HSK 6 Characters

How Many Characters Are in HSK 6?

HSK 6 contains 413 characters under the current HSK 3.0 standard (CLEC 2022 syllabus). This level represents near-native comprehension with characters from academic, literary, and specialized domains.

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 6 changed:

	HSK 3.0 (Current)	HSK 2.0 (Legacy)
Characters	413	978
Vocabulary Words	1,800	2,500
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 6

HSK 6 represents near-native reading and writing ability. The characters at this level come from academic, literary, and specialized domains — classical Chinese references, rare but important vocabulary, and characters that distinguish nuanced shades of meaning. This is the highest level of the original HSK system (pre-2022), now repositioned within the HSK 3.0 framework.

Many HSK 6 characters appear in four-character idioms (成语), literary allusions, and formal set phrases. Understanding these characters requires not just memorization but cultural and historical context — knowing why a character carries a particular connotation.

Reaching HSK 6 proficiency corresponds to CEFR level C2. You can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. You can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation, and express yourself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely.

HSK 6 Character Statistics

Avg. Strokes

3–23

Stroke Range

107

Unique Radicals

413

Total Characters

Most Common Radicals at This Level

扌手 (hand)31 chars 木木 (tree)24 chars 氵水 (water)24 chars 口口 (mouth)16 chars 忄心 (heart)13 chars

Study Tips for HSK 6

Study four-character idioms (成语) and literary allusions systematically — many HSK 6 characters appear primarily in these set phrases, and understanding the idiom gives you context for remembering the character.

Focus on distinguishing visually similar characters. At this level, subtle stroke differences matter — characters like 己/已/巳 or 戊/戌/戍 require careful attention to avoid confusion in reading and writing.

Read Chinese translations of books you already know in English. Familiar narrative context helps you absorb advanced characters without constantly reaching for a dictionary, building reading stamina for dense text.

