HSK 3.0 · Updated for 2026

HSK 6 Vocabulary List 2026

HSK 6 introduces approximately 1,800 new words — the largest single-level vocabulary expansion in the HSK 1-6 track. By HSK 6 you command roughly 5,000 words total, covering advanced academic, cultural, professional, and formal registers.

~1,800

New words at L6

~5,000

Cumulative vocab

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HSK 6 Requirements 2026

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Government Chinese Culture Business Science Health Society Education & Academic Life Arts Nature Work Everyday Life & Personal Expression Formal Language

Government, Law & Public Affairs

~180 words

Legal procedures, civic rights, government bodies, administrative documents, public safety, and formal civic engagement.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
权力	quanli	power; authority	n.
投诉	tousu	to complain; to appeal	v.
犯罪	fanzui	to commit a crime	v.
残疾	canji	disability; deformity	n.
财务	caiwu	financial affairs	n.
公安	gongan	public security	n.
倒闭	daobj	to go bankrupt	v.
排除	paichu	to eliminate; to rule out	v.

Showing 8 of ~180 sample words

Chinese Culture, History & Thought

~200 words

Classical poetry, dynasties, historical figures, traditional festivals, folk customs, Confucian/Taoist philosophy, and traditional arts.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
古典	gudian	classical; traditional	adj.
朝代	chaodai	dynasty	n.
相声	xiangsheng	cross-talk comedy; comic dialogue	n.
文艺	wenyi	literature and art	n.
考古	kaogu	archaeology	v./n.
万物	wanwu	all things; universe	n.
珠宝	zhubao	jewelry; gems	n.
粽子	zongzi	sticky rice dumpling	n.

Showing 8 of ~200 sample words

Business, Finance & Commerce

~180 words

Investment, banking, stocks, funds, trade activities, business negotiations, commercial disputes, and consumer rights.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
顾问	guwen	consultant; adviser	n.
余额	yue	balance (of an account)	n.
极端	jiduan	extreme; extremely	adj./n.
核心	hexin	core; nucleus	n.
流通	liutong	to circulate; to flow	v.
认可	renke	to approve; to acknowledge	v.
要素	yaosu	essential factor; element	n.
至关重要	zhiguanzhengyao	vital; extremely important	phrase

Showing 8 of ~180 sample words

Science, Technology & Engineering

~160 words

Aerospace products, new energy, AI, smart manufacturing, smart cities, research findings, and ancient Chinese scientific achievements.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
验证	yanzheng	to verify; to validate	v.
放大	fangda	to enlarge; to magnify	v.
容量	rongliang	capacity; volume	n.
海拔	haiba	elevation above sea level	n.
融化	ronghua	to melt; to thaw	v.
涌现	yongxian	to emerge in large numbers	v.
绿化	luhua	to plant greenery; to make green	v.
差异	chayi	difference; divergence	n.

Showing 8 of ~160 sample words

Health, Medicine & Body

~140 words

Medical diagnoses, organ conditions, health management, physical and mental development, patient care, and health science knowledge.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
患者	huanzhe	patient; sufferer	n.
脂肪	zhifang	fat; adipose tissue	n.
忍受	renshou	to bear; to endure; to stand	v.
瞬间	shunjian	instant; split second	n.
强壮	qiangzhuang	strong; sturdy; robust	adj.
损坏	sunhuai	to damage; to injure	v.
轮椅	lunyi	wheelchair	n.
碰撞	pengzhuang	to collide; to run into	v.

Showing 8 of ~140 sample words

Society, Media & Social Issues

~170 words

Social welfare, aging society, new media, cultural tourism, public interest activities, social morality, and public figures.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
链接	lianjie	link; to link	n./v.
平凡	pingfan	ordinary; common	adj.
携带	xiedai	to carry; to bring	v.
悲剧	beiju	tragedy	n.
号召	haozhao	to call; to appeal	v.
号召	haozhao	to call upon; to appeal to	v.
捐款	juankuan	to donate money; donation	v./n.
遭遇	zaoy	to encounter; experience	v./n.

Showing 8 of ~170 sample words

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Education & Academic Life

~130 words

Academic tracks, degree structures, teaching resources, scholarship, learning characteristics, exam types, and academic planning.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
文科	wenke	liberal arts; humanities	n.
才能	caineng	talent; ability	n.
承办	chengban	to undertake; to host	v.
可行	kexing	feasible; practicable	adj.
传达	chuanda	to pass on; to convey	v.
吸取	xiqu	to absorb; to draw (lesson)	v.
定制	dingzhi	to customize; made-to-order	v.
总计	zongji	to amount to; to total	v.

