HSK 6 Topics & Speaking Tasks 2026
HSK 6 includes 24 communicative tasks organized across 5 thematic groups. Six tasks are brand new to HSK 6 (tasks 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 — Group 5 entirely new), all focused on Chinese culture, history, classical thought, and international exchange. Mastering these topics is what separates HSK 5 and HSK 6 proficiency.
24
Total tasks
6
New tasks at L6
5
Task groups
Group 1: Daily Life & Personal Topics
交流、处理日常事务
Communicating & Handling Everyday Affairs
Key Topics
- Municipal services and civic procedures (traffic violation notices, compensation applications)
- Financial procedures (banking, account management, official financial documents)
- Disability support and welfare assistance (残疾救助)
- Disaster aid processes and emergency communication
Skills Required
Read traffic violation notices and government administrative documents. Write formal compensation applications and civic requests.
Key Vocab
交通违规、残疾救助、财务手续、行政程序
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论饮食
Discussing Food & Dining
Key Topics
- Comprehensive dining experiences: atmosphere, service quality, utensil types
- Cooking methods, food preparation techniques, ingredient knowledge
- Food safety standards and nutrition principles
- Food storage, expiration, and safe handling
Skills Required
Write essays about memorable dining experiences. Write detailed descriptions of dish preparation methods.
Key Vocab
烹饪方法、食品安全、营养成分、餐饮服务
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论交通出行
Discussing Travel & Transportation
Key Topics
- Travel narratives with scenic descriptions and personal reflections
- Travel guides covering wilderness survival (野外生存) and outdoor safety
- Emergency handling procedures during travel
- Transportation infrastructure and city planning
Skills Required
Write personal travel essays with reflective commentary. Write practical travel guides with safety instructions.
Key Vocab
野外生存、应急处理、交通基础设施、旅行攻略
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论医疗健康
Discussing Healthcare & Health
Key Topics
- Medical diagnosis processes and organ-specific conditions
- Health management philosophy and preventive healthcare
- Mental and physical development throughout life stages
- Health lectures, public health communication, and wellness trends
Skills Required
Write personal health experience essays. Understand health lectures and summarize medical advice.
Key Vocab
医疗诊断、健康管理、身心发展、公共卫生
Sample Essay Prompts
Group 2: Community, Studies & Education
沟通、交流社区生活情况
Communicating About Community Life
Key Topics
- Complex community issues: environment, indoor facilities, utilities and housing
- Sanitation management, maintenance requests, fault and hazard resolution
- Resident activities, community events, and neighbor relations
- Community governance and resident association communication
Skills Required
Write formal community emails to management. Write articles proposing community improvements.
Key Vocab
物业管理、社区环境、居民活动、设施维修
Sample Essay Prompts
交流学习情况
Discussing Academic Progress
Key Topics
- Class formats: lecture, seminar, lab, online, hybrid
- Subject and degree structures in Chinese higher education
- Teaching resources and digital learning platforms
- Student performance characteristics and learning strategies
Skills Required
Write academic development plans (学习发展规划). Write school platform announcements.
Key Vocab
教学资源、学科结构、学习特点、平台通知
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论校园生活
Discussing Campus Life
Key Topics
- Campus event planning: student celebrations, academic conferences, cultural festivals
- Public interest and volunteer activities on campus
- School admission processes and student management policies
- Campus organizations and their activities
Skills Required
Write promotional articles recommending schools to prospective students.
Key Vocab
校园活动、学生管理、招生政策、公益活动
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论教育事件、教育理念
Discussing Education Events & Philosophies
Key Topics
- Major education events in China: background, process, social impact
- Education philosophies: core principles, requirements, pedagogical approaches
- Trends in Chinese primary and secondary education
- Debates and hot topics in modern Chinese education
Skills Required
Write opinion essays (议论文) on educational hot topics. Discuss systemic education phenomena.
Key Vocab
教育改革、教育理念、教学原则、素质教育
Sample Essay Prompts
Group 3: Work & Business
谈论工作内容和职业定位
Discussing Work Content & Career Planning
Key Topics
- Work planning, decision-making, and business dealings
- Financial matters and work reports (工作简报)
- Professional role definitions, responsibilities, and workplace relationships
- Career positioning, job-hunting, and professional development
Skills Required
Write work briefs (工作简报). Write career planning essays for different professional tracks.
Key Vocab
职业定位、工作规划、业务往来、职业发展
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论经营与管理情况
Discussing Business Operations & Management
Key Topics
- Recruitment processes, job role definitions, and onboarding
- Performance assessment, employee benefits, and HR management
- Company founding stories, enterprise culture, and organizational values
- Business opportunities, market analysis, and expansion strategies
Skills Required
Write company profiles (公司简介). Write management opinion essays.
