College Lycée LAFAYETTE

The HSK test

Mandarin official test.

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This test is internationally recognized as the standard for assessing the level of Mandarin for non-native speakers.

The HSK was changed in 2009. Since this revision, there are 6 written HSK levels (HSK 1 is the easiest, HSK 6 is the most difficult), and 3 oral HSK levels. The HSK has the following peculiarity  : you pass a level of the test according to your mastery of Mandarin. As there are 6 levels of HSK, everyone can certify their mastery of the language, whether beginner, advanced or completely bilingual.

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The structure of the HSK according to the different levels

The written HSK is divided into two or three sections, namely  : oral comprehension, written comprehension and written expression. Depending on the level of HSK passed, the number of sections varies.

Thus, for levels 1 and 2 of the HSK, the assessment relates only to oral and written comprehension (100 points per section). These first two levels are therefore scored out of 200. To pass your HSK 1 or 2, you must obtain a score equal to or greater than 120.

For HSK levels 3 to 6, the candidate will also be assessed on his written expression. HSK levels 3 to 6 are scored out of 300, and the average is 180. Logically, the higher the HSK level, the greater the number of questions. The test lasts only 35 minutes for HSK 1 but more than 2 hours for HSK 6.