CHINESE MANDARIN

ROADMAP TO LEARN CHINESE LANGUAGE

HSK1 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 1

HSK 1 is the official beginner level of Mandarin Chinese. It’s designed for people who are starting from scratch and want to build a strong, practical foundation in the language. Here’s what you’ll be learning:

📘 1. Vocabulary – 150 Everyday Words

You’ll learn 150 of the most essential words used in real-life conversations. These include:

• Basic greetings and polite expressions (e.g., hello, thank you, sorry, goodbye)

• Numbers and counting (from 1 to 100 and beyond)

• Time expressions (days of the week, months, telling the time, words like “today,” “tomorrow,” “now”)

• Family members and people (e.g., mother, father, teacher, friend, child)

• Common places (e.g., home, school, store, hospital)

• Objects around you (e.g., book, clothes, phone, bag, money)

• Food and drink items (e.g., rice, water, fruit, tea)

• Daily activities and actions (e.g., to eat, to sleep, to go, to look, to do, to work)

• Feelings and descriptions (e.g., happy, big, small, beautiful, tired)

• Pronouns and question words (e.g., I, you, we, who, what, where)

🧱 2. Grammar & Sentence Building

You’ll learn how to create clear, simple sentences in Chinese using the correct structure. Topics include:

• How to make basic statements (e.g., “I am a student,” “She likes coffee”)

• How to ask yes/no questions

• How to use question words like “who,” “what,” “where”

• How to say “this,” “that,” “here,” “there”

• How to form negative sentences (e.g., “I don’t like it”)

• How to express possession (e.g., “my friend,” “his book”)

• How to use numbers and measure words (used when counting things)

• Introduction to word order and how Chinese sentences are structured

🎧 3. Listening Skills

You’ll train your ears to understand spoken Mandarin at a slow and clear pace. By the end of HSK 1, you’ll be able to:

• Understand short conversations about everyday topics

• Recognize common words and phrases when spoken

• Follow basic instructions or questions

• Pick out key details from short audio recordings

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

You’ll gain confidence in saying basic things in Chinese using correct pronunciation and tones. You’ll practice:

• Introducing yourself and others

• Asking and answering simple questions

• Expressing likes, dislikes, and needs

• Talking about daily routines and plans

• Using simple expressions in real situations

📖 5. Reading Skills

You’ll begin reading simple texts and signs using basic Chinese characters. You’ll learn:

• How to read short sentences using the vocabulary you’ve learned

• How to understand menus, labels, signs, and simple messages

• How to recognize key characters and match them with their meanings

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

You’ll start writing short words and phrases using the correct stroke order. You’ll learn:

• The structure of basic Chinese characters

• How to write personal information (like name and nationality)

• How to build and write simple sentences on your own

🌐 7. Everyday Communication

By the end of HSK 1, you will be able to:

• Introduce yourself and talk about your background

• Ask for directions, time, and prices

• Communicate politely in shops, restaurants, and public places

• Understand and respond to basic questions

• Handle simple conversations during travel or social interactions

💡 Why It’s Worth It

HSK 1 covers a huge amount of practical, real-life language in a very beginner-friendly way. Even with just this level, you’ll be able to:

• Start communicating with native speakers

• Travel more confidently in Chinese-speaking areas

• Understand key elements of Chinese culture and daily life

• Build a strong base for higher levels of Chinese learning

HSK2 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 2

HSK 2 is the next step after HSK 1 and is ideal for learners who have a basic understanding of Chinese and want to expand their vocabulary, sentence patterns, and ability to communicate in daily situations. It introduces more real-life topics, improves fluency, and helps you understand and express more complex ideas.

📘 1. Vocabulary – 150 New Words (Total: 300)

In HSK 2, you’ll learn an additional 150 practical words on top of what you learned in HSK 1. These new words allow you to:

• Describe actions in more detail (e.g., to help, to wait, to dance, to walk)

• Talk about weather and nature (e.g., sunny, cloudy, hot, cold)

• Use directions and locations (e.g., left, right, front, back)

• Describe personal feelings (e.g., happy, tired, hungry, busy)

• Talk about time more precisely (e.g., minute, hour, morning, evening)

• Name common objects (e.g., eyes, hands, roads, tickets)

• Express opinions and preferences (e.g., think, feel, want, hope)

• Use more useful question and linking words (e.g., because, so, really?)

