HSK 2 Vocabulary List — All 151 Words

Every word the official HSK 2 list adds after HSK 1 — with Simplified & Traditional characters, pinyin, English meanings, and audio. (Yes, the official list really has 151 words, not 150.) Search it, sort it, print it as a free PDF, then check yourself with a 20-question mock test. No sign-up.

300 words known in total at this level · ≈ CEFR A2
100% Free
151
new words at this level
(208 unique characters)
60
exam questions in ~55 min
(35 listening + 25 reading)
120/200
points to pass (60%)
pinyin shown on every question
40–60 more
study hours
(after HSK 1 (≈ 100–120 from zero))

HSK 2 Vocabulary List — All 151 Words

Chinese · Pinyin · English — free from ThePureLanguage.com/hsk/hsk-2

The full HSK 2 word list

Study as flashcards
151 of 151 words shown — click a column header to sort, click 🔊 to hear it
# 汉字 Hanzi Pinyin English & example
1 吧 ba
particle indicating polite suggestion; onomatopoeia; bar (serving drinks, providing internet access, etc.)
我们走吧！ Wǒmen zǒu ba! — Let's go!
2 白 bái
white; snowy; pure; bright
她穿白色的衣服。 Tā chuān báisè de yīfu. — She wears white clothes.
3 百 bǎi
hundred
一百块钱 Yì bǎi kuài qián — One hundred yuan
4 帮助
幫助 		bāngzhù
help; assist; aid
5 报纸
報紙 		bàozhǐ
newspaper
6 比 bǐ
compare; (indicates comparison); to gesticulate as one talks
他比我高。 Tā bǐ wǒ gāo. — He is taller than me.
7 别
別 		bié
don't do something; don't; depart; other
别担心！ Bié dānxīn! — Don't worry!
8 宾馆
賓館 		bīnguǎn
guesthouse; hotel
9 长
長 		cháng
long; length
这条路很长。 Zhè tiáo lù hěn cháng. — This road is very long.
10 唱歌 chànggē
sing (a song)
11 出 chū
go out; occur
我要出去。 Wǒ yào chūqù. — I want to go out.
12 穿 chuān
to wear; put on; penetrate
他穿红色的衣服。 Tā chuān hóngsè de yīfu. — He wears red clothes.
13 次 cì
(mw for number of times of occurrence); nth; order
这是第一次。 Zhè shì dì yī cì. — This is the first time.
14 从
從 		cóng
from; obey; observe
我从北京来。 Wǒ cóng Běijīng lái. — I come from Beijing.
15 错
錯 		cuò
mistake; error; blunder; miss an opportunity
对不起，我错了。 Duìbùqǐ, wǒ cuò le. — Sorry, I was wrong.
16 打篮球
打籃球 		dǎ lánqiú
play basketball
17 大家 dàjiā
everyone
18 到 dào
arrive (at a place); until (a time)
火车到了。 Huǒchē dào le. — The train has arrived.
19 得 de
(complement particle: links a verb to degree or result)
他跑得很快。 Tā pǎo de hěn kuài. — He runs very fast.
20 等 děng
to wait
21 弟弟 dìdi
younger brother
22 第一 dìyī
first; number 1
23 懂 dǒng
understand; know
24 对
對 		duì
correct; a pair; to face; be opposite
25 房间
房間 		fángjiān
room
26 非常 fēicháng
extremely; extraordinary; very
27 服务员
服務員 		fúwùyuán
waiter/waitress; server; attendant
28 高 gāo
high; tall
29 告诉
告訴 		gàosu
to tell; inform
30 哥哥 gēge
older brother
31 给
給 		gěi
to give; to grant; (passive particle)
32 公共汽车
公共汽車 		gōnggòng qìchē
(public) bus
33 公司 gōngsī
company; corporation
34 贵
貴 		guì
expensive; noble; honorable; Guizhou province (abbreviation)
35 过
過 		guò
(after a verb) to have done before; experiential particle; to spend (time)
36 还
還 		hái
still; yet; in addition; even
37 孩子 háizi
child; children; son or daughter
38 好吃 hǎochī
tasty
39 黑 hēi
black; dark; Heilongjiang province (abbreviation)
40 红
紅 		hóng
red; symbol of success; bonus; popular
41 火车站
火車站 		huǒchēzhàn
train station
42 机场
機場 		jīchǎng
airport; airfield
43 鸡蛋
雞蛋 		jīdàn
(chicken) egg
44 件 jiàn
(mw for things, clothes, and items)
45 教室 jiàoshì
classroom
46 姐姐 jiějie
older sister
47 介绍
介紹 		jièshào
to introduce; recommend; introduction
48 进
進 		jìn
enter; come in
49 近 jìn
near; close (to)
50 就 jiù
then; at once; just; only
51 觉得
覺得 		juéde
feel; think
52 咖啡 kāfēi
coffee
53 开始
開始 		kāishǐ
begin; to start; beginning
54 考试
考試 		kǎoshì
test; exam; to give or take a test
55 可能 kěnéng
possible; maybe
56 可以 kěyǐ
can; may; possible; okay
57 课
課 		kè
class; subject; lesson; course
58 快 kuài
fast; quick; swift
59 快乐
快樂 		kuàilè
happy
60 累 lèi
tired
61 离
離 		lí
leave; depart; go away; apart from
62 两
兩 		liǎng
two; 2; both; (unit of weight equal to 50 grams)
63 零 líng
zero; remnant
64 路 lù
road; path; journey; route
65 旅游 lǚyóu
trip; journey; tour
66 卖
賣 		mài
to sell
67 慢 màn
slow
68 忙 máng
busy
69 每 měi
each; every
70 妹妹 mèimei
younger sister
71 门
門 		mén
door; opening; gate
72 面条
面條 		miàntiáo
noodles
73 男 nán
male
74 您 nín
you (polite)
75 牛奶 niúnǎi
cow's milk
76 女 nǚ
woman; female
77 旁边
旁邊 		pángbiān
side, beside
78 跑步 pǎobù
to run; to jog
79 便宜 piányi
cheap
80 票 piào
ticket; bank note; a vote
81 妻子 qīzi
wife
82 起床 qǐ chuáng
get out of bed
83 千 qiān
one thousand
84 铅笔
鉛筆 		qiānbǐ
pencil
85 晴 qíng
clear; fine (as of weather)
86 去年 qùnián
last year
87 让
讓 		ràng
ask; let; yield
88 日 rì
sun; day; date; time
89 上班 shàngbān
go to work; be on duty
90 身体
身體 		shēntǐ
health; (human) body
91 生病 shēngbìng
get sick; fall ill
92 生日 shēngrì
birthday
93 时间
時間 		shíjiān
time; period
94 事情 shìqing
matter; affair; thing; business
95 手表 shǒubiǎo
wristwatch
96 手机
手機 		shǒujī
mobile (cell) phone
97 说话
說話 		shuōhuà
to talk; speak
98 送 sòng
deliver; to carry; to give; send
99 虽然
雖然 		suīrán
although; even though
100 但是 dànshì
but; however
101 它 tā
it
102 踢足球 tīzúqiú
to play football/soccer
103 题
題 		tí
topic; subject; question on a test or assignment
104 跳舞 tiàowǔ
to dance
105 外 wài
outer; outside; in addition; foreign
106 完 wán
to finish; be over; complete
107 玩 wán
to play; have a good time; visit; enjoy
108 晚上 wǎnshang
evening; night
109 往 wǎng
to go (in a direction); towards; in the past
110 为什么
為什麼 		wèishénme
why?; for what reason?
111 问
問 		wèn
ask; inquire
112 问题
問題 		wèntí
question; problem
113 西瓜 xīguā
watermelon
114 希望 xīwàng
to hope; wish for; to desire
115 洗 xǐ
to wash; bathe
116 小时
小時 		xiǎoshí
hour
117 笑 xiào
to laugh; to smile
118 新 xīn
new; Xinjiang autonomous region (abbreviation)
119 姓 xìng
surname; family name
120 休息 xiūxi
to rest; take a break
121 雪 xuě
snow
122 颜色
顏色 		yánsè
color
123 眼睛 yǎnjing
eye
124 羊肉 yángròu
mutton; lamb
125 药
藥 		yào
medicine; drug; cure; chemical
126 要 yào
to want; to need; will/shall; important
127 也 yě
also; too
128 一起 yìqǐ
together; in the same place
129 一下 yíxià
a little bit/while; one time; once
130 已经
已經 		yǐjing
already
131 意思 yìsi
meaning; idea; opinion
132 因为
因為 		yīnwèi
because
133 所以 suǒyǐ
so; therefore; as a result
134 阴
陰 		yīn
cloudy (weather); yin (the negative principle of Yin and Yang); secret; the moon
135 游泳 yóuyǒng
to swim
136 右边
右邊 		yòubian
the right (as opposed to left) side
137 鱼
魚 		yú
fish
138 远
遠 		yuǎn
far; distant; remote
139 运动
運動 		yùndòng
(physical) exercise; movement; sports; campaign
140 再 zài
again; once more
141 早上 zǎoshang
(early) morning
142 丈夫 zhàngfu
husband; man
143 找 zhǎo
try to find; look for; seek; to give change
144 着
著 		zhe
-ing (indicating action in progress)
145 真 zhēn
real; true; genuine
146 正在 zhèngzài
in the process of (doing something); currently
147 知道 zhīdao
know; be aware of
148 准备
准備 		zhǔnbèi
prepare; get ready
149 走 zǒu
to walk; to go; to move
150 最 zuì
the most; -est; (indicator for superlative)
151 左边
左邊 		zuǒbian
the left side; the left
The word order follows the standard pinyin-alphabetical HSK 2 list. Traditional characters are shown under the Simplified form when they differ. Use Print / Save as PDF for a clean handout of the whole list. Word list: official HSK 2 list (2012 standard); definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Free HSK 2 vocabulary mock test — 20 questions, 10 minutes

