What is the Chinese Proficiency Test(HSK)

The Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) is a series test to assess the Chinese language proficiency of non-native speakers. It assesses the examinees' ability to use the Chinese language in communicative activities and understanding in the environment of studying in educational institutions, enterprises and other organizations. The HSK is the abbreviation of Chinese Pinyin: Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi.

The HSK consists of HSK (Basic), HSK (Elementary-Intermediate), HSK (Advanced), HSK (for Young Learners), HSK (for Business), HSK (for Secretaries), HSK (for Tourism). The HSK can fulfill the needs of testing and evaluating Chinese language proficiency in world wide.

The HSK (Basic), HSK (Elementary-Intermediate) and HSK (Advanced) are connected on the degree levels. They serve as the examination and evaluation for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners of the Chinese language. They also provide the testing reference to the relating educational institutions and certain organizations. The HSK (for Young Learners) is mainly for the young Chinese language learners under the age of 15. The HSK (for Business), HSK (for Secretaries) and HSK (for Tourism) are formed as the vocational Chinese Proficiency Test, which serves for the related organizations to provide testing reference for the process of policy making when enrolling, selecting and training personnel.

The HSK (Basic), HSK (Elementary-Intermediate) and HSK (Advanced) are primary tests. The HSK (for Young Learners), HSK (for Business), HSK (for Secretaries) and HSK (for Tourism) are secondary or branch tests. Branch tests are the new tests designed and developed from the basis of the main tests, in order to accommodate to the needs of the development of the Chinese language in the world and fulfill the needs of various groups of examinees. The main tests and branch tests are either related or independent. They complement each other. Each test is designed and developed under the fixed standard of the HSK.

With the development and practice of 20 years, the HSK has become a predominant test of bright characteristics. The HSK test has become the first choice of Chinese proficiency adopted by many groups and users worldwide. By the end of 2003, more than 300,000 overseas examinees had taken HSK.

source:internationalperson.com

Institutions for Designing and Developing the HSK

In 1984, the Chinese Ministry of Education entrusted the Beijing Languages Institute (Now, Beijing Language and Culture University) to design and develop the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK). In 1990, the HSK was appraised and officially put into practice inside and outside of China.

In 2002, the SCCPT entrusted Nanjing Normal University to design and develop the HSK (for Young Learners), entrusted Peking University to design and develop the HSK (for Business), entrusted Capital Normal University to design and develop the HSK (for Secretaries) and entrusted Shanghai Teachers' University to design and develop the HSK

source:internationalperson.com

The Contents of HSK 考试内容

7.1. HSK (Basic) Test Contents Test Items Item Numbers Test Duration
Listening Comprehension Listening 1 15 50 About 35 minutes
Listening 2 15
Listening 3 20
Grammatical Structure Grammar 1 20 40 40 minutes
Grammar 2 20
Reading Comprehension Reading 1 20 50 60 minutes
Reading 2 30
Total 140 About 135 minutes　



7.2. HSK (Elementary-Intermediate)

Test Contents Item Numbers Item Proportion Test Duration
Listening Comprehension 50 29.4% About 35 minutes
Grammatical Structure 30 17.7% 20 minutes
Reading Comprehension 50 29.4% 60 minutes
Cloze Test 40 23.5% 30 minutes
Total 170 About 145 minutes



7.3. HSK (Advanced)

Tests Test Items Item Numbers Test Duration
Objective Test Listening Comprehension 40 About 25 minutes
Reading Comprehension 40 40 minutes
Comprehensive Expression 40 40 minutes
Total 120 About 105 minutes
Subjective Test Writing 1（400-600 words） 30 minutes
Oral Test 10 minute recording 10 minutes preparation，10 minutes test，total 20 minutes
Total 50 minutes
Total About 155 minutes


7.4. HSK (Young Learners)

Level 1 Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Listening 22 About 12 minutes
Reading 30 22 minutes
Writing 18 16 minutes
Total 70 About 50 minutes
Oral 5 7 minutes


Level 2 Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Listening 21 About 15minutes
Reading 41 35 minutes
Writing 13 20 minutes
Total 75 About 70 minutes
Oral 7 8 minutes

Level 3 Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Listening 25 About 20 minutes
Reading 50 40 minutes
Writing 5 30 minutes
Total 80 About 90 minutes
Oral 7 10 minutes


Notes: HSK (Young Learners) Oral Test will be divided into stages and batches.

7.5. HSK (Business) Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Objective Test Listening 50 About 40 minutes
Reading（including some Cloze Test and simple questions） 50 55 minutes
Subjective Test Oral 3 5 minutes preparation，10 minutes recording，total 15 minutes
Writing 2 40 minutes
Total 105 About 150


7.6. HSK (for Secretaries) Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Objective Test Listening 33 About 38 minutes
Reading and Language Knowledge 47 55 minutes
Subjective Test Writing 2 40 minutes
Oral 2 About 17 minutes
Total 84 About 150 minutes


7.7. HSK (for Tourism) Test Contents Item Numbers Test Duration
Objective Test Listening （Including some writing questions after listening） 50 About 40 minutes
Reading （Including some written answers to questions after reading） 45 50 minutes
Subjective Test Writing 2 45 minutes
Oral 2 15 minutes
Total 99 About 150 minutes