🧱 2. Grammar & Sentence Structure

HSK 2 introduces more grammar that helps you form longer, clearer, and more accurate sentences. You will learn how to:

• Make comparisons (e.g., A is taller than B)

• Express past actions using time words and particles

• Talk about future intentions (e.g., I will go, I want to buy)

• Use conjunctions like "but", "because", and "so"

• Add more details and modifiers to your sentences

• Ask more complex questions (e.g., What do you think about this?)

🎧 3. Listening Skills

Listening becomes more realistic in HSK 2. You'll practice with:

• Short conversations that involve two speakers

• Descriptions of situations (e.g., where someone is, what they’re doing)

• Common announcements (e.g., in school or public places)

• Questions that require deeper understanding (e.g., “Why is she going there?”)

You'll start to listen for meaning, not just words.

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

With your expanding vocabulary and grammar, you’ll now be able to:

• Give simple directions (e.g., turn left, go straight)

• Describe people, places, or things in more detail

• Talk about daily plans or routines

• Invite, suggest, or express feelings (e.g., “Let’s eat,” “I’m happy today”)

• Have basic conversations without much help

📖 5. Reading Skills

HSK 2 takes your reading to the next level. You’ll be able to:

• Read and understand short paragraphs

• Follow conversations in text format

• Recognize around 300 characters

• Understand the meaning even if you don’t know every word (thanks to context clues!)

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

You’ll continue developing your ability to write in Chinese. You’ll learn to:

• Write complete sentences with correct grammar

• Fill in blanks with appropriate words

• Write personal info, short notes, and simple stories

• Use characters and word order more confidently

🌐 7. Practical Communication

HSK 2 gives you the tools to handle more real-life situations. By the end of this level, you’ll be able to:

• Ask for and give directions

• Describe your daily schedule or weekend plans

• Talk about weather and health

• Make simple phone conversations

• Express your thoughts and opinions

• Interact at a basic level in travel, work, or school situations

🎯 Why HSK 2 Is Important

HSK 2 is where things start to come together. You’re not just learning words—you’re starting to use them with confidence. You’ll:

• Understand more of what native speakers say

• Participate in conversations about daily life

• Prepare for more serious studies or travel to China

• Build a foundation for reaching fluency at higher levels

HSK3 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 3

HSK 3 is where things get real and rewarding. You move beyond survival Chinese and start using the language to describe, discuss, explain, and express yourself more naturally. It bridges the gap between basic and intermediate levels—perfect for learners who already have a foundation and are ready to expand their skills significantly.

📘 1. Vocabulary – 300 New Words (Total: 600 Words)

You’ll learn 300 more practical and useful words that allow you to talk about real-life topics in much more detail. You'll be able to:

• Describe personality and emotions (e.g., friendly, worried, bored)

• Talk about hobbies, sports, and free-time activities

• Use health-related vocabulary (e.g., fever, medicine, appointment)

• Communicate about work and school life

• Name more places (e.g., bank, airport, hotel, office)

• Use words for tools, transport, and public services

• Handle social situations (e.g., invitations, compliments, suggestions)

• Understand and express frequency, quantity, and intensity

🧱 2. Grammar & Sentence Building

In HSK 3, your grammar expands so you can form more natural and expressive sentences. You’ll learn how to:

• Talk about past experiences using advanced structures

• Use comparative and superlative forms correctly

• Combine ideas using more linking words (e.g., although, if, when, while)

• Use result and direction complements (a special feature in Chinese)

• Form complex questions and answers

• Make suggestions, requests, and offers politely

• Use adverbs and modal words for tone and clarity

🎧 3. Listening Skills

You’ll train your ear to follow longer dialogues and short narratives. Listening tasks will include:

• Multi-sentence conversations and announcements

• Descriptions involving time, location, and actions

• Discussions about daily life, plans, preferences, and problems

• Understanding the speaker’s opinion or intention

• Catching details from realistic audio contexts

By now, you’re not just understanding words—you’re understanding full messages.

