Free HSK Practice Test Online — All Levels (2026)

Why Taking a Practice Test Is the Best Way to Prepare

Studying vocabulary flashcards and reviewing grammar rules are essential — but they are not enough. The single most effective way to prepare for the HSK is to take full-length practice tests under exam-like conditions. Research in cognitive psychology consistently shows that practice testing (also called retrieval practice) is one of the most powerful learning strategies available. It forces your brain to actively recall information rather than passively recognize it, which strengthens long-term retention.

Beyond the memory benefits, practice tests serve a critical diagnostic purpose. They reveal exactly where your weaknesses are. You might feel confident about your vocabulary until a timed listening section exposes gaps you didn't know existed. Maybe you know the words individually but struggle when they appear in rapid spoken sentences. A practice test shows you this before exam day — when you still have time to fix it.

Practice tests also build familiarity with the exam format. The HSK has specific question types, timing constraints, and section structures that can feel unfamiliar and stressful if you encounter them for the first time on test day. Students who have completed multiple practice tests report significantly lower anxiety on exam day because the format feels routine rather than foreign. There are no surprises — just the content itself.

What Our Free HSK Practice Tests Include

Every practice test on HSKLord is designed to replicate the real HSK exam as closely as possible. Here is what you get at each level:

• Listening section — Audio-based questions with native-speaker recordings. You hear dialogues, short passages, or individual sentences and answer multiple-choice questions based on what you heard.
• Reading section — Passages and sentence-level questions testing your comprehension of written Chinese. Question types include matching, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple choice.
• Writing section (HSK 3 and above) — Tasks ranging from sentence reordering at HSK 3 to paragraph and essay writing at HSK 5-6.
• Timed format — Each section has a time limit matching the official exam so you can practice pacing.
• Instant scoring — See your results immediately after finishing, with a breakdown by section and question type.

All questions are written by experienced Chinese language educators and calibrated to the official HSK vocabulary lists and grammar points for each level. We update our question bank regularly to keep the content fresh and aligned with the latest HSK standards.

How Our Practice Tests Compare to the Real HSK

No practice test is identical to the real exam — Hanban (the organization that administers the HSK) does not release its actual test questions. However, our practice tests are built to match the real HSK in every measurable dimension:

The key advantage of a practice test is the immediate feedback loop. On the real HSK, you wait weeks for results and receive only a total score with no question-level detail. On HSKLord, you see your results instantly — which questions you got wrong, which sections are weakest, and what topics to focus on next. This feedback makes your study time dramatically more efficient.

Free HSK Practice Tests by Level

Choose your level below to start a free practice test. Each link takes you directly to the test page for that HSK level, where you can begin immediately.

HSK 1 Practice Test

HSK 1 is the entry-level exam covering 150 basic vocabulary words. The test includes a listening section and a reading section — no writing. Expect questions about greetings, numbers, dates, simple sentences about daily life, and basic questions and answers. If you have been studying Mandarin for 2-3 months, this is the right starting point.

Take the Free HSK 1 Practice Test

HSK 2 Practice Test

HSK 2 expands the vocabulary to 300 words and introduces more complex sentence structures. You will encounter questions about shopping, transportation, weather, and describing people and places. The listening section features slightly longer dialogues and the reading section includes sentence matching and fill-in-the-blank tasks. Typically suited for students with 4-6 months of study.

Take the Free HSK 2 Practice Test

HSK 3 Practice Test

HSK 3 is a significant step up with 600 vocabulary words and the introduction of a writing section. The reading section features longer passages, and the listening section includes paragraph-length recordings. The writing section tests your ability to reorder words into correct sentences. This level corresponds to approximately one year of consistent study.

Take the Free HSK 3 Practice Test

HSK 4 Practice Test

HSK 4 covers 1,200 words and represents an intermediate level of Chinese proficiency. The exam tests your ability to discuss a wide range of topics fluently and communicate with native speakers on familiar subjects. Reading passages become substantially longer, and the writing section requires composing sentences from provided vocabulary. Many universities and employers recognize HSK 4 as the minimum threshold for functional Chinese proficiency.

