HSK Level 1

HSK Level 1 is designed for beginners who want to have a basic understanding of Chinese.

Want to learn Chinese?

HSK Level 1 assesses the test taker's ability to understand and use simple Chinese phrases and expressions in everyday situations. It tests the fundamental building blocks of the Chinese language, including basic vocabulary, grammar patterns, and sentence structures.

The test consists of listening, reading, and writing sections. In the listening section, test takers listen to short dialogues and answer multiple-choice questions. The reading section tests comprehension by asking questions based on short passages or sentences. The writing section assesses the ability to write simple characters and short sentences.

The vocabulary and grammar covered in HSK Level 1 include topics such as greetings, numbers, dates, time, daily routines, and basic descriptions of people and objects. The emphasis is on practical language skills for everyday communication.

Achieving HSK Level 1 demonstrates that a learner has a basic foundation in Chinese and can understand and communicate in simple and routine situations. It is a good starting point for further language study and provides a solid base for progressing to higher levels of proficiency.

Overall, HSK Level 1 is aimed at beginners who have just started learning Chinese and want to assess their basic language skills. It serves as a stepping stone for further language development and serves as a recognized certification of Chinese language proficiency.

HSK Level 1 - 500 Basic words

Index Vocabulary Pinyin Meaning
1爱àito love
2爱好ài hàohobby
3八bāeight
4爸爸|爸bàba|bàdad
5吧baa particle used at the end of a sentence
6白báiwhite(adj.)
7白天bái tiānday
8百bǎihundred
9班bānclass
10半bànhalf
11半年bàn niánhalf a year
12半天bàn tiānhalf day
13帮bāngto help
14帮忙bāng mángto help
15包bāopackage
16包子bāo zibun
17杯bēicup (measure word)
18杯子bēi zicup
19北běinorth
20北边běi biānnorth side
21北京běi jīngBeijing
22本běna measure word for books
23本子běn zinotebook
24比bǐto compare
25别biédon’t(adv.)
26别的bié deother
27别人bié·rénother people
28病bìngsick/disease
29病人bìng rénpatient
30不大bú dànot big
31不对bú duìwrong/incorrect
32不客气bú kè qìyou’re welcome
33不用bú yòngno need to
34不bùno/not
35菜càidish/cuisine
36茶chátea
37差chàdiffer from/bad
38常chángoften
39常常cháng chángoften
40唱chàngto sing
41唱歌chàng gēto sing songs
42车chēcar
43车票chē piàoticket
44车上chē shàngin the car
45车站chē zhànstation
46吃chīto eat
47吃饭chī fànhave a meal
48出chūout
49出来chū láito come
50出去chū qùto go out
51穿chuānto wear
52床chuángbed
53次cì measure word for times/frequency
54从cóngfrom
55错cuòwrong/incorrect
56打dǎ to hit(verb)
57打车dǎ chēto take a taxi
58打电话dǎ diàn huàto make a phonecall
59打开dǎ kāito open
60打球dǎ qiúto play ball
61大dàlarge/big
62大学dà xuéuniversity
63大学生dà xué shēnguniversity student
64到dàoto reach
65得到dé dàoto get
66地dea particle most often used before a verb or an adjective
67的dea particle to show possessions
68等děngto wait(verb)
69地dìground
