HSK 6 Character List 2026
HSK 6 adds 413 new recognition characters and 150 new writing characters to your repertoire. By level 6 you can recognize 1,940 individual characters and write 850 from memory — a strong foundation for reading Chinese newspapers, literature, and formal documents.
413
New recognition chars
150
New writing chars
1,940
Cumulative recognition
850
Cumulative writing
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Compare recognition and handwriting character growth across the HSK ladder.
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HSK 6 Requirements 2026
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HSK 7-9 Character List 2026
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Cumulative Character Progress: HSK 1-6
Recognition characters = characters you must be able to read. Writing characters = characters you must write from memory. Writing chars are always a subset of recognition chars.
| Level | New Recog. | New Writing | Cum. Recog. | Cum. Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 246 | 100 | 246 | 100 |
| HSK 2 | 125 | 150 | 371 | 250 |
| HSK 3 | 284 | 150 | 655 | 400 |
| HSK 4 | 441 | 150 | 1,096 | 550 |
| HSK 5 | 431 | 150 | 1,527 | 700 |
| HSK 6 | 413 | 150 | 1,940 | 850 |
HSK 6 Recognition Characters (413)
All 413 new characters introduced at HSK 6 that you must be able to read and identify. Characters also required for writing (150 chars) are highlighted in green.
HSK 6 Writing Characters (150)
The 150 characters you must be able to write from memory at HSK 6. These are a subset of the 413 recognition characters above. Writing requires correct stroke order and full character structure.
Key Radical Groups at HSK 6
Learning characters by radical helps you spot patterns and accelerate memorization. Here are the most productive radical clusters at HSK 6.
Study Strategies for 413 New Characters
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Learn Radicals First
Many HSK 6 characters share radicals: 月 (body parts: 肠/肺/肝/胸/脂/脖/肪), 氵(water: 涌/涵/淹/淋/渡/潜), 扌(hand actions: 摆/撤/撑/捧/捕). Group by radical to reduce memorization load.
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Prioritize Writing Chars
150 writing characters is a manageable subset of 413. Master these first, then extend to recognition-only chars. The HSK exam tests writing chars in fill-in-the-blank tasks.
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Notice Body Part Characters
HSK 6 health/medical tasks introduce many body characters: 脂 (fat/lipid), 肪 (fat), 肺 (lung), 肝 (liver), 肠 (intestine), 肩 (shoulder), 臂 (arm), 脖 (neck), 颈 (neck), 胸 (chest). Learn them as a cluster.
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Read to Reinforce
Passive recognition improves fastest through extensive reading. At HSK 6 level, read Chinese social media, news articles, and classical excerpts to encounter characters in natural context.
Master HSK 6 Characters with Stroke Practice
PASS HSK includes animated stroke order for all 413 HSK 6 characters and spaced repetition for the 150 writing characters.
Practice Characters Free