HSK 4 Characters

How Many Characters Are in HSK 4?

HSK 4 contains 441 characters under the current HSK 3.0 standard (CLEC 2022 syllabus). This level includes characters for discussing abstract topics, news, and expressing nuanced opinions.

HSK 2.0 vs 3.0: Why the Numbers Differ

Many online resources still cite HSK 2.0 character counts. The HSK 3.0 standard, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) in 2022, significantly restructured all levels. Here's how HSK 4 changed:

	HSK 3.0 (Current)	HSK 2.0 (Legacy)
Characters	441	447
Vocabulary Words	1,000	600
Standard	2026 Syllabus	Pre-2022

The per-level character count is lower because HSK 3.0 expanded from 6 to 9 levels. Many characters from levels 4–6 were moved to the new advanced bands 7–9. The total number of characters across all HSK levels increased from about 2,600 to over 3,000.

About HSK 4

HSK 4 represents upper-intermediate proficiency — the level where you can begin to engage with authentic Chinese content. This level covers characters needed for discussing current events, abstract concepts, cultural topics, technology, and formal communication. You can express nuanced opinions and understand the main ideas of complex text.

The jump from HSK 3 to HSK 4 is widely considered one of the steepest in the HSK progression. The character set expands significantly, and many new characters are used primarily in written Chinese rather than everyday speech. This is where the gap between spoken and written Chinese becomes noticeable.

Reaching HSK 4 proficiency corresponds to CEFR level B2. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity with native speakers, understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects.

HSK 4 Character Statistics

Avg. Strokes

2–20

Stroke Range

127

Unique Radicals

441

Total Characters

Most Common Radicals at This Level

亻人 (person)27 chars 扌手 (hand)23 chars 木木 (tree)18 chars 氵水 (water)17 chars 口口 (mouth)17 chars

Study Tips for HSK 4

Focus on character families — characters sharing phonetic components (e.g., 青 → 清, 请, 情, 晴) become your primary memorization strategy at this level. Learning one phonetic series gives you a foothold on multiple new characters at once.

Read authentic materials: news headlines, social media posts, product reviews. The characters at this level appear frequently in real-world written Chinese, so exposure to native content accelerates recognition.

Spread your study over a longer period. The HSK 3 to 4 jump is one of the steepest — trying to rush through this level leads to shallow memorization that does not stick. Consistent daily practice with spaced repetition is more effective than intensive cramming.

For a detailed comparison of how this level differs from the previous HSK standard, see our HSK 2026 changes guide.

