HSK 3.0 ... new, new HSK?

I did another unboxing video here for the HSK7-9 Quick Vocabulary Handbook 《词汇速记速练手册》 (these are very new!):

• There are two volumes 上册 and 下册.
• There are 94 units, with each unit containing 60 vocabulary (the last one contains 56 words).  In total that's 5636 words.  The words are in alphabetical order according to pinyin.
• Every unit splits into three parts of 20 vocabulary.  English definitions are example sentences are given for each word.
• A select few words (maybe 6 per unit) will be "focus words", and given additional explanation (in Chinese) and example sentences.
• The exercises are basically all "fill in the blank" exercises.

There's really very little else to this.

Has anyone done the math on how much overlap there is between the HSK 3.0 levels 1 through 9 vocabulary and the BCT (Business Chinese Test) levels A and B vocabulary?

On 3/12/2024 at 2:21 PM, Elliott Jones said:

the math on how much overlap there is between the HSK 3.0 levels 1 through 9 vocabulary and the BCT (Business Chinese Test)

Okay I worked it out.

If my math is correct (and the wordlists I'm using are correct) then 3533 of the 4600 BCT level A and B words are present in the HSK 3.0 levels 7-9.

Breaking it down by level:

• 308 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 1
• 475 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 2
• 658 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 3
• 596 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 4
• 453 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 5
• 264 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 6
• 779 of them are present in HSK 3.0 level 7-9

So if you've already passed HSK 3.0 level 9 (has anyone passed that yet?), you are probably only around 1000 new words away from passing BCT level B.

I did HSK4 yesterday... not sure if it is the 3.0 or not. 

Is it in place yet?

(Too many pages to read whether or not)

On 3/18/2024 at 7:23 AM, TaxiAsh said:

I did HSK4 yesterday... not sure if it is the 3.0 or not. 

This raises an interesting question. How will we know if someone's HSK Level 4 certificate is based on HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?

There is a 2004 cumulative word difference between Level 4 of the HSK 2.0 and 3.0, wildly different levels of ability.

Maybe we judge based on date of test, but we don't actually know exactly when the HSK 3.0 word lists will start to be used, right?

On 4/16/2024 at 10:02 AM, Elliott Jones said:

This raises an interesting question. How will we know if someone's HSK Level 4 certificate is based on HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?

There is a 2004 cumulative word difference between Level 4 of the HSK 2.0 and 3.0, wildly different levels of ability.

 

Maybe we judge based on date of test, but we don't actually know exactly when the HSK 3.0 word lists will start to be used, right?

I'm still not sure which I did. I did it in a university in England. 

I made a short video of my last couple of weeks before them. 

https://youtu.be/gtp5JoiNiXk?feature=shared

On 4/16/2024 at 10:02 AM, Elliott Jones said:

There is a 2004 cumulative word difference between Level 4 of the HSK 2.0 and 3.0, wildly different levels of ability.

I guess the difference between the two will be more than just words! That's to say, if you pass 2.0-HSK4, then learn 2004 new words, then take the 3.0-HSK4, you'll fail.

Similarly with the Business Chinese test, there's a difference between knowing for instance how 莫非 is used versus knowing the difference between 国债 and 债券.

This was announced the other day:

Quote

HSK（七级）水平对应HSK（六级）240分及以上。

I.e., a HSK7 certificate is considered equivalent to a HSK6 score 240+.  To my knowledge, a HSK6 240 is about as high as you'd ever require for a university enrollment.

2010 saw the introduction of the HSK2.0.  2020 saw the "introduction" of the HSK3.0.  So perhaps in 2030, we'll see a HSK4.0.

We're almost in the second half of this decade, so it makes me wonder if the HSK3.0 for levels 1-6 will even be implemented at all.

On 11/17/2024 at 11:56 AM, becky82 said:

it makes me wonder if the HSK3.0 for levels 1-6 will even be implemented at all.

HSK3.0 will be fully implemented just before they announce the roll-out of HSK4.0, because that seems to be how Hanban likes do do things...

I stumbled upon this 汉考国际CTI post via Reddit just before.  It's a request for collaboration, but within:

• It mentions new HSK course books (from HSK1 through HSK7-9);
• It also says "the HSK 3.0 test is set to be fully implemented".

There's a new article about the HSK 3.0 rollout.  Two things:

Quote

对标等级标准的HSK3.0版，将于近日与大家见面。

Google Translate:

It seems there was a new news article, which talks about the 发布 ("launch" is the translation used in the English news) of the new textbook 《新 HSK 教程》:

Quote

严格对标HSK3.0的《新HSK教程》在大会上隆重发布。  
[Google Translate]: The "New HSK Tutorial," strictly aligned with HSK 3.0, was officially launched at the conference.