Key Vocab
企业文化、绩效考核、员工福利、经营策略
Sample Essay Prompts
Group 4: World, Science & Society
谈论地理、气候与自然资源
Geography, Climate & Natural Resources
Key Topics
- Poles, continents, plateaus, grasslands, geological formations
- Climate phenomena: lightning, typhoons, rainbows, seasonal changes
- Wildlife and plant life in different geographical zones
- Natural resources: oil, metals, water, energy
Skills Required
Read and write geographical descriptions. Discuss resource sustainability.
Key Vocab
地理地貌、气候现象、自然资源、生态环境
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论环境问题
Environmental Issues
Key Topics
- Natural disasters: flooding, fire, drought, and their societal impacts
- Energy sources: wind, water, solar — benefits and limitations
- Green living, low-carbon lifestyle, and carbon reduction policies
- Infrastructure and its environmental footprint
Skills Required
Write environmental opinion essays. Read and interpret environmental policy documents.
Key Vocab
自然灾害、可再生能源、低碳生活、碳减排
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍科技产品
Introducing Technology Products
Key Topics
- Aerospace products, satellite technology, new energy vehicles
- Health technology, wearable devices, medical equipment
- AI applications, smart manufacturing (智能制造), smart cities (智慧城市)
- E-commerce platforms, digital payment systems, online logistics
Skills Required
Present and describe a technology product in formal and informal contexts.
Key Vocab
人工智能、智能制造、智慧城市、新能源
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍科学知识
Introducing Scientific Knowledge
Key Topics
- Life science and safety science: basic principles and applications
- Scientific research findings and their social/practical impact
- Science communicators and popular science in China
- Scientific reasoning, hypothesis, and evidence-based thinking
Skills Required
Write popular science articles (科普文章) for general audiences.
Key Vocab
科学研究、科普文章、生命科学、安全科学
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论经济现象
Discussing Economic Phenomena
Key Topics
- Production, sales, supply chains, and business negotiations
- Banking, stocks, funds, savings, and investment behavior
- Consumer trends, consumer rights protection, debt, and economic disputes
- Economic crises, recovery strategies, and market opportunities
Skills Required
Analyze economic trends. Read financial news. Discuss economic events and their causes.
Key Vocab
经济现象、消费趋势、金融市场、经济危机
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论社会现象
Discussing Social Phenomena
Key Topics
- Social welfare systems, public health events, housing security
- Aging society, marriage and family trends, demographic shifts
- New media influence, cultural tourism, personal image and aesthetics
- Public interest activities, public figures, and social movements
Skills Required
Write social commentary articles. Discuss complex social trends with evidence.
Key Vocab
社会福利、老龄化社会、新媒体、文化旅游
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论文艺形式、活动、作品
Discussing Arts, Literature & Entertainment
Key Topics
- Visual arts: paintings, calligraphy, exhibitions, art fairs
- Performing arts: drama, animation, digital games, music performance
- Literary arts: fairy tales, novels, literary criticism, book fairs
- Notable artists, authors, playwrights, animators, and their works
Skills Required
Write arts reviews and cultural commentary. Describe artworks and performances.
Key Vocab
文艺作品、艺术展览、动漫游戏、文学批评
Sample Essay Prompts
谈论体育项目及赛事
Discussing Sports & Competitions
Key Topics
- Winter sports: skiing (滑雪), ice skating (滑冰), figure skating
- Athletics: gymnastics (体操), track and field (田径), diving (跳水)
- Precision sports: billiards (台球), archery, baseball (棒球)
- Major events, venue preparation, competition structure, and sports legends
Skills Required
Describe sporting events in detail. Discuss athletes and their sporting achievements.
Key Vocab
体育赛事、运动项目、竞技比赛、体育传奇
Sample Essay Prompts
Group 5: Chinese Culture, History & International Affairs
ALL NEW谈论国际活动、中外友好交流事件
International Events & China-Foreign Exchange
Key Topics
- International conferences, summits, and exhibitions involving China
- Grassroots cultural exchanges: student exchanges, sister cities, art tours
- Multi-field cooperation: education, science, business, culture
- Cross-cultural communication and the significance of people-to-people diplomacy
Skills Required
Write essays about international events. Analyze the significance of cross-cultural exchange.