Take the Free HSK 4 Practice Test

HSK 5 Practice Test

HSK 5 requires mastery of 2,500 words and tests advanced reading comprehension, detailed listening, and extended writing. The reading section includes academic-style passages, the listening section features extended monologues and multi-person discussions, and the writing section asks you to compose a short essay based on prompts. This level is required for admission to many Chinese university degree programs.

Take the Free HSK 5 Practice Test

HSK 6 Practice Test

HSK 6 is the highest level, requiring 5,000+ vocabulary words and near-native comprehension. The listening section includes news broadcasts and academic lectures. The reading section features long-form articles on specialized topics. The writing section requires you to read a 1,000-character narrative and then summarize it in 400 characters from memory — a uniquely demanding task. If you are targeting HSK 6, serious practice under timed conditions is essential.

Take the Free HSK 6 Practice Test

How to Get the Most from Your Practice Tests

Simply taking a practice test is not enough — how you use the results matters just as much. Follow these strategies to turn each practice test into a powerful study tool:

1. Simulate real exam conditions. Take the test in a quiet room with no distractions. Use the full time limit. Don't pause to look up words or check your notes. The closer your practice conditions match the real exam, the more useful the results will be. You need to experience the time pressure and mental fatigue of a full-length test before it happens on exam day.

2. Review every wrong answer. After finishing the test, go through each question you got wrong and understand why you got it wrong. Was it a vocabulary gap? A grammar point you do not understand? A listening comprehension issue where you heard the sounds but misidentified the word? Each wrong answer is a specific, actionable piece of information about what to study next.

3. Track your scores over time. Take a practice test at the beginning of your study period to establish a baseline, then retake one every two to three weeks. Watching your scores improve is motivating, and plateaus tell you when you need to change your study approach. If your reading score is climbing but your listening score is flat, that is a clear signal to shift more time to listening practice.

4. Focus on weak sections first. It is tempting to practice the sections you are already good at — it feels productive and comfortable. But the biggest score gains come from improving your weakest sections. If you are scoring 85% on reading but 55% on listening, every hour spent on listening practice will yield more points than an hour of reading practice.

5. Take at least three full tests before exam day. One practice test is better than none, but three or more is the sweet spot. The first test familiarizes you with the format. The second identifies persistent weaknesses. The third builds confidence and confirms that your study adjustments are working. Space them out over several weeks so you have time to study between tests.

Pair Practice Tests with Vocabulary Study

Practice tests diagnose your weaknesses, but vocabulary study is what fixes them. Most wrong answers on the HSK trace back to not knowing a word or not recognizing it quickly enough in context. The most efficient way to build your HSK vocabulary is spaced repetition — a study method that schedules reviews at optimal intervals to maximize retention while minimizing study time.

HSKLord's flashcard system uses spaced repetition specifically calibrated for HSK vocabulary. After you take a practice test and identify words you missed, you can add those words to your review queue. The system will schedule them for review at precisely the right intervals — showing them to you just before you would forget them, which is the most effective moment for reinforcement. This approach is dramatically more efficient than rereading word lists or writing characters repeatedly.

When Are You Ready for the Real HSK?

A common question from students is: “How do I know when I'm ready to register for the real HSK?” Practice tests give you a clear, data-driven answer. Here is a simple framework:

• Scoring 70%+ consistently — You are ready. Register with confidence. A 10-point buffer above the 60% passing threshold accounts for the added pressure and potential variation in difficulty on exam day.
• Scoring 60-70% — You are borderline. You could pass, but it depends on the specific questions you get. Consider another 2-4 weeks of focused study on your weakest sections before registering.
• Scoring below 60% — You need more preparation time. Focus on vocabulary acquisition and section-specific practice. Retake the practice test in 3-4 weeks.

Remember that the passing score for the HSK is 60% (120 out of 200 points) at every level. You do not need a perfect score. You do not even need a good score — you just need to pass. Focus your preparation on reaching and maintaining a comfortable margin above that threshold, and you will walk into the exam with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions