People still Google “HSK 1 150 words.” Under the November 2025 vocabulary outline, that chart is outdated. Here are approximate counts from the syllabus file (table rows per level).
Word counts (new outline)
| Level | Added ≈ | Cumulative ≈ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 295 | 295 |
| 2 | 196 | 491 |
| 3 | 498 | 989 |
| 4 | 990 | 1,979 |
| 5 | 1,589 | 3,568 |
| 6 | 1,792 | 5,360 |
| 7–9 | 5,598 | 10,958 |
Character reading counts (cumulative ≈)
| Through level | Characters ≈ |
|---|---|
| 1 | 110 |
| 2 | 219 |
| 3 | 329 |
| 4 | 441 |
| 5 | 553 |
| 6 | 665 |
| 7–9 | 931 |
Writing character sets are listed separately in the syllabus (e.g. combined L1–L2 writing set, then level-specific sets).
How to study vocabulary the smart way
Do
- Learn words inside tasks (shopping, weather, school)
- Speak each new word in one original sentence the same day
- Review with spaced repetition, but test yourself orally
Don’t
- Download giant dumps and call it “done”
- Ignore tones because “I’ll fix later”
- Study only recognition if your exam includes writing
Level targets in plain English
| If you want… | Aim cumulative band |
|---|---|
| Survive travel | solid HSK 1–2 tasks (~300–500 words used productively) |
| Daily life + simple work | HSK 3–4 (~1k–2k) |
| Professional content | HSK 5–6 |
| Academic/professional advanced | 7–9 (multi-year) |
Free tools + scene pages
- HSK level test
- HSK guide
- Scenes: introduce yourself · shopping · weather
We intentionally do not host the full official word table on this site (copyright + thin-content risk). Use official channels for the complete list; use NiHaWa for strategy, structure, and speaking practice.