70地点dìdiǎnlocation
71地方dìfangplace
72地上dì shàngon the ground
73地图dìtúmap
74弟弟|弟dì di|dìyounger brother
75第(第二)dì (dì èr)prefix to indicate ordinal number (second)
76点diǎnspot
77电diànelectricity
78电话diàn huàtelephone
79电脑diànnǎocomputer
80电视diànshìtelevision
81电视机diàn shì jītelevision
82电影diànyǐngmovie
83电影院diàn yǐng yuàncinema/movie theater
84东dōngeast
85东边dōng biāneast side
86东西dōngxithing
87动dòngto move
88动作dòngzuòaction
89都dōuall
90读dúto read
91读书dú shūto study
92对duìcorrect
93对不起duìbuqǐI’m sorry.
94多duōa lot of/many/much
95多少duōshaohow much
96饿èhungry
97儿子érzison
98二èrtwo
99饭fànrice/meal
100饭店fàndiànrestaurant/hotel
101房间fángjiānroom
102房子fáng zihouse/building
103放fàngto put/to let go
104放假fàng jiàto have a holiday
105放学fàng xuéafter school
106飞fēito fly
107飞机fēijīairplane
108非常fēichángvery
109分fēnminute/a point(measure word)
110风fēngwind
111干gāndry
112干净gānjìngclean
113干gànto do
114干什么gàn shén mewhat to do
115高gāohigh
116高兴gāoxìnghappy
117告诉gàosuto tell
118哥哥|哥gē ge|gēelder brother
119歌gēsong
120个gèindividual
121给gěito give
122跟gēnwith
123工人gōngrénworker
124工作gōngzuòto work/job
125关guānto close/to turn off
126关上guān shàngto close/to turn off
127贵guìexpensive
128国guócountry
129国家guójiācountry
130国外guó wàioversea/abroad
131过guòto pass
132还háistill/also
133还是háishistill
134还有hái yǒualso/in addition/besides
135孩子háizichildren
136汉语hànyǔMandarin Chinese
137汉字hàn zìChinese character
138好hǎogood
139好吃hǎochīdelicious
140好看hǎo kàngood looking/pretty
141好听hǎo tīngpleasant to hear
142好玩儿hǎo wánrfun/interesting
143号hàodate/number
144喝hēto drink
145和héand
146很hěnvery
147后hòuback/after
148后边hòu biānbehind
149后天hòu tiānthe day after tomorrow
150花huāflower
151话huàwords
152坏huàibad/broken
153还huánto return
154回huíto return
155回答huídáto answer
156回到huí dàoto go back to (a place)
157回家huí jiāto go home
158回来huí láito come back
159回去huí qùto go back
160会huìcan/be able to
161火车huǒ chētrain
162机场jīchǎngairport
163机票jī piàoair ticket
164鸡蛋jīdànegg
165几jǐseveral/a few
166记jìto remember
167记得jìdéto remember
168记住jì zhùto keep in mind
169家jiāhome
170家里jiā lǐat home
171家人jiā rénfamily
172间jiānmeasure word for rooms
173见jiànto see/to meet
174见面jiànmiànto meet
175教jiāoto teach
176叫jiàoto call(verb)
177教学楼jiào xué lóuteaching building
178姐姐|姐jiě jie | jiěelder sister
179介绍jièshàoto introduce
180今年jīn niánthis year
181今天jīntiāntoday
182进jìnto enter
183进来jìn láito come in
184进去jìn qùto go in
185九jiǔnine
186就jiùas soon as/right away/then
187觉得juédeto think/to feel
188开kāito open
189开车kāi chēto drive a car
190开会kāi huìto have a meeting
191开玩笑kāiwánxiàoto joke
192看kànto see
193看病kàn bìngto see a doctor
194看到kàn dàoto see
195看见kànjiànto see
196考kǎoto test
197考试kǎoshìexamination
198渴kěthirsty
199课kècourse/lesson
200课本kè běntextbook
201课文kè wéntext (in textbooks)
202口kǒumouth
203块kuàidollars
204快kuàifast
205来láito come
206来到lái dàoto arrive/to come
207老lǎoold
208老人lǎo rénthe elderly
209老师lǎoshīteacher
210了lea particle used in many scenarios such as completed actions and change of status