Check whether the words are really sticking. The mock test draws 20 random questions from the 151-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 2 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.
Question 1 / 20 10:00

Your weak words — review these first

WordPinyinMeaningYou picked
Drill with flashcards Back to the word list

Practice these words with free tools

HSK 2 Flashcards

Flip through all 151 words with audio, quiz modes and shuffle.

HSK Vocabulary Quiz

Multiple-choice vocabulary rounds graded by HSK level.

Listening Quiz

Train the exam's listening half: hear Chinese, pick the meaning.

Word Rain Game

Arcade review — tap the meaning before the word lands.

Sentence Builder

Rebuild scrambled Chinese sentences — word order practice.

HSK Level Analyzer

Paste any Chinese text and see how much of it is HSK 2.

HSK 2 grammar in 8 patterns

HSK 2 is where verbs get their particles and sentences start comparing things. These eight patterns cover what the exam adds beyond HSK 1.

  1. 了 — completed action & change — 我买了三本书。天冷了。 I bought three books. It's gotten cold.
  2. 过 — experiences — 我去过北京。 Wǒ qùguo Běijīng. — I have been to Beijing.
  3. 着 — ongoing states — 门开着。 Mén kāizhe. — The door is open.
  4. 比 comparisons — 今天比昨天热。 Today is hotter than yesterday.
  1. 要…了 / 快…了 — about to happen — 要下雨了。 Yào xià yǔ le. — It's about to rain.
  2. 因为…所以… — 因为下雨，所以我没去。 Because it rained, I didn't go.
  3. 虽然…但是… — 虽然很贵，但是很好。 Although it's expensive, it's good.
  4. New measure words 次·件·张 — 一次、一件衣服、一张票 once, one piece of clothing, one ticket.
Want the full explanations? Read Chinese Grammar Patterns for Beginners and Essential Chinese Measure Words.

HSK 2 study plan

Same rhythm as HSK 1: thirty minutes a day, three phases, all with free tools on this site.

Days 1–30 — Bridge from HSK 1

  • Retake the HSK 1 mock test until you clear 90% — HSK 2 builds directly on those 150 words.
  • Learn words 1–50 of this list (5 new words/day) with HSK 2 flashcards.
  • Meet 了 and 过 in the grammar list above; build sentences with them in the Sentence Builder.

Days 31–60 — Full list & grammar

  • Finish words 51–151, shuffling the flashcards to review older words.
  • Work through all 8 grammar patterns; drill numbers, prices and times in the Number & Date Quiz.
  • HSK 2 listening is longer than HSK 1 — do the Listening Comprehension Quiz every other day.

Days 61–90 — Test mode

HSK 2 — frequently asked questions

How many words do you need to know for HSK 2?

Officially HSK 2 is described as 300 words: the 150 from HSK 1 plus the new words on this page. Curiously, the official published HSK 2 list actually contains 151 new entries — one more than the advertised 150 — and this page includes all of them, so nothing on the exam can surprise you.

What is the HSK 2 exam format and pass score?

HSK 2 has two sections: Listening (35 questions, about 25 minutes) and Reading (25 questions, 22 minutes) — 60 questions in about 50–55 minutes. Each section is worth 100 points for a 200-point maximum, and you pass with 120 points (60%). There is still no writing section, and every question shows pinyin alongside the characters.

How long does it take to prepare for HSK 2?

Coming from HSK 1, most learners need another 40–60 hours — about 2 to 3 more months at 30 minutes per day, or 100–120 hours if you are starting from zero. The three-phase plan on this page paces the 151 new words at five a day.

Do I need to write Chinese characters for HSK 2?

No. Like HSK 1, HSK 2 has no writing section and every question displays pinyin above the characters. HSK 3 is where the writing section starts and the pinyin support disappears, so building character recognition now pays off later.

Is this the HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0 word list?

This is the official HSK 2 list from the HSK 2.0 standard — the version the internationally administered exam still follows. The newer HSK 3.0 framework (2021) uses nine levels with much larger word bands, but for the HSK 2 test itself, this list is the one to learn.

Can I download the HSK 2 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 151 words with characters, pinyin and English meanings, free and with no sign-up.

More background: HSK Explained — levels, format and study plan · handwriting practice: printable 田字格 sheets

Where next?

Step back to the HSK 1 list, move up to the HSK 3 vocabulary list, see all HSK levels at a glance, read HSK Explained to plan the whole journey, or explore every study tool in the Pinyin Learning Center.