For English-speaking learners of Chinese
What's your approximate HSK level?
A quick yes/no check: see a Chinese word, say if you know it, and get an estimated HSK level with a simple per-band breakdown. Recognition only — not an official exam.
5–10 minutes
120 words across HSK 1–6, plus a small Beyond (7–9) sample.
No account
Runs in your browser. Answers stay on this device for the session.
HSK-focused
You get an estimated level first — not a raw vocab-size score.
How it works
- Mark each word honestly — only if you'd understand it in context.
- We score mastery per HSK band, then estimate the highest level your answers support (lower bands need to look solid first).
- Results show a headline level plus bars for HSK 1–6 (and Beyond as a 7–9 sample).
Tip: guessing or half-remembering will push your estimate up. Be kind to yourself — and honest with the buttons.
About & methodology
This free web app is a recognition-only placement check for English-speaking L2 learners of Mandarin. It is not an official HSK exam and does not award certificates. Scoring is deterministic and client-side: per-band mastery (known ÷ sample size; unanswered = unknown), then cascading thresholds (HSK 1 under 50% → below HSK 1; claim HSK N when lower bands ≥ 80% and band N ≥ 65%; HSK 6+ when HSK 6 is claimed and the Beyond sample ≥ 55%). The bundled list is a stratified sample of 120 words — not the full vocabulary. Primary placement uses HSK 2.0 bands; results also show an approximate HSK 3.0 reference from the same answers (not an official score).
What does the Chinese HSK Placement Test measure?
It estimates your approximate HSK level from self-reported word recognition across HSK 1–6 bands plus a small Beyond (HSK 7–9) sample. It does not measure listening, speaking, writing, or productive vocabulary.
How long does the test take?
About 5–10 minutes for 120 yes/no recognition items stratified across HSK bands.
Do you use HSK 2.0 or 3.0?
Primary placement uses HSK 2.0 bands (1–6 + Beyond). We also show an approximate HSK 3.0 reference from the same answers (level bridge and/or labeled-sample mastery). Neither result is an official HSK score.
Is this an official HSK exam?
No. This is an unofficial placement-style recognition check for learners. It is not affiliated with Hanban/CTI and does not award certificates.
How is the estimated HSK level scored?
Each band gets a mastery score (known ÷ sample size; unanswered count as unknown). Headline level uses cascading thresholds: below HSK 1 if HSK 1 mastery is under 50%; to claim HSK N, every lower band must be at least 80% and band N at least 65%; HSK 6+ if HSK 6 is claimed and the Beyond sample is at least 55%.
Where are my answers stored?
Answers stay in sessionStorage in your browser for this session. No account or cloud sync is required.
From the blog
Short guides on how to read HSK labels and what is changing between frameworks — useful before or after you take the recognition check.
- What Does an HSK Level Really Mean? — recognition vs full skills, and why a level label is not a certificate.
- HSK 2.0 vs HSK 3.0: What’s Changing? — six levels vs three stages / nine levels, and how this site reports both.
Free · ~120 words · ~5–10 min