HSK 4 Requirements 2026: 30 Tasks, B2 Level
HSK Level 4 marks a major leap. The task count jumps from 19 to 30, vocabulary doubles to 2,000 words, and entirely new domains appear — Chinese culture, history, economy, sports, proverbs, and more. This is where Chinese becomes a tool for real-world discussion.
HSK 4 At a Glance
~2,000
Cumulative Vocabulary
1,000
New Words at L4
1,096
Recognition Characters
400
Writing Characters
30
Communicative Tasks
B2
CEFR Level
All 30 Communicative Tasks
Tasks marked ⭐ NEW are domains not previously required at HSK Levels 1–3.
Personal & Social
| 1 | Talking About a Person |
| 2 | Daily Affairs & Services |
| 3 | Daily Social Interaction |
| 4 | Emotional Topics⭐ NEW |
Daily Life
| 5 | Food & Dining |
| 6 | Transport & Travel |
| 7 | Shopping Experience & Commerce |
| 8 | Health & Medical |
| 9 | Hobbies & Leisure |
| 10 | Housing & Community⭐ NEW |
Family, Study & Work
| 11 | Family Life & Habits |
| 12 | Study & Learning |
| 13 | Campus Life |
| 14 | Education Trends & Concepts⭐ NEW |
| 15 | Work Performance & Office Life |
| 16 | Career History & Workplace⭐ NEW |
Nature, Society & Technology
| 17 | Nature & Climate |
| 18 | Eco-Protection in Daily Life |
| 19 | New Technology & Science⭐ NEW |
| 20 | China's Provinces & Ethnic Groups⭐ NEW |
| 21 | Economic Phenomena⭐ NEW |
| 22 | Social Phenomena⭐ NEW |
Culture, Arts & History
| 23 | Arts, Events & Works |
| 24 | Sports & Competitions⭐ NEW |
| 25 | China–Foreign Friendship⭐ NEW |
| 26 | Proverbs & Famous Quotes⭐ NEW |
| 27 | Traditional Food Culture⭐ NEW |
| 28 | Customs & Traditions⭐ NEW |
| 29 | Historical Sites & Landmarks⭐ NEW |
| 30 | Historical Figures & Events⭐ NEW |
What HSK 4 Expects Per Skill
Listening
Can understand moderately complex spoken Chinese on a wide range of topics — daily services, emotional conversations, cultural introductions, economic discussion, and sports commentary.
Speaking
Can speak fluently on familiar topics and express opinions about social phenomena, technology, and Chinese culture. Can describe experiences, feelings, and abstract ideas clearly.
Reading
Can read general-purpose articles, blog posts, cultural introductions, resumes, forms, and notices on a wide variety of topics including current affairs and traditions.
Writing
Can write a short paragraph describing personal experiences, cultural topics, opinions on social or economic phenomena, or a brief introduction to a historical figure or site.
Key Changes from HSK 3 to HSK 4
Tasks: 19 → 30 (11 completely new domains)
HSK 4 introduces culture and history for the first time: proverbs, Chinese traditions, historical sites, historical figures, China's provinces and ethnic groups. These require passive knowledge of Chinese civilization, not just practical communication skills.
Vocabulary: 1,000 → ~2,000 (1,000 new words)
The new vocabulary is more abstract and formal: economic terms (经济现象, 商业形态), social concepts (婚恋观, 消费观), cultural vocabulary (国粹, 民俗, 礼仪), and topic-specific terms for sports, history, and technology.
Grammar: ~100 → 150+ (more complex sentence structures)
HSK 4 adds double negation sentences (双重否定句), more complex 把 and 被 patterns, pivot sentences (兼语句), comparison structures like A不如B, and 10+ new complex sentence patterns including concessive (即使…也) and adversative (尽管…但是) clauses.
Writing: short paragraph required (not just sentences)
At HSK 3 you write a few sentences. At HSK 4 you are expected to write a coherent paragraph on cultural, professional, or experiential topics — requiring discourse organization, not just sentence-level correctness.
HSK 4 Study Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is the jump from HSK 3 to HSK 4?▾
Significant. Vocabulary doubles, tasks increase by 58%, and entirely new cultural and historical domains are introduced. Most learners need 6–12 months of focused study between L3 and L4.
What CEFR level is HSK 4?▾
HSK 4 is roughly equivalent to B2 on the CEFR scale. At this level you can handle most everyday situations in China, understand the main ideas of complex texts, and express yourself fluently on familiar topics.
Does HSK 4 test Chinese culture and history?▾
Yes — for the first time. Tasks 25–30 cover proverbs, food culture, customs, historical sites, and historical figures. This knowledge cannot be learned from a vocabulary list alone; it requires cultural immersion.
Is HSK 4 enough for university admission in China?▾
Many Chinese universities require HSK 4 as a minimum for undergraduate admission. HSK 5 is typically required for graduate programs or humanities majors.
Practice All 30 HSK 4 Topics
PASS HSK adapts to your level and drills all 30 task domains — including the new cultural and historical topics.
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