ListeningJudge the printed sentence
我打算下个月去南方旅游，已经买好飞机票了。★ 他下个月要去旅游。
I plan to travel south next month, I have already bought the plane ticket. ★ He is travelling next month.
✓✗
Answer: ✓
Beginner
HSK 3 (B3) — Chinese proficiency level 3
HSK 3 sits in the Beginner stage of the HSK 3.0 ladder and is roughly A2 on the CEFR scale. It assumes 2,245 words and 900 characters.
HSK 3 at a glance
2,245Vocabulary
900Characters
210Grammar points
A2CEFR
80Questions
180/300Pass mark
85 minDuration
450Study hours
HSK 3 exam structure
Part by part, with the number of items and the working time for each section. The paper-based exam also grants extra time to transfer answers to the answer sheet.
| Part | Task | Items | Duration | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 40 | 35 min | 100 | |
| Part 1 | Match each recording to a picture | 10 | ||
| Part 2 | Judge the printed sentence | 10 | ||
| Part 3 | Dialogue plus a question | 10 | ||
| Part 4 | Dialogue plus a question | 10 | ||
| Reading | 30 | 30 min | 100 | |
| Part 1 | Match the question to its answer | 10 | ||
| Part 2 | Fill in the blanks | 10 | ||
| Part 3 | Reading comprehension | 10 | ||
| Writing | 10 | 15 min | 100 | |
| Part 1 | Put the words in order | 5 | ||
| Part 2 | Write the character | 5 | ||
| Speakingcertified separately | 27 | 17 min | 100 | |
| Part 1 | Listen and repeat | 15 | ||
| Part 2 | Listen and answer | 10 | ||
| Part 3 | Answer the question | 2 | ||
HSK 3 vocabulary
HSK 3 assumes 2,245 words in total, of which 973 are introduced at this level, written with 900 characters across 608 syllables. The exam also draws on 210 grammar points.
Under HSK 3.0 the spoken component is compulsory from level 3, so HSK 3 includes speaking. It is recorded, marked by an examiner rather than automatically, and certified separately from the written paper.
Handwritten characters are assessed from level 5, so at HSK 3 the writing tasks are typed or assembled from words the paper supplies.
HSK 3 sample questions
Taken from the live question bank — the same items you get in practice, with the answer shown.
ReadingReading comprehension
很多人认为早上是学习的最好时间，因为这时候人的记忆力比较好，环境也比较安静。问：这段话主要说什么？
Many people think the morning is the best time to study: memory is sharper and it is quieter. Q: What is this passage mainly about?
早上适合学习晚上不能学习记忆力不重要
Answer: 早上适合学习 (Mornings suit studying.)
WritingPut the words in order
把 · 请 · 关上 · 窗户
Put the words in order.
Answer: 请把窗户关上。 (Please close the window.)
How to prepare for HSK 3
- Pinyin disappears at this level. Drill character recognition daily, not just recognition of whole words.
- The writing section is short but scores 100 points — practise word ordering until the subject-verb-object skeleton is automatic.
- For 看拼音写汉字, learn characters in phonetic families so a familiar sound narrows the options.
- Speaking is mandatory from HSK 3: record yourself answering the prompts and compare against the sample answers.
- Listening parts 3 and 4 hinge on the question, not the dialogue — read the options while the recording is still playing.
Questions, answered
2,245 in total, of which 973 are new at this level. They are written with 900 characters, and the exam draws on 210 grammar points.
85 minutes of working time across 80 questions. The paper-based exam also grants extra time to transfer answers to the answer sheet.
180 out of 300, which is 60%. Each section is reported out of 100, so a weak section can be carried by a strong one as long as the total clears the bar.
Yes. Under HSK 3.0 the spoken component is compulsory from level 3, so HSK 3 includes speaking. It is recorded, marked by an examiner and certified separately from the written paper.
Roughly A2. The mapping is approximate — HSK measures Chinese specifically, including character knowledge, which the CEFR scale does not describe.
Yes. Every HSK 3 exam part can be practised on its own with instant marking, and there are full mock tests with audio, transcripts and section scores. It is free.