All HSK 4 Characters

洋yángocean 江jiāngriver 流liúto flow 汤tāngsoup 汁zhījuice 汗hànsweat 温wēnwarm, temperature 深shēndeep 油yóuoil 浪làngwave 烟yānsmoke 烤kǎoto roast, to bake 熟shúcooked, familiar 林línforest, woods 森sēnforest (dense)松sōngpine, loose 材cáimaterial, timber 桥qiáobridge 村cūnvillage 植zhíto plant 格gépattern, standard 品pǐnproduct, quality 味wèitaste, flavor 命mìnglife, fate 另lìngother, another 志zhìambition, will 性xìngnature, gender 恼nǎoannoyed 悔huǐregret 惜xīto cherish 任rèntask, to appoint 何héwhat, how 倒dǎoto fall, to invert 停tíngto stop 值zhívalue, be worth 伤shānginjury, to hurt 保bǎoto protect, to guarantee 例lìexample 供gōngto supply, to provide 姑gūaunt 娘niángmother 推tuīto push 拉lāto pull 指zhǐfinger, point 招zhāoto recruit, 招手技jìskill, technique 排páiarrange, row 掉diàoto fall, to drop 按ànto press, according to 误wùmistake, delay 许xǔto allow, perhaps 证zhèngcertificate, prove 评píngto evaluate, to comment 讨tǎoto discuss 诚chénghonest 谈tánto talk, to discuss 谅liàngto understand, to forgive 景jǐngscenery 暖nuǎnwarm 暂zàntemporary 暑shǔheat, summer 普pǔgeneral, universal 肚dùstomach 肤fūskin 肯kěnwilling 金jīnmetal, gold 钢gāngsteel 针zhēnneedle 镜jìngmirror 土tǔearth, soil 增zēngincrease 基jībase, foundation 堂tánghall 垃lāgarbage 圾jīgarbage 填tiánto fill in 破pòbreak 研yánto research, to grind 确quècertain, true 础chǔfoundation 线xiànline, thread 继jìto continue 细xìthin, detailed 组zǔgroup, to organize 绝juéabsolutely, to cut off 纪jìrecord, discipline 装zhuāngdress, install 袜wàsocks 袋dàibag, pocket 饼bǐngcake, pancake 馒mánsteamed bun 富fùrich 寒háncold 寄jìto send, to mail 密mìdense, secret 察cháto observe 窗chuāngwindow 究jiūresearch 度dùdegree, to measure 座zuòseat 庭tíngcourtyard, family 麻máhemp, numb 庆qìngto celebrate 序xùorder, sequence 广guǎngwide, broad 痛tòngpain 省shěngprovince, to save 职zhíjob, duty 联liánconnect, unite 聚jùto gather 聘pìnto hire 距jùdistance 连liánto connect, even 迷mílost, fascinated 通tōngthrough, to communicate 速sùfast, speed 递dìto deliver 苦kǔbitter, suffer 落luòto fall, to drop 著zhùfamous, to write 葡púgrape 萄táogrape 验yànto test, to verify 转zhuǎnto turn, to transfer 输shūto transport, to lose 闹nàonoisy 阅yuèto read, to review 货huògoods 责zéresponsibility 购gòuto buy 贺hèto congratulate 赢yíngto win 怀huáibosom 京jīngcapital city of a country 由yóuto follow 各gèeach 约yuēto make an appointment 杂zámixed 险xiǎndanger 计jìto calculate 划huáto row 功gōngmeritorious deed or service 失shīto lose 败bàito defeat 改gǎito change 社shè(bound form) society 际jìborder 科kēbranch of study 术shùmethod 济jìto cross a river 管guǎnto take care (of)原yuánformer 论lùnopinion 够gòuenough (sufficient)敢gǎnto dare 允yǔnjust 禁jīnto endure 止zhǐto stop 示shìto show 达dáto attain 资zīresources 章zhāngchapter 播bō(bound form) to sow (seeds)消xiāoto diminish 规guīcompass 律lǜlaw 申shēnold name for Shanghai 上海[Shang4 hai3]续xùto continue 签qiānto sign one's name 戴dàito put on or wear (glasses, hat, gloves etc)帽màohat 围wéito encircle 巾jīntowel 套tàoto cover 举jǔto lift 抬táito lift 扔rēngto throw 擦cāto rub 丰fēngluxuriant 乱luànin confusion or disorder 互hùmutual 仅jǐnbarely 仍réngstill 付fùto pay 仔zǐ(bound form) (of domestic animals or fowl) young 份fènclassifier for gifts, newspaper, magazine, papers, reports, contracts etc 伙huǒmeals (abbr. for 伙食[huo3 shi2])估gūto estimate 倍bèi(two, three etc) -fold 傲àoproud 免miǎnto excuse sb 况kuàngmoreover 减jiǎnto lower 列lièto arrange 剧jùtheatrical work (play, opera, TV series etc)剩shèngto remain 勇yǒngbrave 厚hòuthick 厌yàn(bound form) to loathe 反fǎncontrary 否fǒuto negate 吸xīto breathe 呼hūto call 咸xiánall 喊hǎnto yell 忆yìto recollect 忽hūto neglect 态tài(bound form)恐kǒngafraid 惊jīngto startle 户hùa household 批pīto ascertain 拒jùto resist 挂guàto hang 效xiàoeffect 散sànto scatter 整zhěng(bound form) whole 断duànto break 标biāomark 此cǐthis 漫mànfree 烦fánto feel vexed 猜cāito guess 祝zhùto pray for 稍shāosomewhat 程chéngrule 竞jìngto compete 竟jìngunexpectedly 童tóngchild 粗cū(of sth long) wide 精jīngessence 紧jǐntight 翻fānto turn over 脱tuōto shed 膊bóshoulder 获huò(literary) to catch 详xiángdetailed 貌mào(bound form) appearance 负fùto bear 量liàngcapacity 顿dùnto stop 频pínfrequency 父fùfather 脾píspleen 愉yúpleased 羡xiànto envy 背bèithe back of a body or object 部bùministry 餐cānmeal 晨chénmorning 吹chuīto blow 低dīlow 队duìsquadron 观guànto look at 克kèabbr. for 克羅地亞|克罗地亚, Croatia 利lìsharp 弄nòngto do 篇piānsheet 青qīngabbr. for 青海, Qinghai Province 取qǔto take 入rùto enter 食shíto eat 使shǐto make 顺shùnto obey 随suíto follow 夜yènight 印yìnabbr. for 印度, India 永yǒngforever 云yún(classical) to say 并bìngand 彩cǎi(bright) color 产chǎnto give birth 厂hǎn"cliff" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 27), occurring in 原, 历, 压 etc 存cúnto exist 待dàito wait 刀dāoknife 导dǎoto transmit 底de(equivalent to 的 as possessive particle)订dìngto agree 费fèito cost 福fúabbr. for Fujian province 福建省赶gǎnto overtake 光guānglight 积jīto amass 及jíand 价jiàprice 建jiànto establish 将jiāngwill 尽jǐnto the greatest extent 警jǐngto alert 具jùtool 困kùnto trap 丽líKorea 美měi(bound form) the Americas (abbr. for 美洲)民mín(bound form) the people 母mǔmother 内nèiinside 农nóng(bound form) agriculture 牌páisignboard 判pàn(bound form) to differentiate 皮píleather 强qiángstubborn 巧qiǎoopportunely 切qiēto cut 亲qīnparent 缺quēdeficiency 式shìtype 首shǒuhead 死sǐto die 台táiTaiwan (abbr.)危wēidanger 乡xiāngcountry or countryside 象xiàngelephant 血xiěsee 血幸xìngtrusted 修xiūto decorate 压yāto press 艺yìskill 优yōuexcellent 预yùto advance 争zhēngto strive for 支zhīto support 至zhìto arrive 众zhòngabbr. for 眾議院|众议院, House of Representatives 专zhuānfor a particular person, occasion, purpose 族zúrace 案àn(legal) case 巴bāBa, a state during the Zhou dynasty (in present-day Chongqing and the eastern part of Sichuan)抱bàoto hold 笨bènstupid 毕bìthe whole of 操cāoto grasp 登dēngto scale (a height)堵dǔto block up (a road, pipe etc)奋fènto exert oneself (bound form)符fúmark 逛guàngto stroll 航hángboat 即jínamely 既jìalready 奖jiǎngprize 降jiàngto drop 棵kēclassifier for trees, cabbages, plants etc 辣làhot (spicy)俩liǎtwo (colloquial equivalent of 兩個|两个)虑lǜto think over 梦mèngdream 默mòsilent 却quèbut 甚shènexcessive 释shìto explain 授shòu(bound form) to confer 售shòu(bound form) to sell 帅shuài(bound form) commander-in-chief 塑sùto model (a figure) in clay 酸suānsour 孙sūngrandson 躺tǎngto recline 微wēiancient Chinese state near present-day Chongqing 无wúnot to have 项xiàngback of neck 醒xǐngto wake up 兄xiōngelder brother 秀xiù(bound form) refined 亚yàAsia 严yántight (closely sealed)盐yánsalt 扬yángabbr. for Yangzhou 揚州|扬州 in Jiangsu 叶xiéto be in harmony 疑yí(bound form) to doubt 译yìto translate 引yǐnto draw (e.g. a bow)与yǔand 则zé(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but 折zhéto break 之zhī(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的)址zhǐ(bound form) site 质zhìcharacter 棒bàngstick 鼻bínose 博bó(bound form) abundant 乘chéngto ride 厨chúkitchen 弹dàncrossball 尔ěrthus 幅fúwidth 傅fù(bound form) instructor 鼓gǔdrum 盒hésmall box 虎hǔtiger 籍jí(bound form) book 键jiànkey (on a piano or computer keyboard)郊jiāosuburbs 咳hāisound of sighing 厉lìstrict 励lìto encourage 龄língage 秒miǎosecond (unit of time)耐nài(bound form) to bear 偶ǒuaccidental 陪péito accompany 泼pōto splash 弃qìto abandon 敲qiāoto hit 琴qínguqin 古琴 (a type of zither)染rǎnto dye 扰rǎoto disturb 摄shè(bound form) to take in 拾shèto ascend in light steps 柿shìpersimmon 硕shuò(bound form) large 厅tīng(reception) hall 污wūdirty 悉xīin all cases 辛xīn(of taste) hot or pungent 邀yāoto invite 谊yìfriendship 幽yōuremote 尤yóuoutstanding 尊zūnsenior 厕cè(bound form) restroom 骄jiāoproud 懒lǎnlazy 歉qiànto apologize 趟tāngto wade 账zhàngaccount 赚zhuànto earn 膏gāoointment 胳gēarmpit 慕mùto admire 乓pāng(onom.) bang 乒pīng(onom.) ping 戚qīgrief 氏shì(bound form) family name 匙chíspoon 嗽sòu(bound form) to cough 桶tǒngbucket 羞xiūshy 钥yuèkey 洲zhōucontinent 嗯ēn(a groaning sound)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characters are in HSK 4?

