“Switched from a monthly app and never looked back. Buying Shells once felt like reclaiming my own pace.”
HL
HSK 4 learner
Spain · HSK4 · 238
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Browse the full HSK 1 through HSK 6 vocabulary list with pinyin, English meaning, and native audio. Use it as a quick reference, a study list, or a starting point for the free dictionary and handwriting practice. No subscription required.
5,000
HSK 1–6 words indexed
6
Levels (HSK 1 → HSK 6)
Native
Audio per entry
The HSK vocabulary list is the backbone of every Chinese proficiency test. Each level publishes a fixed list of words you are expected to know: 150 for HSK 1, doubling roughly with each level up to 5,000 for HSK 6. If you can recognize, hear, and use every word in the list for your target level, you will pass.
On HSK Ace the entire list is free to browse. Every word has pinyin with Pleco-style tone colors, English meaning, the underlying characters, native audio, and a link to the per-character detail page where you can practice stroke order. You do not need an account to use any of this — the daily search cap is generous, and a one-time Shells pack removes it.
This page is the index. Pick a level below to jump straight into a sample of the words at that level, then keep browsing inside the dictionary. Each level card links into the full searchable list, where you can filter by HSK level, search by pinyin or English, and mark words as mastered.
If you are planning your study order, work upward — HSK 1, then HSK 2, then HSK 3 — without skipping. Levels are cumulative: HSK 4 includes everything from HSK 1, 2, and 3, plus 600 new words. Building the lower levels first is what makes the higher ones feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
HSK 1 = 150 words. HSK 2 = 300 (cumulative). HSK 3 = 600. HSK 4 = 1,200. HSK 5 = 2,500. HSK 6 = 5,000. The list is fixed and public, published by Hanban / Chinese Testing International — and it is the single most useful resource for planning your study.
Every word in the HSK Ace dictionary shows pinyin colored by tone (red / orange / green / blue / gray). You can read both the tone marks and the colors at a glance — no need to squint for a small acute or caron.
Each word has a native Mandarin recording. Tap the speaker icon to hear it. Audio is what tunes your ear for the listening section of the HSK exam, and it is what keeps your pronunciation calibrated when you do not have a teacher.
The 12 highest-frequency words at each level. Click any character or pinyin to open the full free dictionary entry.
Tap any character to see its stroke order with native audio, or look it up in the free dictionary.
Pay once for a Shells pack. Use them on any feature, any level, forever — no monthly fee.
| Feature | HSK Ace One-time Shells | Subscription apps ~$14.99 / month | Free apps Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Chinese dictionary | |||
| Native audio every entry |
Buy once, use across every HSK and HSKK level on HSK Ace.
Free dictionary, free audio, free daily stroke-order practice. Unlock unlimited use with a one-time Shells pack — no subscription.
Click any character within a word and you jump to the handwriting page for that character. The first 5 stroke-order plays per day are free; a one-time Shells unlock removes the cap and adds AI feedback on every stroke.
Inside the dictionary you can filter by HSK level, search by pinyin or English, and mark words as mastered to track progress. The mastered list syncs across devices when you are signed in.
HSK Ace supports both HSK 2.0 (the classic 6-level system) and HSK 3.0 (the new 9-band system rolling out from 2026). You can switch in your profile and the vocabulary list updates to match.
| Pleco-style tone colors |
| Stroke-order animation |
| AI speaking grading |
| No expiry on credits |
| Own what you buy |
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Record any sentence. Get instant feedback on pinyin, tones, and fluency.
Verified scores and notes from learners who used HSK Ace to build their Chinese foundation.
“Switched from a monthly app and never looked back. Buying Shells once felt like reclaiming my own pace.”
HSK 4 learner
Spain · HSK4 · 238
“Mock exams match the real format down to the timing. I knew exactly what to expect on test day.”
HSK 5 learner
Netherlands · HSK5 · 252
“Honest pricing without a free trial trap. Started small, topped up later when I needed more speaking checks.”
HSK 3 learner
Italy · HSK3 · 215