You hear a talk or lecture and fill the gaps in printed sentences that summarise it. The missing words are key terms from the recording, and you write them in Chinese characters.
This is the one listening part where you produce the answer instead of choosing it. The gaps usually take a term or short phrase that the speaker defines or stresses, so the sentence around each gap tells you what kind of word you are listening for.
The instruction on the paper
听材料，填写空缺处的内容。
Listen and type the words that fill each gap.
HSK 7, 8 and 9 are one exam. Everyone sits the same paper and the score decides which of the three levels is awarded, so this part is the same whichever of them you are aiming for.
HSK 9 Listening Part 5 sample questions with answers
3 questions from our practice bank, in the format of the real paper. Try each one before opening the answer.
shān diào yí gè bì yào de xiàn dìng tiáo jiàn ， què shí huì ràng jié lùn bù zài chéng lì ， nà shì cuò wù ； ér bǎ yí gè zhuān yè shù yǔ huàn chéng rì cháng shuō fǎ ， tóng shí bǎo liú tā de biān jiè ， nà shì fān yì 。 hǎo de kē pǔ bú shì bǎ fù zá de dōng xī shuō dé jiǎn dān ， ér shì zhǎo dào yí gè tóng yàng zhǔn què 、 dàn dú zhě yǐ jīng yōng yǒu de kuāng jià 。
Key lines from the lecture, replayed for the gap items.
删掉一个必要的____条件，会让结论不再成立。
shān diào yí gè bì yào de tiáo jiàn ， huì ràng jié lùn bù zài chéng lì 。
qualifying
Show the answer
限定
把专业术语换成日常说法，同时保留它的____。
bǎ zhuān yè shù yǔ huàn chéng rì cháng shuō fǎ ， tóng shí bǎo liú tā de 。
boundaries
Show the answer
边界
找到一个同样准确、但读者已经拥有的____。
zhǎo dào yí gè tóng yàng zhǔn què 、 dàn dú zhě yǐ jīng yōng yǒu de 。
framework
Show the answer
框架
How to approach it
Read the gapped sentences first and predict what kind of word each gap needs.
Listen for definitions and emphasis: 叫做, 所谓, 称为.
Write the words as you hear them, even roughly, and tidy them afterwards.
Check that each completed sentence makes sense.
Common mistakes
Writing the right sound with the wrong character.
Writing a paraphrase instead of the term the speaker used.
Leaving a gap empty — an attempt costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in HSK 9 Listening Part 5?
3. It is part 5 of 5 in the HSK 9 Listening section, which has 40 questions and lasts about 30 minutes, for 100 points.
How is HSK 9 Listening Part 5 marked?
Automatically. Every question has one correct answer and all carry the same weight. A wrong answer costs nothing more than a blank one, so never leave a question empty.
How many times is each recording played at HSK 9?
Once. At HSK 9 each recording is played a single time, so read the options before it starts.
Is pinyin printed at HSK 9?
No. At HSK 9 the paper is printed in characters only, so you need to recognise the characters themselves.
Is pinyin accepted?
No. Answers are expected in Chinese characters.
Does the answer have to be word for word?
Aim for the exact term the speaker used. A synonym may not be accepted.
Can I practise HSK 9 Listening Part 5 online?
Yes. HSK Test has practice sets for this part, built like the real paper. Create a free account to start; your answers and scores are saved, so you can see how you are improving.