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

With HSK 3, you’ll start sounding more natural and spontaneous. You’ll be able to:

• Talk about your experiences and describe events

• Share your opinions and explain reasons

• Use proper tone and phrasing to express yourself

• Speak for longer and with more confidence

• Interact in common social settings like restaurants, stores, or travel

📖 5. Reading Skills

You’ll be able to read short passages, messages, and stories. Reading skills now include:

• Understanding main ideas and details in texts

• Recognizing sentence patterns and flow

• Reading advertisements, schedules, signs, or short blog entries

• Understanding tone, intent, and logical order

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

In HSK 3, your writing becomes more structured and meaningful. You’ll learn to:

• Write longer sentences and short paragraphs

• Use proper word order and punctuation

• Write about events, opinions, and daily experiences

• Organize your ideas more clearly on the page

🌐 7. Real-Life Communication

This level gets you ready for basic daily life in a Chinese-speaking environment. After HSK 3, you’ll be able to:

• Discuss your plans, past trips, or preferences

• Ask for advice or give suggestions

• Describe someone’s personality or appearance

• Make appointments, ask for help, or express concern

• Handle everyday situations in travel, work, or study

• Speak politely and appropriately in formal and informal contexts

🎯 Why HSK 3 Is a Big Milestone

HSK 3 is often seen as the moment when learners "graduate from beginner to intermediate." It gives you the power to:

• Handle conversations with native speakers at a comfortable level

• Function in a Chinese-speaking workplace or school environment

• Begin reading simple books, websites, or news

• Prepare for trips, internships, or living in China

• Build a solid foundation for fluent and confident communication

HSK4 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 4

HSK 4 is your gateway to confident communication. At this level, you’ll stop translating in your head and start thinking in Chinese. You’ll learn to express complex thoughts, discuss abstract topics, and handle conversations at work, school, or while traveling.

📘 1. Vocabulary – 600 New Words (Total: 1,200 Words)

HSK 4 adds another 600 highly useful words, bringing you closer to fluency. With these words, you’ll be able to:

• Express opinions and emotions clearly (e.g., excited, disappointed, interested, surprised)

• Talk about goals, achievements, and personal development

• Use words related to career, business, and studies

• Handle formal and informal conversations

• Talk about society, technology, culture, and values

• Use richer words for time, quantity, condition, and possibility

• Describe actions in detail, including changes, habits, and consequences

• Use idiomatic expressions and common turns of phrase

🧱 2. Grammar & Sentence Structures

HSK 4 introduces more advanced grammar that allows for accurate and natural expression. You’ll learn to:

• Use complex sentence structures with multiple clauses

• Master the use of result, potential, and directional complements

• Express conditions, causes, results, and purposes

• Use passive voice, comparisons, and hypothetical situations

• Form sentences with conjunctions, contrast, and transitions

• Improve use of adverbs, aspect particles, and modal verbs

🎧 3. Listening Skills

Listening at this level involves understanding full conversations, explanations, and narratives. You’ll learn to:

• Follow conversations between multiple speakers

• Understand discussions on daily life, opinions, or problems

• Grasp the speaker’s tone, emotion, and attitude

• Listen to short news reports or announcements

• Recognize nuance, irony, or subtle meaning in speech

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

HSK 4 speaking is all about fluency, accuracy, and confidence. You’ll be able to:

• Take part in longer, meaningful conversations

• Give clear opinions and justify your choices

• Talk about your work, studies, goals, and culture

• Tell stories, explain plans, and describe experiences in detail

• Handle phone calls, interviews, and social situations in Chinese

📖 5. Reading Skills

Now you can handle paragraphs, stories, and articles with ease. You’ll be able to:

• Read texts with multiple topics and points of view

• Understand opinions, conclusions, and comparisons

• Read about work, news, emotions, and social issues

• Pick out important info from notices, instructions, or schedules

• Read and understand short essays and letters

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

HSK 4 expects you to write with clarity, variety, and organization. You’ll be able to:

• Write short essays with clear structure and logic

• Use linking phrases and transitions for flow

• Describe past events, future plans, and personal reflections

• Explain causes, effects, and reasons

• Express ideas using varied sentence types and richer vocabulary

🌐 7. Real-Life & Professional Communication

After completing HSK 4, you’ll be able to:

• Manage everyday tasks easily in a Chinese-speaking environment

• Communicate at school, in the office, or in social settings

• Join group discussions, express agreement or disagreement

• Participate in interviews, business meetings, and cultural exchanges

• Watch TV shows, YouTube videos, or listen to podcasts with subtitles

🎯 Why HSK 4 Is a Major Achievement

HSK 4 proves you’re no longer just a learner—you’re a confident user of Chinese. It allows you to:

• Apply for internships or jobs requiring basic Chinese

• Study and travel in China with ease

• Understand Chinese media with help from subtitles

• Engage in cultural exchange and express your worldview

• Prepare to move towards academic or professional fluency (HSK 5 & 6)

HSK5 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 5

HSK 5 is all about depth, nuance, and complexity. You’ll not only understand what people are saying—you’ll understand how they’re saying it, why, and with what emotion or intention. It's like moving from “just talking” to thinking and feeling in Chinese.