They also report AI being involved:

Quote

 

AI赋能+多模态资源，解锁学习新体验

在学习体验与资源支撑上，《新HSK教程》实现多重创新突破。引入AI智能助教“小语”，搭建纸版教材与数字资源的衔接桥梁，学习者可通过“小语助力”“小语讲堂”模块巩固语言知识与核心技能，还能通过“小语的彩蛋”解锁丰富拓展资源，让中文学习更具趣味性与互动性。同时，《新HSK教程》配套构建了多元化多模态资源矩阵，涵盖课文与生词音频、标准发音示范视频、动态汉字书写动画、课文情景剧动画视频、趣味文化小贴士短片及标准化教学课件等，为全球中文学习者打造智能化、沉浸式的优质学习体验。

[Google Translate]: AI-Powered Learning + Multimodal Resources: Unlocking a New Learning Experience

The *New HSK Course* achieves multiple innovative breakthroughs in learning experience and resource support. It introduces the AI-powered teaching assistant "Xiaoyu," bridging the gap between printed textbooks and digital resources. Learners can consolidate their language knowledge and core skills through the "Xiaoyu Assistance" and "Xiaoyu Lecture Hall" modules, and unlock rich extended resources through "Xiaoyu's Easter Eggs," making Chinese learning more fun and interactive. Simultaneously, the *New HSK Course* is equipped with a diverse multimodal resource matrix, covering text and vocabulary audio, standard pronunciation demonstration videos, dynamic Chinese character writing animations, text-based situational drama animation videos, short videos of fun cultural tips, and standardized teaching courseware, creating an intelligent and immersive high-quality learning experience for Chinese learners worldwide.

 

This WeChat post contains a real photo of a new HSK1 textbook:

Quote

So it looks like at least some of them already genuinely exist.  The article further states:

Quote

The new HSK 3.0 textbook series (Levels 1–6) will be officially available after its release on the designated platform.
According to current information, the new HSK 1–6 exams are expected to begin after June next year.

  A new post on WeChat announces official 3.0 syllabus pilot HSK1-6 exams next month (31 January 2026):
 

Quote

重要通知！HSK 3.0 考试全球试行启动！
Google Translate: Important Notice! Global Pilot Program for HSK 3.0 Launched!

 

为适应国际中文学习需求，持续优化HSK考试内容，HSK 3.0将于2026年1月31日在全球部分考点启动试行，此次试行考试覆盖亚、欧、美、非洲地区，涵盖HSK1-6 级，考后领取正式成绩报告，现报名通道即将开启，欢迎广大考生积极报名！

Google Translate: To meet the needs of international Chinese language learning and continuously optimize the HSK exam content, the HSK 3.0 test will be launched globally on January 31, 2026, at select test centers. This pilot program covers Asia, Europe, America, and Africa, encompassing HSK levels 1-6. Official score reports will be available after the exam. Registration will open soon; all candidates are welcome to register!

• There are HSK1-6 exams, and my reading is that there is an oral component for each HSK exam (not a separate HSKK exam).  There are both handwritten and computer exams.
• Registration starts 19 Dec 2026 (tomorrow), and the exam is 31 Jan 2026, and marks are available 14 Mar 2026 (Chinese New Year is soon after the exam).  List of venues: pdf.
• I have no idea of what the exam format is for these exams.

There's another WeChat post:

• There has been additional changes to the HSK 3.0 syllabus (maybe this should be called HSK 3.1?).  Specifically:

  Quote

      HSK1: 246 chars; 300 words

      HSK2: +125 chars (371); 500 words total;

      HSK3: +284 chars (655); 1000 words total;

      HSK4: +441 chars (1096); 2000 words total;

      HSK5: +431 chars (1527); 3600 words total;

      HSK6: +413 chars (1940); 5400 words total;

      HSK7-9: +1148 chars (3088); 11000 words total.

   

• There are also sample exams to help students prepare for the first HSK 3.0 (levels 1-6) exam.

I posted about the HSK3.1 syllabus over at Reddit, with my initial findings.

The official 3.0 syllabus pdf has changed.

I just noticed this, but if you download the official "3.0" syallbus from the chinesetest.cn website, the pdf has changed. I've uploaded it to Github (in case they silently change it again):

• this was the version released in 2025;
• this is the new version (still dated 2025).

These are the changes I'm seeing:

• The pdf metadata says it was edited  "ModDate: Thu Jan 15 16:24:22 2026 CST".
• There is a newly added 任务大纲 "task syllabus" (pages 4 through 57) for each level (in Chinese), which describes what students at each level are expected to be able to do.
• There is now a 话题大纲 "topic syllabus" (pages 58 through 78), which tells you what topics might arise on the 3.0 exam.
• The original had vocabulary out of order, and it looks like this has been corrected. I also noticed only minor changes to vocabulary like this:

1. 123 没（有） is now 122 没有
2. 266 有（一）点儿 is now 265 有点儿
3. 481 有时（候）is now 480 有时
4. 1073 差（一）点儿 is now 1070 差点儿
5. 3336 要不（然） is now 2080 不然
6. 3971 凡（是） is now 3964 凡是

• There appears to be some minor formatting improvements.