211累lèitired
212冷lěngcold
213里lǐinside
214里边lǐ biāninside
215两liǎngtwo
216零|〇líng | língzero
217六liùsix
218楼lóufloor
219楼上lóu shàngupstairs
220楼下lóu xiàdownstairs
221路lùroad
222路口lù kǒuintersection/road crossing
223路上lù shàngon the road
224妈妈|妈mā ma | māmom
225马路mǎ lùroad/street
226马上mǎshàngright away/immediately
227吗maquestion word for yes/no question
228买mǎito buy
229慢mànslow/slowly
230忙mángbusy
231毛máoa fractional monetary unit in China (measure word)
232没méino/not
233没关系méiguānxiit doesn't matter/it's ok
234没什么méi shén meit’s nothing/it doesn't matter
235没事儿méi shìrnever mind
236没有méi yǒuto not have
237妹妹|妹mèi mei | mèiyounger sister
238门méndoor
239门口mén kǒudoorway/entrance
240门票mén piàoticket
241们(朋友们)men (péng yǒu men)plural marker for pronouns (friends)
242米饭mǐfàncooked rice
243面包miànbāobread
244面条儿miàn tiáornoodles
245名字míngziname
246明白míngbaiclear (adj.)/to understand(verb)
247明年míng niánnext year
248明天míngtiāntomorrow
249拿náto take/to get
250哪nǎwhich
251哪里nǎ lǐwhere
252哪儿nǎrwhere
253哪些nǎ xiēwhich one
254那nàthat(pronoun)
255那边nà biānthere
256那里nà lǐthere
257那儿nàrthere
258那些nà xiēthose
259奶nǎimilk
260奶奶nǎinaigrandma
261男nánmale
262男孩儿nán háirboy
263男朋友nán péng yǒuboyfriend
264男人nán renman
265男生nán shēngboy
266南nánsouth
267南边nán biānsouth side
268难nánhard/difficult
269呢nea particle used in different scenarios
270能néngcan/be able to
271你nǐyou
272你们nǐ menyou (plural)
273年niányear
274您nínyou (respectully)
275牛奶niúnǎimilk
276女nǚfemale
277女儿nǚ’érdaughter
278女孩儿nǚ háirgirl
279女朋友nǚ péng yǒugirlfriend
280女人nǚ renwoman
281女生nǚ shēnggirl
282旁边pángbiānside
283跑pǎoto run
284朋友péngyoufriend
285票piàoticket
286七qīseven
287起qǐto get up
288起床qǐchuángto wake up
289起来qǐláito get up
290汽车qì chēcar
291前qiánfront
292前边qián biānfront side
293前天qián tiānthe day before yesterday
294钱qiánmoney
295钱包qián bāowallet
296请qǐngplease
297请假qǐngjiàto ask for leave of absence
298请进qǐng jìnplease come in
299请问qǐng wènexcuse me
300请坐qǐng zuòplease have a seat
301球qiúball
302去qùto go
303去年qùniánlast year
304热rèhot
305人rénpeople/person
306认识rènshito know somebody
307认真rènzhēnserious
308日rìdate/day
309日期rìqīdate
310肉ròumeat
311三sānthree
312山shānmountain
313商场shāng chǎngmall/shopping mall
314商店shāngdiànshop/store
315上shàngon top
316上班shàngbānto go to work
317上边shàng biānabove
318上车shàng chēto get on a car
319上次shàng cìlast time
320上课shàng kèto attend class
321上网shàngwǎngto surf the Internet
322上午shàngwǔmorning
323上学shàng xuéto go to school
324少shǎoless
325谁shéiwho
326身上shēn shàngon one’s body
327身体shēntǐbody
328什么shénmewhat
329生病shēngbìngto fall ill
330生气shēngqìangry
331生日shēngrìbirthday
332十shíten
333时候shíhoumoment
334时间shíjiāntime
335事shìthing/matter
336试shìto try
337是shìyes
338是不是shì bú shìisn’t it?
339手shǒuhand
340手机shǒujīmobile phone
341书shūbook
342书包shū bāoschool bag
343书店shū diànbookstore
344树shùtree
345水shuǐwater
346水果shuǐguǒfruits
347睡shuìto sleep
348睡觉shuìjiàoto sleep
349说shuōspeak
350说话shuōhuàto talk
351四sìfour
352送sòngto give
353岁suìyears old
