The New HSK, Explained
Short version: in 2021 China's Ministry of Education published a new standard that reorganises the HSK from six levels into nine and roughly doubles the vocabulary. It takes full worldwide effect on July 1, 2026. If you are studying HSK 1 to 3, the low levels still exist, but their word lists were revised, so decks and lists built for the old standard are now partly out of date.
For a decade the HSK ran on six levels, from HSK 1 up to HSK 6, covering about 5,000 words. In 2021 the Ministry of Education published a new framework, the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education, usually called HSK 3.0. It is a genuine restructuring, not a cosmetic rename, and after a long transition it becomes the worldwide standard on July 1, 2026.
What actually changed
Three things matter most. The six levels became nine bands, grouped into three stages: elementary (bands 1 to 3), intermediate (bands 4 to 6), and advanced (bands 7 to 9). The total vocabulary roughly doubled, from about 5,000 words to around 11,000. And each level now distinguishes the characters you only need to recognise from the smaller set you are expected to be able to hand-write.
| Old HSK (2.0) | New HSK (3.0) | |
|---|---|---|
| Levels | 6 levels (HSK 1-6) | 9 levels in 3 stages (elementary 1-3, intermediate 4-6, advanced 7-9) |
| Total vocabulary | About 5,000 words | About 11,000 words |
| Certificates | One per level | One per band, plus stage-level recognition |
| Characters | Single list per level | Separate lists for characters you recognise vs hand-write |
| Published | 2009-2010 era standard | 2021 (Ministry of Education) |
| In force worldwide | Until July 1, 2026 | From July 1, 2026 |
The rollout timeline
The change has been gradual, which is why the situation still looks mixed in 2026.
- 2021 - the new standard is published by the Ministry of Education.
- Late 2022 - the first exams for the new advanced band (levels 7 to 9) begin.
- November 2025 - the official vocabulary syllabus is published by Chinese Testing International (CTI).
- January 31, 2026 - the first global pilot exams for the reworked levels 1 to 6.
- July 1, 2026 - full worldwide implementation. Before this date, standard HSK exams still use the older six-level format.
What it means if you are studying HSK 1 to 3
Do not panic: the beginner levels did not disappear. HSK 1, 2, and 3 are still the first three bands and still form the elementary stage. The practical change is the vocabulary lists. They were revised and expanded, and HSK 1 in particular grew a lot compared with the old standard, so a word list or Anki deck built for the old HSK 2.0 will be missing words and will place some at the wrong level.
A further refinement to the syllabus around 2025-2026 shuffled words between levels: concrete, everyday words (a phone, a supermarket, a steamed bun) tended to move to lower levels, while more abstract words moved higher. Nothing was removed, and the totals stayed roughly the same. The upshot for a beginner is simple: study from a current list, not one built for the old six-level HSK.
New HSK 1 to 3 at a glance
Under the new standard, the elementary bands cover roughly these vocabulary loads. Wordbrush's lists follow the current standard, so these are the counts you will actually study here.
| Level | New words | Cumulative | Roughly covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | ~497 | ~497 | First words and phrases: greetings, numbers, self-introduction |
| HSK 2 | ~747 | ~1244 | Everyday topics: family, shopping, time, simple past and future |
| HSK 3 | ~955 | ~2199 | Fuller conversation: opinions, comparisons, connected sentences |
See the full lists with pinyin and native audio: HSK 1, HSK 2, and HSK 3, or read them in context in the example sentences.
How Wordbrush handles the change
Wordbrush teaches every word of the current HSK 1 to 3 for free, each with native audio, characters decoded into their components, and an FSRS schedule that adapts to your memory. Because the lists follow the new standard, you are not learning a level's worth of words that quietly moved somewhere else. If you prefer Anki, see Wordbrush vs Anki and our free, up-to-date HSK decks.
Study the new HSK 1-3 free →Questions
What is HSK 3.0?
HSK 3.0 is the revised Chinese proficiency standard published by China's Ministry of Education in 2021 (the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education). It reorganises the HSK from six levels into nine, grouped in three stages, and expands the total vocabulary from roughly 5,000 words to about 11,000. It takes full worldwide effect on July 1, 2026.
When does the new HSK take effect?
The standard was published in 2021. Exams for the new advanced band (levels 7 to 9) have run since late 2022, the first global pilot exams for the reworked levels 1 to 6 were held on January 31, 2026, and full worldwide implementation is scheduled for July 1, 2026. Before that date, standard HSK exams still use the older six-level format.
Do HSK 1, 2, and 3 still exist under HSK 3.0?
Yes. Levels 1 to 3 remain the first three bands and still form the elementary stage. What changed is the vocabulary: the word lists were revised and expanded, so a list or deck built for the old HSK 2.0 will be missing words and place some at the wrong level. HSK 1 in particular grew substantially.
Should I keep studying my old HSK word list?
If it was made for HSK 2.0, it is now partly out of date. The safest move is to study from a current HSK 3.0 list. Wordbrush's word lists and example sentences already follow the new standard.
Sources: the standard is the Ministry of Education's Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (2021); vocabulary and exam-timeline figures follow the syllabus published by Chinese Testing International (CTI) in late 2025. Word counts shown here reflect the Wordbrush vocabulary set and are given as approximate.