mock test draws 20 random questions from the 150-word list — half ask the meaning of a Chinese word, half ask you to pick the right word for an English meaning — with a 10-minute timer.

Score 60% or more and you're at the real HSK 1 pass line (120/200).
You get a weak-word report at the end — every word you missed, with pinyin and meaning.
Retake as often as you like; every test is a fresh random draw.

This one is vocabulary only. For the whole paper — listening, reading, timed and scored out of 200 with a practice target — sit the full HSK 1 practice test.

Your weak words — review these first

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	You picked	Save to deck

Drill with flashcards Back to the word list

Practice these words with free tools

HSK 1 grammar in 9 patterns

HSK 1 grammar is small — if you can use these nine patterns with the 150 words above, you can say everything the exam expects.

Subject + Verb + Object word order — 我学习汉语。 Wǒ xuéxí Hànyǔ. — I study Chinese.
是 sentences — 他是老师。 Tā shì lǎoshī. — He is a teacher.
Adjectives take 很, not 是 — 我很好。 Wǒ hěn hǎo. — I am fine.
的 for possession — 这是我的书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. — This is my book.
吗 and 呢 questions — 你是学生吗？我很好，你呢？ Are you a student? I'm fine, and you?

不 vs 没有 negation — 我不是老师。我没有猫。 I'm not a teacher. I don't have a cat.
Question words stay in place — 你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? — What's your name?
Time before the verb — 我下午去学校。 Wǒ xiàwǔ qù xuéxiào. — I go to school in the afternoon.
Measure word 个 — 我有一个儿子。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge érzi. — I have one son.

Want the full explanation of any of these? Each one has its own page in the Chinese Grammar Library — structure formula, six example sentences with audio, the mistakes English speakers make, and a five-question drill. Background reading: Chinese Grammar Patterns for Beginners and Essential Chinese Measure Words.

HSK 1 study plan

Thirty minutes a day is enough. Each phase uses free tools on this site — nothing to install, nothing to pay for.

Days 1–30 — Sounds & first words

Learn pinyin with the Pinyin Chart and drill tones in the Tone Trainer.
Memorize words 1–50 of the list above (5 new words/day) with flashcards.
Master numbers 1–10, 你好, 谢谢, 再见 — then greet people in the Survival Phrases Quiz.

Days 31–60 — Full list & grammar

Finish words 51–150 (5 words/day), reviewing older words with shuffled flashcards.
Learn the 9 grammar patterns above; check yourself in the Sentence Builder.
Start ear training with the Listening Comprehension Quiz.

Days 61–90 — Test mode

Take the mock test twice a week; drill every weak word it reports.
Mix in the HSK Vocabulary Quiz and Word Rain for speed.
Scoring 80%+ consistently? Book the exam and skim HSK Explained for test-day logistics.

HSK 1 — frequently asked questions

How many words do you need to know for HSK 1?

The official HSK 1 vocabulary list contains exactly 150 words, built from about 174 unique Chinese characters. They cover the most essential everyday topics: numbers, family, time and dates, food and drink, places, and basic verbs like 是 (to be), 有 (to have), 去 (to go) and 喜欢 (to like).

What is the HSK 1 exam format and pass score?

HSK 1 has two sections: Listening (20 questions, about 15 minutes) and Reading (20 questions, 17 minutes) — 40 questions in about 35–40 minutes total. Each section is worth 100 points for a 200-point maximum, and you pass with 120 points (60%). There is no writing section, and every question shows pinyin alongside the characters.

How long does it take to prepare for HSK 1?

Most learners need roughly 40–60 hours of study to pass HSK 1 — about 2 to 3 months at 30 minutes per day. If you already read pinyin comfortably, you can move faster; the 30/60/90-day study plan on this page breaks the 150 words and core grammar into daily steps.

Do I need to write Chinese characters for HSK 1?

No. HSK 1 has no writing section, and every question in the exam displays pinyin above the Chinese characters. You need to recognize the characters and understand them by ear, but you are never asked to write them by hand.

Will my HSK 1 exam use this word list (HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0)?

This page is the HSK 2.0 list for HSK 1, and the exam facts above (question count, timing and pass score) are the HSK 2.0 format. That is the version tested at HSK 1–6 sittings up to and including 7 November 2026. From the 13 December 2026 sitting, the HSK 1–6 exams are run under the new HSK 3.0 standard (the 2021 nine-level framework), which has its own, larger word lists. If you are booked for that sitting or a later one, confirm the version with your test centre on chinesetest.cn before you choose a word list.

Can I download the HSK 1 word list as a PDF?

Yes — click the Print / Save as PDF button above the table and choose 'Save as PDF' in your browser's print dialog. You get a clean, ad-free list of all 150 words with characters, pinyin and English meanings, free and with no sign-up.

More background: HSK Explained — levels, format and study plan · what the 2021 nine-level standard changed · handwriting practice: printable 田字格 sheets

Where next?

move up to the HSK 2 vocabulary list, see all HSK levels at a glance, read HSK Explained to plan the whole journey or compare it with the 2021 nine-level standard, or explore every study tool in the Pinyin Learning Center.

HSK 1 Vocabulary List — All 150 Words

Sentence drill

Round complete

HSK 1 Vocabulary List — All 150 Words

The full HSK 1 word list

Free HSK 1 vocabulary mock test — 20 questions, 10 minutes

Your weak words — review these first

Practice these words with free tools

HSK 1 Flashcards

HSK Vocabulary Quiz

Listening Quiz

Word Rain Game

Sentence Builder

HSK Level Analyzer

HSK 1 Graded Readers

Chinese Grammar Library

Chinese Radicals

HSK 1 grammar in 9 patterns

HSK 1 study plan

Days 1–30 — Sounds & first words

Days 31–60 — Full list & grammar

Days 61–90 — Test mode

HSK 1 — frequently asked questions

How many words do you need to know for HSK 1?

What is the HSK 1 exam format and pass score?

How long does it take to prepare for HSK 1?

Do I need to write Chinese characters for HSK 1?

Will my HSK 1 exam use this word list (HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0)?

Can I download the HSK 1 word list as a PDF?

Where next?

Where to go next