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

Articles About HSK 6

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All HSK 6 Characters

焦jiāoanxious, burnt 爆bàoto explode, to quick-fry 煤méicoal 枝zhībranch, twig 吐tǔto spit, to vomit 恨hènto hate 妙miàowonderful 委wěicommittee, to entrust 嫌xiánto dislike 晕yūndizzy 肝gānliver 肠chángintestine 朗lǎngbright, clear 铜tóngcopper 镇zhèntown, to suppress 链liànchain 钻zuānto drill 钓diàoto fish 坡pōslope 埋máito bury 坛tánaltar, forum 碍àito hinder 砖zhuānbrick 田tiánfield 略lüèstrategy, slightly 编biānto edit, to compile 纳nàto accept, to pay 袖xiùsleeve 裕yùabundant 馈kuìgift, feedback 官guānofficial 审shěnto examine 寂jìquiet, lonely 寞mòlonely 蜜mìhoney 廊lángcorridor 庄zhuāngvillage, manor 疲pítired 症zhèngsymptom 痒yǎngitch 痕hénmark, scar 盼pànto hope for 瞧qiáoto look at 瞬shùnmoment 耽dānto delay 踩cǎito step on 踏tàto step, to tread 跌diēto fall 跪guìto kneel 踪zōngtrace, track 透tòupenetrate, thorough 蜂fēngbee 融róngto melt, to blend 英yīnghero, England 蓄xùto store up 雷léithunder 露lùdew, reveal 鲨shāshark 轮lúnwheel 辈bèigeneration 轨guǐtrack, rail 闪shǎnto flash, to dodge 阔kuòwide, broad 闯chuǎngto rush 财cáiwealth 贸màotrade 贫pínpoor 贯guànto penetrate 贷dàiloan 策cèpolicy 亡wángto die 仰yǎngto face upward 佩pèito respect 侧cèthe side 刊kānto print 叙xùto narrate 吓xiàto scare 呆dāifoolish 嗓sǎngthroat 恰qiàexactly 愁chóuto worry about 截jiéto cut off (a length)扭niǔto turn 抄chāoto make a copy 捉zhuōto clutch 捕bǔto catch 探tànto explore 摆bǎito arrange 攻gōngto attack 旋xuánto revolve 枪qiānggun 柔róusoft 柴cháifirewood 栏lánfence 欲yùdesire 泡pàobubble 涌yǒngto bubble up 液yè(bound form) a liquid 混hùnto mix 潮cháotide 烂lànsoft 畅chàngfree 盛shèngflourishing 粉fěnpowder 纯chúnpure 罪zuìguilt 肩jiānshoulder 胸xiōngchest 臂bìarm 跃yuèto jump 蹲dūnto crouch 辅fǔto assist 逃táoto escape 野yěfield 陷xiànpitfall 障zhàngto block 隐yǐn(bound form) secret 顶dǐngapex 骤zhòusudden 嘿hēihey 罕hǎnrare 脖bóneck 宵xiāonight 洁jiéclean 盲mángblind 椒jiāopepper 谦qiānmodest 帝dìemperor 怜liánto pity 惧jùto fear 旱hàndrought 虹hóngrainbow 劣lièinferior 王wángking or monarch 兵bīngsoldiers 寸cùna unit of length 恶èevil 骨gǔbone 归guīto return 毫háohair 劲jìnstrength 迫pòto persecute 圈quāncircle 尚shàngstill 谓wèito speak 岸ànbank 拔báto pull up 拜bàito bow to 悲bēisad 壁bìwall 偿chángto repay 脆cuìbrittle 德déGermany 毒dúpoison 豪háogrand 核hépit 击jīto hit 夹jiāto press from either side 胶jiāoto glue 戒jièto guard against 俱jù(literary) all 摩móto rub 喷pēnto spout 披pīto drape over one's shoulders 启qǐQi son of Yu the Great 禹, reported founder of the Xia Dynasty 夏朝 (c. 2070-c. 1600 BC)绒róngvelvet 杀shāto kill 射shèto shoot 寿shòulong life 偷tōuto steal 托tuōto hold up in one's hand 歇xiēto rest 雄xióngmale 艳yànbright 央yāngcenter 灾zāidisaster 珠zhūbead 榜bǎngnotice or announcement 胞bāoplacenta 奔bēnto hurry 逼bīto compel 残cánto destroy 仓cāngbarn 撤chèto remove 撑chēngto support 崇chónghigh 储chǔ(bound form) to store up 串chuànto string together 醋cùvinegar 搭dāto put up 诞dànbirth 岛dǎoisland 滴dīto drip 抵dǐto press against 吊diàoto suspend 督dū(bound form) to supervise 渡dùto cross 端duān(bound form) tip 夺duóto seize 额éforehead 凡fánordinary 犯fànto violate 肺fèilung 氛fēnmiasma 愤fènindignant 峰fēng(of a mountain) high and tapered peak or summit 奉fèngto offer (tribute)浮fúto float 岗gǎng(bound form) hillock 港gǎngHong Kong (abbr. for 香港)稿gǎomanuscript 宫gōngpalace 巩gǒng(bound form) to fix in place 孤gūlone 股gǔthigh 拐guǎito turn (a corner etc)耗hàoto waste 狠hěnruthless 横hénghorizontal 宏hónggreat 洪hóngflood 壶húpot 幻huànfantasy 患huànto suffer (from illness)皇huángemperor 绘huìto draw 吉jílucky 尖jiānpointed 监jiānto supervise 剑jiàndouble-edged sword 鉴jiànbronze mirror (used in ancient times)箭jiànarrow 酱jiàngthick paste of fermented soybean 杰jié(bound form) hero 井jǐngJing, one of the 28 constellations of Chinese astronomy 径jìngfootpath 纠jiūto gather together 菌jūngerm 抗kàngto resist 酷kùruthless 啦lasentence-final particle, contraction of 了啊, indicating exclamation 赖lài(Tw) (coll.) LINE messaging app 牢láofirm 梁liángLiang Dynasty (502–557)嘛mamodal particle indicating that sth is obvious 麦màiwheat 梅méiplum 棉miángeneric term for cotton or kapok 灭mièto extinguish or put out 泥nímud 怒nùanger 诺nuòto consent 扑pūto throw oneself at 铺pùstore 欺qīto take unfair advantage of 旗qíflag 牵qiānto lead along 潜qiánhidden 倾qīngto overturn 渠qúhow can it be that?券quànbond (esp. document split in two, with each party holding one half)塞sāito plug 丧sāngmourning 舌shétongue 涉shè(literary) to wade across a body of water 薯shǔpotato 塔tǎpagoda (abbr. for 塔婆, a loanword from Sanskrit stūpa)掏tāoto fish out (from pocket)添tiānto add 徒tú(bound form) disciple 吞tūnto swallow 挖wāto dig 娃wábaby 哇wāWow!顽wánmischievous 乌wūcrow 祥xiángauspicious 谐xié(bound form) harmonious 械xièappliance 薪xīn(literary) firewood 循xúnto follow 讯xùn(bound form) to ask 炎yánflame 宴yàn(bound form) feast 氧yǎngoxygen (chemistry)仪yíapparatus 异yìdifferent 忧yōuto worry 予yǔ(literary) to give 誉yùto praise 援yuánto help 遭zāoto meet by chance (usually with misfortune)扎zhāto prick 宅zháiresidence 殖zhíto grow 肿zhǒngto swell 粥zhōucongee 诸zhūall 壮zhuàngZhuang ethnic group of Guangxi, the PRC's second most numerous ethnic group 奏zòuto play music 祖zǔancestor 昂ángto lift 刹chàBuddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅|刹多罗, Sanskrit "ksetra")嘲cháoto ridicule 臣chénstate official or subject in dynastic China 尘chéndust 趁chènto avail oneself of 呈chéngto present to a superior 惩chéngto punish 筹chóuchip (in gambling)垂chuíto hang (down)瓷cíchinaware 匆cōnghurried 挫cuòobstructed 稻dàopaddy 栋dòngclassifier for houses or buildings 逗dòuto tease (playfully)帆fānsail 妨fángto hinder 肪fánganimal fat 赋fùpoetic essay 覆fùto cover 尬gà(bound form) embarrassing 尴gānused in 尷尬|尴尬割gēto cut 罐guàncan 龟guītortoise 棍gùnstick 涵hánto contain 惑huòto confuse 饥jī(bound form) hungry 嫁jià(of a woman) to marry 稼jiàto sow grain 兼jiāndouble 捷jiéquick 颈jǐngneck 舅jiùmaternal uncle 菊jú(bound form) chrysanthemum 矩jǔcarpenter's square 砍kǎnto chop 枯kū(of plants) withered 夸kuāto boast 兰lánorchid (蘭花|兰花 Cymbidium goeringii)拦lánto block sb's path 狼lángwolf 粒lìgrain 淋línto sprinkle 笼lóngenclosing frame made of bamboo, wire etc 履lǚshoe 迈màito take a step 眉méieyebrow 弥mífull 勉miǎnto exhort 拟nǐdoubtful 庞páng(bound form) huge 抛pāoto throw 捧pěngto hold or offer with both hands 飘piāoto float (in the air)朴pǔ(bound form) plain 棋qíchess 腔qiāng(bound form) cavity 屈qūbent 娶qǔto take a wife 壤rǎng(bound form) soil 撒sāto let go 筛shāi(bound form) a sieve 狮shī(bound form) lion 竖shùto erect 衰shuāi(bound form) to decay 艘sōuclassifier for ships 汰tàito discard 碳tàncarbon (chemistry)烫tàngto scald 淘táoto wash (rice, sand etc in water to remove impurities)筒tǒngtube 歪wāiaskew 沃wòfertile 晰xīclear 媳xídaughter-in-law 携xiéto carry 旬xúnten days 讶yàastounded 淹yānto flood 遥yáo(bound form) distant 抑yìto restrain 疫yì(bound form) epidemic 姻yīnmarriage connections 婴yīnginfant 颖yǐnghead of grain 浴yùbath 匀yúneven 孕yùnpregnant 噪zào(literary) (of birds or insects) to chirp 燥zàodry 粘niánto glue 崭zhǎntowering 仗zhàngweaponry 枕zhěn(bound form) pillow 睁zhēngto open (one's eyes)脂zhīfat 秩zhì(literary) salary according to rank 州zhōuprefecture 株zhūtree trunk 妆zhuāng(of a woman) to adorn oneself 粽zòngrice dumplings wrapped in leaves 蚂mǎant (in 蚂蚁)蚁yǐant (in 蚂蚁)侄zhínephew 晾liàngto dry in the air 棕zōngpalm 椎zhuī(bound form) vertebra 漱shùto rinse one's mouth with water 甥shēng(bound form) sister's son

