Level 1
Elementary band, first level: everyday greetings and basic personal information.
- words
- 500
- characters
- 300
2021 three-band, nine-level proficiency standardFigures not yet verified
First band: levels Level 1 to Level 3
The opening stretch of the nine-level standard. Levels here take you from your first greetings to handling ordinary practical situations on your own.
Most learners start here, whether or not they intend to sit an examination at all.
Levels
What band 1 contains
Each level below is a separate record in HSK Guide’s curriculum data, with its own word and character target and its own source.
Level 2
Elementary band: routine conversations about study, work and daily life.
- words
- 1,272772 new at this level
- characters
- 600
Level 3
Completes the elementary band: manage most practical situations independently.
- words
- 2,245973 new at this level
- characters
- 900
Running totals from the standard — each level includes every level below it.
Source and verification
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)Ministry of Education of the PRC / Chinese Language Standards Committee
Not yet verified. The word and character figures on this page were transcribed from the published standard; no editor has confirmed them against the primary document. They are a study guide, not a rule.
Band numbers are not the classic HSK numbers
Level 3 in this standard and HSK 3 in the classic six-level ladder are different word lists published by different bodies. HSK Guide stores them as separate inventories and labels every entry with the standard it came from, so the two never blur together.
How the inventories are kept apartVocabulary explorer
Vocabulary where band 1 begins
A sample from the Level 1 list — 506 published words carry this label in HSK Guide today.
- 爱愛ài (fourth tone, falling)
to love
- 爱好愛好àihào (fourth tone, falling)
hobby, pastime, interest
- 爸bà (fourth tone, falling)
father
- 吧ba (neutral tone)
…, shall we?; let’s (softening a suggestion)
- 白bái (second tone, rising)
white
- 白天bái (second tone, rising) tiān (first tone, high and level)
daytime
- 百bǎi (third tone, dipping)
hundred
- 班bān (first tone, high and level)
class, form (a group of classmates)
- 半bàn (fourth tone, falling)
half
- 半年bàn (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising)
half a year
- 半天bàn (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level)
half of the day
- 帮幫bāng (first tone, high and level)
to help
- 帮忙幫忙bāngmáng (first tone, high and level)
to help out, to lend a hand
- 包bāo (first tone, high and level)
bag, satchel
- 包子bāo (first tone, high and level) zi (neutral tone)
steamed stuffed bun
- 杯bēi (first tone, high and level)
cup
- 杯子bēizi (first tone, high and level)
cup, glass
- 北běi (third tone, dipping)
north
Mock examinations
Practice material for band 1
Timed practice written for HSK Guide. The length, the timing and the scoring are our own practice settings rather than an official paper — every attempt ends with a gap analysis.
No practice examination is published for this band yet. See the full catalogue
This is unofficial practice material written for HSK Guide. It is not a past paper and is not endorsed by any examination authority.
Which level of band 1 are you on?
The placement test measures vocabulary, listening, reading, grammar and tones, then builds your first seven days.