Guides to Chinese and the HSK exam
The things a table cannot answer. Every figure in these comes from the same place as the reference pages — the official exam syllabus — so the two cannot drift apart.
How many Chinese characters do you need to know
How many exist, how many are in the state standard, how many HSK asks for — and why “recognise” and “write by hand” are different numbers. With a calculation over the official lists.
How to prepare for the new HSK: a plan by level
What to learn at each level of the 2026 syllabus, in what order, and how long it takes at three different paces. Arithmetic from the official lists, not “HSK 3 in three months”.
Reference sections separately: HSK levels, the new format, the pinyin chart and practice sheets.