Key Vocab
国际会议、文化交流、多领域合作、中外友好
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍中国语言文字
Introducing Chinese Language & Writing
Key Topics
- Ancient Chinese poetry: major poets (李白、杜甫、苏轼) and famous lines
- Idioms (成语), proverbs (俗语), and their cultural origins
- Chinese dialects (方言): major dialect groups and their distributions
- Linguistic phenomena: character evolution, writing system history, phonetics
Skills Required
Write essays interpreting ancient poems and their historical context. Explain linguistic phenomena to non-specialists.
Key Vocab
古诗词、成语典故、方言分布、汉字演变
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍中国古代民俗传统、人文景观
Traditional Customs & Cultural Landscapes
Key Topics
- Traditional festivals: Lantern Festival (元宵节), Qingming (清明节), Dragon Boat Festival (端午节), Mid-Autumn (中秋节)
- Myths and folk legends: 嫦娥奔月、牛郎织女、白蛇传
- Historical sites: ancient cities, temples, traditional dwellings (四合院)
- Traditional architecture: pagodas (塔), stone bridges, city walls
Skills Required
Describe traditional customs and their cultural meaning. Write essays on historical sites and their significance.
Key Vocab
传统节日、民间传说、历史遗址、传统建筑
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍中国传统思想与艺术
Traditional Chinese Thought & Arts
Key Topics
- Confucianism (儒家): key figures (孔子、孟子), core ideas (仁、义、礼、智、信)
- Taoism (道家): key figures (老子、庄子), core ideas (道、无为、自然)
- Traditional performing arts: folk songs, cross-talk (相声), Peking opera (京剧)
- Aesthetic symbols: 梅兰竹菊 (plum/orchid/bamboo/chrysanthemum) — virtuous character metaphors
Skills Required
Explain philosophical ideas to general audiences. Describe traditional arts with appropriate cultural vocabulary.
Key Vocab
儒家思想、道家哲学、传统戏曲、审美象征
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍中国历史
Introducing Chinese History
Key Topics
- Key historical figures: 秦始皇 (Qin Shihuang), 汉武帝, 武则天, 郑和, 林则徐
- Major artifacts and cultural relics: 兵马俑 (Terracotta Army), 故宫 (Forbidden City), 长城 (Great Wall)
- Formative historical events: unification of China, Tang/Song prosperity, Mongol era
- Dynastic cycles: major dynasties, rise and fall, cultural contributions
Skills Required
Write historical introductions combining factual accuracy with narrative interest.
Key Vocab
历史人物、历史事件、朝代更替、文物古迹
Sample Essay Prompts
介绍中国古代科技
Ancient Chinese Science & Technology
Key Topics
- The Four Great Inventions: paper (造纸术), printing (印刷术), gunpowder (火药), compass (指南针)
- Astronomical achievements: ancient calendar systems, star charts, astronomical instruments (浑仪)
- Mathematical achievements: 九章算术, early pi calculations, binary concepts
- Architectural feats: Grand Canal (大运河), Great Wall (长城), ancient hydraulic engineering
Skills Required
Write factual introductions to ancient science. Explain why ancient Chinese technology mattered globally.
Key Vocab
四大发明、天文成就、数学成就、古代建筑
Sample Essay Prompts
How to Prepare for HSK 6 Topics
🏯
Deep Dive into Group 5 (Tasks 19-24)
The 6 new China culture/history topics are unique to HSK 6 and tested heavily. Build a bank of 5-7 key facts for each domain: a famous poet, a historical figure, a traditional festival, a philosophical concept, an invention, and an international event.
📰
Read Chinese Historical & Cultural Content
For tasks 20-24, passive vocabulary won't be enough. Read simplified history articles on 百科百科 or watch CCTV documentaries on Chinese history, traditional arts, and ancient science.
📝
Write Opinion Essays (议论文)
HSK 6 writing tasks often require 议论文 — introduce a topic, present multiple perspectives, then give your opinion. Practice the structure: 引入 → 分析 → 总结. Use formal connectors: 然而、此外、综上所述.
🔊
Practice Formal Register
Group 3-5 topics require formal written Chinese: use 于 instead of 在/从, 因 instead of 因为, 至于 to transition topics, and 所 to nominalize verbs. Practice these deliberately in writing drills.
What Makes HSK 6 Different from HSK 5?
The defining characteristic of HSK 6 is Group 5 (Tasks 19-24) — 6 entirely new topic domains that require deep knowledge of Chinese culture, history, classical thought, and ancient science. These topics do not appear at any lower level and require specific preparation:
Practice HSK 6 Topics with Guided Writing
PASS HSK provides topic-specific writing prompts, model essays, and vocabulary support for all 24 HSK 6 tasks.
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