HSK 3 Vocabulary List: 1,000 Words (HSK 3.0)
HSK 3 has 1,000 words in HSK 3.0, 500 of them new at this level (the old HSK 2.0 list had 600). Fluentide has 289 free stories at the Elementary (HSK 3) level that use them, with transcript and pinyin.
By Haoshan Hong · Native Mandarin speaker · Updated October 2026
Hear HSK 3 words in a real story
美国佛州李尔喷气机坠毁 九人全部遇难
Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County, Florida, Killing All Nine On Board
2 min
What is on the HSK 3 word list?
The other 500 come from HSK 1–2. They cover work, study, money, transport, and basic cause-and-effect. This is the bridge from survival phrases into actual conversation.
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HSK 3 word list
All 988 words from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus, the 491 new at HSK 3 first. The syllabus counts 1,000 because a few words are listed once per reading; here each appears once.
Pinyin from the syllabus, definitions from CC-CEDICT. Tap a word for its other senses.
Showing 1–50 of 988 · page 1 of 20
阿姨āyíHSK 3maternal aunt
- maternal aunt
- term of address for a woman of one's mother's generation
- childcare worker
- nanny
- domestic worker
矮ǎiHSK 3(of a person) short
- (of a person) short
- (of a wall etc) low
- (of rank) inferior (to)
- lower (than)
爱人àirenHSK 3spouse (PRC)
- spouse (PRC)
- lover (non-PRC)
- CL:个
安静ānjìngHSK 3quiet
- quiet
- peaceful
- calm
安全ānquánHSK 3safe
- safe
- secure
- safety
- security
把bǎHSK 3to hold
- to hold
- to grasp
- to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate
- handlebar
- classifier: handful, bundle, bunch
- classifier for things with handles
- (used to put the object before the verb: 把 + {noun} + {verb})
- handle
班级bānjíHSK 3class (group of students)
- class (group of students)
- grade (in school)
搬bānHSK 3to move (i.e. relocate oneself)
- to move (i.e. relocate oneself)
- to move (sth relatively heavy or bulky)
- to shift
- to copy indiscriminately
搬家bānjiāHSK 3to move house
- to move house
- to relocate
- to remove (sth)
办bànHSK 3to take care of (a matter)
- to take care of (a matter)
- to deal with (a task, procedure etc)
- to organize (an event)
- to establish
- to set up
- to manage
- to run (an enterprise)
- (law) to handle
- to investigate
- to prosecute (a case or suspect)
- (bound form) office (as in 招办, admissions office) (abbr. for 办公室)
办法bànfǎHSK 3way of handling sth
- way of handling sth
- means
- measure
- (practical) solution to a problem
- CL:条
办公室bàngōngshìHSK 3office
- office
- business premises
半天bàntiānHSK 3half of the day
- half of the day
- a long time
- quite a while
- midair
- CL:个
帮助bāngzhùHSK 3assistance
- assistance
- aid
- to help
- to assist
饱bǎoHSK 3to eat till full
- to eat till full
- satisfied
报纸bàozhǐHSK 3newspaper
- newspaper
- newsprint
- CL:份,期,张
北běiHSK 3north
- north
- (classical) to be defeated
北方běifāngHSK 3north
- north
- the northern part a country
- China north of the Yellow River
被bèiHSK 3by (marks the passive)
- by (marks the passive)
- quilt
- to cover (with)
- used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb)
- (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅游 to "go on a trip")
- (literary) to suffer (a misfortune)
比较bǐjiàoHSK 3to compare
- to compare
- to contrast
- comparatively
- relatively
- quite
- comparison
比如bǐrúHSK 3for example
- for example
- for instance
- such as
比赛bǐsàiHSK 3competition (sports etc)
- competition (sports etc)
- match
- CL:场,次
- to compete
