HSK Introduction

Learn Chinese - Introduction to the Chinese HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) test

The demand for education and learning of the Chinese language, largely due to the economic and political transitions that the country has been going through in recent years, has seen the increasing need for standardized testing of Chinese language proficiency.

Much in the same way that the well-known IELTS and TOFEL tests assess the proficiency of foreign students of English, HSK (which literally stands for Chinese Proficiency Test) has become one of the most popular and recognized examination and certification of Chinese proficiency for foreign students, overseas educated Chinese and other non-native speakers.


The reason for this is simple: HSK is considered the national standard test of Chinese language by China due to its pedigree. This test was developed by the Beijing Language and Culture University with the supervision and approval from the Chinese Ministry of Education, thus ensuring that the HSK certificate has an unlimited validity throughout the People’s Republic of China. Such is the significance and relevance of Chinese proficiency testing, the Chinese Ministry of Education has also established the China National Committee for Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)(CNCCPT) to supervise and issue HSK certificates. Needless to say, certification through the HSK test has since become a very important and much sought after piece of qualification when employers want to include Chinese language proficiency as a part of the assessment criteria in job applications. As the official website for the HSK test (https://www.hsk.org.cn/) rightly boasts, the HSK test is the ‘Bridge to China’.

In terms of the structure and format of the examination, the HSK test can be considered an equivalent of the English TOFEL test, with the aim to provide educational and professional institutions with standardized certification for language proficiency.

In line with this goal, the HSK Certificates serve three main functions:
1. To certify the holder of the certificate as having acquire the prerequisite standard of Chinese Proficiency for gaining entry into a college or university to undertake undergraduate or postgraduate studies.
2. To certify the holder of the certificate as exempt from having to take Chinese language courses when their certification exceeds the required level.
3. To provide a basis for the evaluation of an applicant’s competency and language proficiency that can be used by employers in applicant assessment.

The assessment of examination results are conducted centrally in China, although the test is administered both in China and other countries with approved agencies. For non-native students and young professionals, the HSK test provides an opportunity to evaluate and further assessment their learning objectives and outcomes. However, it is important to note that while a HSK certificate is valid for its entire lifetime, the accompanying test report will become invalid two year from the date of the test session if it is used to gain entry into Chinese college or university.

There are three levels of testing in HSK: beginner (HSK Basic), elementary to intermediate (HSK Elementary-Intermediate) and advanced (HSK Advanced). In addition, the HSK has been revised in September 2007 to reflect the growing emphasis on the practical application and usage of the Chinese language, and moving away from the technical and academic aspects of the language itself. The major changes in the test include the introduction of a separate Written and Oral test for each of the HSK certification levels, so that a candidate can choose to take one or more of the Standard, Written and Oral certification test. In addition, a newly introduced level of testing (HSK Threshold) will provide the same accuracy of testing (having been developed by the same governing body), and be compatibility with the HSK Basic test. The HSK Threshold has been specifically designed for those with less than 200 hours of Chinese language study, as opposed to the 100-800 hours recommended for the HSK Basic test, but still would like to be able to assess their level of Chinese language competency.

As mentioned above, the importance of a standardized certification for Chinese language proficiency is paramount, whether you are considering the test for academic or professional reasons. In addition to the HSK Certificates, applicants with outstanding test results may also receive scholarships for short-term study in China. So don’t let your Chinese language skills and study go unrewarded, consider applying for a certification examination and see how far your Chinese language skills will take you.