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characters are in HSK 6?

HSK 6 contains 413 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 6 had only 978 characters from 2,500 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 6?

HSK 6 includes 1,800 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 6 has 413 unique characters but 1,800 vocabulary words formed from those and other characters.

What's the difference between HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 Level 6?

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 6 went from 978 characters and 2,500 vocabulary words (HSK 2.0) to 413 characters and 1,800 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 6 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 6?

Most learners report reaching HSK 6 proficiency after approximately 1,200–1,800 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 6 characters?

By stroke complexity, the most challenging HSK 6 characters include 罐 (guàn, 23 strokes), 露 (lù, 21 strokes), 壤 (rǎng, 20 strokes), 爆 (bào, 19 strokes), 蹲 (dūn, 19 strokes). The average stroke count at this level is 10. 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 6 cover?

HSK 6 focuses on academic texts, literary works, specialized professional domains, rare vocabulary, classical Chinese references, and subtle rhetorical distinctions. Mastering this level equips you for academic research conducted in Chinese, native-level media consumption, professional translation, and understanding cultural allusions and literary references.

What is the CEFR equivalent of HSK 6?

HSK 6 corresponds to CEFR level C2 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 mastery level, you can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, and express yourself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning.

What's the difference between HSK 6 and HSK 7-9?

HSK 6 covers 413 characters and 1,800 vocabulary words, while HSK 7-9 introduces 1205 characters and 5,600 vocabulary words. HSK 6 maps to CEFR C2, while HSK 7-9 maps to CEFR C2+. The step up requires learning new characters, mastering more complex grammar, and expanding into new topic areas such as classical Chinese, rare and literary characters, specialized academic vocabulary.

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 413 characters at this level.