HSK 3 vocabulary list

• 动人dòng réntouching; moving
• 剧场jù chǎngtheater
• 搬家bān jiāto move house; to relocate; to remove (sth)
• 开业kāi yèto open a business; to open a practice; open (for business)
• 彩色cǎi sècolor; multicolored
• 收看shōu kànto watch (a TV program)
• 公务员gōng wù yuánfunctionary; office-bearer
• 世界杯shì jiè bēiWorld Cup
• 听众tīng zhòngaudience; listeners
• 变为biàn wéito change into
• 邮箱yóu xiāngmailbox; post office box; email; email inbox
• 志愿zhì yuànaspiration; ambition; to volunteer
• 职工zhí gōngworkers; staff
• 熟人shú rénacquaintance; friend
• 功课gōng kèhomework; assignment; task; classwork; lesson; study
• 认得rèn deto recognize; to remember sth (or sb) on seeing it; to know
• 邮票yóu piào(postage) stamp
• 房租fáng zūrent for a room or house
• 推开tuī kāito push open (a gate etc); to push away; to reject; to decline
• 短裤duǎn kùshort pants; shorts
• 收听shōu tīngto listen to (a radio broadcast)
• 听力tīng lìhearing; listening ability
• 衬衣chèn yīshirt
• 班级bān jíclass (group of students); grade (in school)
• 现代化xiàn dài huàmodernization
• 工夫gōng fū(old) laborer
• 旅行社lǚ xíng shètravel agency
• 话剧huà jùstage play; modern drama
• 沙子shā zisand; grit
• 分组fēn zǔto divide into groups; group (formed from a larger group); subgroup; (computer networking) packet
• 年底nián dǐthe end of the year; year-end
• 带动dài dòngto spur; to provide impetus; to drive
• 交警jiāo jǐngtraffic police (abbr. for 察)
• 代表团dài biǎo tuándelegation
• 影视yǐng shìmovies and television
• 国庆guó qìngNational Day
• 做客zuò kèto be a guest or visitor
• 所长suǒ chángwhat one is good at
• 票价piào jiàticket price; fare; admission fee
• 华人huá rénethnic Chinese person or people
• 有的是yǒu de shìhave plenty of; there's no lack of
• 皮包pí bāohandbag; briefcase
• 连续剧lián xù jùserialized drama; dramatic series; show in parts
• 图画tú huàdrawing; picture
• 长处cháng chùgood aspects; strong points
• 绿茶lǜ chágreen tea; (slang) (of a girl) seemingly innocent and charming but actually calculating and manipulative; a girl who has these qualities
• 白菜bái càiChinese cabbage; pak choi
• 年初nián chūbeginning of the year
• 试题shì tíexam question; test topic
• 积极性jī jí xìngzeal; initiative; enthusiasm; activity
• 初一chū yīfirst day of lunar month; New Year's Day; first year in junior middle school
• 奶茶nǎi chámilk tea
• 银牌yín páisilver medal
• 红茶hóng cháblack tea
• 老头儿lǎo tóu rsee 老头子
• 划船huá chuánto row a boat; rowing boat; rowing (sport)
• 交费jiāo fèito pay a fee
• 凉水liáng shuǐcool water; unboiled water
• 跳高tiào gāohigh jump (athletics)
• 衣架yī jiàclothes hanger; clothes rack

Frequently asked questions

How many words do you need for HSK 3?

On the current exam (HSK 2.0), HSK 3 requires 600 words in total, counted from HSK 1. Under the new HSK 3.0 standard, level 3 covers 2,245 words in total.

What is in this HSK 3 vocabulary list?

606 Chinese words that the HSK Ace dictionary places at HSK 3, sorted by frequency. Each one has pinyin, an English meaning, audio and a stroke-order animation. The set draws on both HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0, so its size differs from the official counts.

Practice HSK 3

See how many of these words you can use under exam conditions, or learn to write them stroke by stroke.