📘 1. Vocabulary – 1,300 New Words (Total: 2,500 Words)

This huge vocabulary boost includes words used in:

• News and media (e.g., politics, environment, society)

• Business and economy (e.g., investments, reports, management)

• Literature and storytelling (e.g., emotions, narration, metaphor)

• Academic topics (e.g., culture, history, psychology)

• Social issues and opinions (e.g., values, habits, traditions)

• Workplace Chinese (e.g., communication, teamwork, planning)

• Idiomatic and abstract expressions (e.g., expressions of judgment, agreement, regret)

You'll now recognize words used in TV dramas, newspapers, documentaries, podcasts, and even novels.

🧱 2. Grammar & Language Structures

HSK 5 introduces more academic and formal grammar, plus language used in written texts, reports, and speeches. You’ll master:

• Advanced connectors (e.g., even though, as a result, on the contrary)

• Relative clauses, complex modifiers, and embedded sentences

• Advanced complements showing degree, result, or capability

• Passive and active transformations in different tones

• Sentence patterns used in news reports, essays, and formal talks

• Use of 成语 (Chinese idioms) and traditional sayings in context

🎧 3. Listening Skills

Listening now focuses on natural, fast-paced speech. You’ll be able to:

• Understand radio shows, interviews, and podcasts

• Follow formal speeches, storytelling, and discussions

• Identify speaker tone, logic, argument, and purpose

• Keep track of conversations that jump topics or include opinions

• Catch hidden meaning, sarcasm, or emotional subtext

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

Your spoken Chinese becomes more sophisticated and fluent. You’ll be able to:

• Speak on academic, cultural, or societal topics

• Tell stories, share opinions, and argue points clearly

• Join group discussions, lead conversations, and give presentations

• Use appropriate tone and register (formal/informal)

• Add emotional and rhetorical layers to your speech

📖 5. Reading Skills

HSK 5 prepares you to read native-level materials. You’ll be reading:

• Short stories and essays

• Newspaper articles and journal entries

• Cultural and opinion pieces

• Instruction manuals, reports, and event announcements

• Literary Chinese in simplified form

You'll focus on reading for logic, theme, argument, and style, not just meaning.

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

You’ll now write with structure, style, and clarity. Writing tasks may include:

• Essays that present and support opinions

• Stories that include narration, description, and dialogue

• Formal messages or reports

• Rewriting or summarizing long texts

• Using idioms, quotes, or metaphors for style

This prepares you for academic writing or work-related communication in Chinese.

🌐 7. Real-Life & Professional Communication

With HSK 5, you’re ready for real-world immersion. You’ll be able to:

• Communicate confidently at work, school, or public settings

• Understand films, books, and long-form content

• Express views in debates, interviews, or meetings

• Interact deeply with native speakers on serious or sensitive topics

• Survive and thrive in a Chinese-speaking society

🎯 Why HSK 5 Is a Major Breakthrough

HSK 5 is often the entry point to fluency. It shows that you:

• Can live, study, or work in a Chinese environment

• Understand and express complex ideas clearly

• Are ready to study at a Chinese university

• Can build deep relationships with native speakers

• Handle Chinese literature, media, and pop culture

HSK6 JOURNEY

What You Will Learn in HSK 6

HSK 6 is where Chinese becomes more than just a language—it becomes a tool for intellectual exploration. You’ll be able to debate, analyze, interpret, and create content in Chinese, across a wide range of topics, in real time, and with nuance.

📘 1. Vocabulary – 2,500+ New Words (Total: Over 5,000 Words)

At this stage, your vocabulary includes words found in:

• Academic articles and research papers

• Literary works and philosophical essays

• Formal debates, speeches, and public announcements

• Business, legal, and medical documents

• Media commentary, editorials, and film reviews

• Cultural idioms, metaphors, and proverbs

• Highly abstract and emotional expressions (e.g., to criticize, to hesitate, to tolerate, to exaggerate)

You’ll recognize synonyms, tones, and subtle differences between words—choosing the right word in the right situation becomes second nature.