HSK 4 contains 441 unique characters under the current HSK 3.0 standard (per the official CLEC 2022 syllabus, effective 2026). Under the older HSK 2.0 standard, Level 4 had only 447 characters from 600 vocabulary items. Many online resources still cite the outdated HSK 2.0 count — if you see a different number, check whether the source references HSK 3.0 or 2.0.

How many words are in HSK 4?

HSK 4 includes 1,000 vocabulary words under the HSK 3.0 standard (CLEC 2022). Word count and character count are different: a single character like 学 can appear in multiple vocabulary words (学生 "student," 学习 "to study," 大学 "university"). HSK 4 has 441 unique characters but 1,000 vocabulary words formed from those and other characters.

What's the difference between HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 Level 4?

The HSK 3.0 standard, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) in 2022 and effective from 2026, significantly restructured all levels. Level 4 went from 447 characters and 600 vocabulary words (HSK 2.0) to 441 characters and 1,000 vocabulary words (HSK 3.0). The per-level character count decreased because HSK 3.0 expanded from 6 levels to 9 — many characters that were at levels 4–6 under the old system are now classified under the new advanced bands 7–9. The total number of characters across all HSK levels increased from about 2,600 to over 3,000. If you see conflicting character counts for HSK 4 on different websites, it is almost certainly because one source references the outdated HSK 2.0 data.

How long does it take to learn HSK 4?

Most learners report reaching HSK 4 proficiency after approximately 500–800 cumulative hours of study from a beginner level. This varies significantly based on native language (speakers of Japanese or Korean progress faster due to shared characters), study method, daily practice time, and immersion opportunities. Consistent spaced-repetition practice — reviewing characters at increasing intervals as you master them — can accelerate character retention considerably.

What are the hardest HSK 4 characters?

By stroke complexity, the most challenging HSK 4 characters include 籍 (jí, 20 strokes), 翻 (fān, 18 strokes), 赢 (yíng, 17 strokes), 戴 (dài, 17 strokes), 擦 (cā, 17 strokes). The average stroke count at this level is 9. Characters with more strokes generally require more practice to write correctly and distinguish visually — using animated stroke-order guides and spaced repetition helps build muscle memory for complex characters.

What topics does HSK 4 cover?

HSK 4 focuses on current events, abstract concepts, cultural topics, technology, formal communication, and nuanced opinion expression. Mastering this level equips you for university study conducted in Chinese, watching news broadcasts, reading editorial articles, and holding extended conversations on diverse topics.

What is the CEFR equivalent of HSK 4?

HSK 4 corresponds to CEFR level B2 under the HSK 3.0 framework (CLEC 2022). The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) alignment was established as part of the HSK 3.0 restructuring to provide an international reference point. At this upper-intermediate level, you can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, and interact with a degree of fluency with native speakers.

What's the difference between HSK 4 and HSK 5?

HSK 4 covers 441 characters and 1,000 vocabulary words, while HSK 5 introduces 431 characters and 1,600 vocabulary words. HSK 4 maps to CEFR B2, while HSK 5 maps to CEFR C1. The step up requires learning new characters, mastering more complex grammar, and expanding into new topic areas such as literature, formal writing, professional terminology.

Sources & Standards

Character data on this page is based on the HSK 3.0 Standard (《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准》), published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 2022 revision. The standard took effect as the official syllabus for HSK examinations beginning in 2026.

Character counts, vocabulary word counts, and level classifications reflect the official CLEC syllabus. CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) equivalences follow the alignment established in the HSK 3.0 specification. All character statistics (stroke counts, radical classifications, frequency rankings) are computed from HanziFeed's curated dataset of 441 characters at this level.