Showing 8 of ~130 sample words

Arts, Literature & Entertainment

~150 words

Paintings, fairy tales, drama, animation, digital games, music performance, calligraphy, film, and literary criticism.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
主演	zhuy	lead actor; to star in	n./v.
相声	xiangsheng	comic dialogue; cross-talk	n.
乐器	yueqi	musical instrument	n.
描写	miaoxie	to describe; to portray	v.
单调	dandiao	monotonous; dull	adj.
评选	pingxuan	to select through appraisal	v.
地道	didao	authentic; genuine	adj.
以往	yiwang	in the past; formerly	n.

Showing 8 of ~150 sample words

Nature, Environment & Geography

~140 words

Continents, poles, geological formations, climate phenomena, natural disasters, energy sources, low-carbon lifestyle, and environmental governance.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
绿化	luhua	to make green; afforestation	v.
融化	ronghua	to melt; to thaw	v.
海拔	haiba	elevation above sea level	n.
蚂蚁	mayi	ant	n.
田径	tianjing	track and field	n.
岛	dao	island	n.
冒	mao	to emit; to risk; to brave	v.
昂贵	anggui	expensive; costly	adj.

Showing 8 of ~140 sample words

Work, Career & HR

~130 words

Career roles, workplace relationships, work planning, recruitment, performance assessment, employee benefits, business reports, and career development.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
顾问	guwen	consultant; adviser	n.
值班	zhiban	to be on duty; to work a shift	v.
陪同	peitong	to accompany	v.
看重	kanzhong	to value; to regard as important	v.
会见	huijian	to meet (formally); to receive	v.
可行	kexing	feasible; workable	adj.
过渡	guodu	to transition; interim	v.
得以	deyi	to be able to; thereby	v.

Showing 8 of ~130 sample words

Everyday Life & Personal Expression

~120 words

Home items, daily routines, interpersonal interactions, emotions, personal values, and common life experiences.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
文具	wenju	stationery	n.
可怜	kelian	pitiful; poor; to pity	adj./v.
场合	changh	occasion; situation	n.
启事	qishi	announcement; notice	n.
多亏	duokui	thanks to; luckily	v.
自杀	zisha	to commit suicide	v.
猜测	caice	to guess; to conjecture	v.
结实	jieshi	solid; sturdy; durable	adj.

Showing 8 of ~120 sample words

Formal Language, Logic & Discourse

~100 words

Logical connectors, formal written expressions, academic transitions, rhetorical patterns, and high-register vocabulary for essays and reports.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	POS
为此	weici	for this reason; to this end	conj.
以往	yiwang	in the past; previously	n.
看似	kansi	to look like; to seem	v.
只得	zhide	have no alternative but to	adv.
只顾	zhigu	merely; only care for	adv.
内外	neiwai	inside and outside; domestic and foreign	n.
赋予	fuyu	to endow; to entrust	v.
涌现	yongxian	to emerge in large numbers	v.

Showing 8 of ~100 sample words

How to Study 1,800 New Words

Prioritize the China Culture Category

Tasks 19-24 introduce entirely new cultural domains. Words related to history (朝代、历史人物), traditional arts (相声、京剧), and philosophy (儒家、道家) are essential and unlike any previous level.

Read Chinese News Daily

At 1,800 new words, passive acquisition through reading is essential. Aim for 20-30 minutes of Chinese news (people.com.cn, xinhua.net) or cultural articles daily.

Learn Words in Context

Many HSK 6 words have specific collocations: 至关重要 (vital), 倒闭 (go bankrupt), 顾问 (consultant). Learn them in sentences, not in isolation.

Group by Register

HSK 6 has a clear formal register layer: 赋予、为此、内外、至关重要. Recognize these as written/formal variants of simpler spoken equivalents.

Use Morpheme Analysis

HSK 6 introduces quasi-prefixes (超—、反—、无—) and quasi-suffixes (—化、—型). Learning these patterns helps you decode hundreds of new words: 超标/现代化/系统型.

Plan for 6-9 Months

1,800 new words requires serious commitment. With 10 new words per day, that's 6 months minimum — before adding review time. Use SRS tools to avoid forgetting.

A list is not the same as remembering it

In the Pass HSK app, HSK 6 words come in real sentences, with pinyin, audio and short practice questions that check whether they stuck.

Find your level and start free

Free to start · No account or credit card needed · Web, iOS & Android