🧱 2. Grammar & Sentence Structures

HSK 6 grammar is elegant, complex, and exact. You’ll be comfortable with:

• Layered sentences with multiple clauses and transitions

• Advanced rhetorical patterns used in literature and debate

• Complex conditional, hypothetical, and concessive structures

• Passive, active, and impersonal forms

• The subtle use of aspect particles and modal expressions

• Refined sentence linking for smooth argumentation

• Expressions involving formality, irony, and emphasis

You won't just build sentences—you'll build ideas in Chinese.

🎧 3. Listening Skills

You’ll be listening to real, fast-paced native speech from various regions, styles, and registers. You'll understand:

• Lectures, documentaries, and expert interviews

• News analysis, financial reports, and social commentary

• Film dialogue, audio dramas, and unscripted discussions

• Speakers with different accents and speech speeds

• Indirect, figurative, or emotionally loaded language

• Contextual clues, irony, and satire

At this point, you'll understand Chinese without subtitles in most cases.

🗣️ 4. Speaking Skills

Speaking at HSK 6 means expressing ideas with nuance, precision, and cultural awareness. You’ll be able to:

• Participate in formal debates, discussions, and Q&A sessions

• Give presentations, speeches, or pitches in Chinese

• Handle interviews, negotiations, or conflict resolution

• Tell stories with emotional color, pacing, and style

• Shift your tone between academic, professional, casual, and humorous

• Use idiomatic and elegant language fluently

Your Chinese won’t just be correct—it’ll be impressive.

📖 5. Reading Skills

Reading becomes a whole new experience at this level. You’ll be able to:

• Read and analyze long literary texts and essays

• Understand formal reports, contracts, and editorials

• Follow philosophical and historical writings

• Recognize author’s tone, purpose, and attitude

• Decode metaphors, allusions, and cultural references

• Read between the lines for implied meaning and subtext

This skill unlocks access to authentic Chinese culture, history, and thought.

✍️ 6. Writing Skills

At HSK 6, writing isn’t just communication—it’s articulation. You’ll be able to:

• Write structured essays, critical reviews, and reports

• Summarize, paraphrase, and analyze texts

• Present arguments with clarity and depth

• Use formal tone or literary devices depending on the context

• Express complex thoughts logically and persuasively

• Craft pieces that reflect Chinese rhetorical style and cultural logic

This prepares you for university studies, professional writing, or publishing in Chinese.

🌐 7. Real-World & Professional Application

After HSK 6, you can confidently:

• Work in professional fields using Chinese (business, education, media, law, etc.)

• Study fully in Chinese at any university

• Conduct research, teach, or write in Chinese

• Build deep relationships and understand social dynamics

• Appreciate Chinese art, humor, and philosophy in their original form

• Engage in global and intercultural dialogue using Mandarin as a shared language

🎯 Why HSK 6 Is the Final Level of Fluency

Achieving HSK 6 means you can:

• Think, feel, and express yourself in Chinese like a native-level speaker

• Communicate with grace, subtlety, and intellectual strength

• Use Chinese as a professional, academic, or creative tool

• Live, work, study, or even write a book or give a TED talk in Chinese

It’s not just about passing a test. It’s about becoming a true bilingual.

"To master a foreign language effectively, it’s important to approach your learning journey step by step, level by level. Each level builds a solid foundation of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural understanding, allowing learners to progress with confidence and proficiency. Language acquisition is not a race; it’s a rewarding journey of discovery and growth!"

THE LEVELS OF CHINESE LANGUAGE ARE CALLED HSK LEVELS . THERE ARE 6 LEVELS IN CHINESE LANGUAGE

Why Learn Chinese Through HSK?

Let’s face it—learning Chinese can feel like wrestling a dragon made of characters, tones, and mysterious grammar. But don’t worry, the HSK is like your friendly dragon tamer. 🐉✨

HSK (short for Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi—but don’t worry, there’s no test on pronouncing that) is the official Chinese language test. It’s like a GPS for your language journey—guiding you from “Ni Hao” all the way to writing essays and having deep conversations about panda conservation.

Each level unlocks new powers—like gaining vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to understand Chinese memes (the ultimate goal, obviously). Plus, if you ever want to study or work in China, having an HSK certificate is like showing your VIP pass.

In short: HSK makes learning Chinese less “lost in translation” and more “I got this!”