354他tāhe
355他们tā menthey
356她tāshe
357她们tā menthey (for females)
358太tàitoo (+ adj.)
359天tiānday
360天气tiānqìweather
361听tīngto listen
362听到tīng dàoto heard
363听见tīng jiànto hear
364听写tīng xiědictation/to dictate
365同学tóngxuéclassmate
366图书馆túshūguǎnlibrary
367外wàioutside
368外边wài biānoutside
369外国wài guóforeign country
370外语wài yǔforeign language
371玩儿wánrto play
372晚wǎnlate
373晚饭wǎn fàndinner
374晚上wǎnshangat night
375网上wǎng shàngonline
376网友wǎng yǒuonline friend
377忘wàngto forget
378忘记wàngjìto forget
379问wènask
380我wǒI
381我们wǒmenwe
382五wǔfive
383午饭wǔ fànlunch
384西xīwest
385西边xī biānwest side
386洗xǐto wash
387洗手间xǐshǒujiānrestroom
388喜欢xǐhuanto like
389下xiàbelow/down
390下班xià bānto get off work
391下边xià biānbelow/under
392下车xià chēto get off car
393下次xià cìnext time
394下课xià kèto finish class
395下午xiàwǔafternoon
396下雨xiàyǔto rain
397先xiānbefore/first
398先生xiānshengMr.
399现在xiànzàinow
400想xiǎngto think
401小xiǎosmall
402小孩儿xiǎo háirchildren
403小姐xiǎojiěMiss
404小朋友xiǎo péng yǒuchildren
405小时xiǎoshíhour
406小学xiǎo xuéprimary school
407小学生xiǎo xué shēngprimary school student
408笑xiàoto laugh
409写xiěto write
410谢谢xièxieto thank
411新xīnnew
412新年xīn niánnew year
413星期xīngqīweek
414星期日xīng qī rìSunday
415星期天xīng qī tiānSunday
416行xíngOK/be able to
417休息xiūxito rest
418学xuéto learn
419学生xuéshengstudent
420学习xuéxíto learn
421学校xuéxiàoschool
422学院xué yuàncollege
423要yàoto need/to want
424爷爷yéyegrandpa
425也yěalso
426页yèpage
427一yīone
428衣服yīfuclothes
429医生yīshēngdoctor
430医院yīyuànhospital
431一半yí bànhalf
432一会儿yíhuìra little while
433一块儿yí kuàirtogether
434一下儿yí xiàra little while
435一样yíyàngthe same
436一边yìbiānone side
437一点儿yīdiǎnra little bit
438一起yìqǐtogether
439一些yì xiēsome
440用yòngto use
441有yǒuto have
442有的yǒu desome
443有名yǒumíngfamous
444有时候|有时yǒu shí hòu|yǒu shísometimes
445有(一)些yǒu (yì) xiēsome
446有用yǒu yònguseful
447右yòuright (direction)
448右边yòubianright side
449雨yǔrain
450元yuáncurrency unit- Chinese yuan
451远yuǎnfar
452月yuèmonth/moon
453再zàiagain
454再见zàijiàngoodbye
455在zàistay/in/on/at
456在家zài jiāto be at home
457早zǎoearly
458早饭zǎo fànbreakfast
459早上zǎoshangmorning
460怎么zěnmehow
461站zhànstation(noun)
462找zhǎoto look for
463找到zhǎo dàoto find
464这zhèthis
465这边zhè biānthis side
466这里zhè lǐhere
467这儿zhèrhere
468这些zhè xiēthese
469着zhea particle to show action in progress
470真zhēnreally/real
471真的zhēn dereally/real
472正zhèngjust/exactly(adv.)
473正在zhèngzàiin process of
474知道zhīdàoto know
475知识zhīshiknowledge
476中zhōngmiddle
477中国zhōngguóChina
478中间zhōngjiānin the middle
479中文zhōngwénMandarin Chinese
480中午zhōngwǔnoon
481中学zhōng xuémiddle school
482中学生zhōng xué shēngmiddle school student
483重zhòngheavy
484重要zhòngyàoimportant
485住zhùto live
486准备zhǔnbèito prepare
487桌子zhuōzitable
488字zìword/character
489子(桌子)zi(zhuō zi)noun suffix (table)
490走zǒuto walk
491走路zǒu lùto walk
492最zuìthe most
493最好zuìhǎothe best
494最后zuìhòuthe end
495昨天zuótiānyesterday
496左zuǒleft(direction)
497左边zuǒbianleft side
498坐zuòto sit
499坐下zuò xiàto sit down
500做zuòto do