笔记bǐjìHSK 3to take down (in writing)
- to take down (in writing)
- notes
- a type of literature consisting mainly of short sketches
- CL:本
笔记本bǐjìběnHSK 3notebook (stationery) (CL:本)
- notebook (stationery) (CL:本)
- (computing) laptop
- notebook (abbr. for 笔记本电脑)
必须bìxūHSK 3must
- must
- to have to
变biànHSK 3to change
- to change
- to become different
- to transform
- to vary
- rebellion
变成biànchéngHSK 3to change into
- to change into
- to turn into
- to become
变化biànhuàHSK 3(intransitive) to change
- (intransitive) to change
- to vary
- change
- variation
遍biànHSK 3everywhere
- everywhere
- all over
- classifier for actions: one time
- variant of 遍
表演biǎoyǎnHSK 3play
- play
- show
- performance
- exhibition
- to perform
- to act
- to demonstrate
- CL:场
别的biédeHSK 3else
- else
- other
别人biérénHSK 3other people
- other people
- others
- other person
宾馆bīnguǎnHSK 3guesthouse
- guesthouse
- lodge
- hotel
- CL:个,家
冰bīngHSK 3ice
- ice
- CL:块
- to chill sth
- (of an object or substance) to feel cold
- (of a person) cold
- unfriendly
- (slang) methamphetamine
- variant of 冰
冰激凌bīngjīlíngHSK 3ice cream
- ice cream
冰箱bīngxiāngHSK 3refrigerator
- refrigerator
- (old) icebox
病人bìngrénHSK 3sick person
- sick person
- patient
- invalid
- CL:个
不但búdànHSK 3not only (... but also ...)
- not only (... but also ...)
不见bújiànHSK 3not to see
- not to see
- not to meet
- to have disappeared
- to be missing
不久bùjiǔHSK 3not long (after)
- not long (after)
- before too long
- soon
- soon after
不同bù tóngHSK 3different
- different
- distinct
- not the same
- not alike
不行bùxíngHSK 3won't do
- won't do
- be out of the question
- be no good
- not work
- not be capable
不用búyòngHSK 3need not
- need not
才cáiHSK 3only then
- only then
- just
- only
- ability
- talent
- sb of a certain type
- a capable individual
- then and only then
- just now
- (before an expression of quantity) only
- (emphatic, esp. in contrast or correction) really
- actually
- (variant of 才) just now
- (variant of 才) (before an expression of quantity) only
菜单càidānHSK 3menu
参加cānjiāHSK 3to participate
- to participate
- to take part
- to join
草cǎoHSK 3grass
- grass
- straw
- manuscript
- draft (of a document)
- careless
- rough
- CL:棵,撮,株,根
- variant of 草
- variant of 肏
草地cǎodìHSK 3lawn
- lawn
- meadow
- sod
- turf
- CL:片
层céngHSK 3to pile on top of one another
- to pile on top of one another
- layer
- stratum
- floor (of a building)
- story
- (math.) sheaf
- classifier for layers
查cháHSK 3to research
- to research
- to check
- to investigate
- to examine
- to refer to
- to look up (e.g. a word in a dictionary)
- surname Zha
- variant of 楂
Stories that use these HSK 3 words
Each one is a Fluentide Elementary (HSK 3) story, written inside that word band. Press play; the first few need no account.
HSK 2 Chinese listening episodes
HSK 3 Chinese listening episodes
HSK 4 Chinese listening episodes
HSK 5+ Chinese listening episodes
HSK 3 word list for HSK 2.0 (600 words)
If your registration still says HSK 2.0, study this list. HSK 2.0 HSK 3 has about 600 words. Below are the 298 it adds at this level; the rest are on the HSK 1, HSK 2 pages.
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Show the 298 HSK 2.0 words
- 阿姨āyí
- 啊a
- 矮ǎi
- 爱好àihào
- 安静ānjìng
- 把bǎ
- 班bān
- 搬bān
- 办法bànfǎ
- 办公室bàngōngshì
- 半bàn
- 帮忙bāngmáng
- 包bāo
- 饱bǎo
- 北方běifāng
- 被bèi
- 鼻子bízi
- 比较bǐjiào
- 比赛bǐsài
- 必须bìxū
- 变化biànhuà
- 表示biǎoshì
- 表演biǎoyǎn
- 别人biéren
- 宾馆bīnguǎn
- 冰箱bīngxiāng
- 才cái
- 菜单càidān
- 参加cānjiā
- 草cǎo
- 层céng
- 差chà
- 超市chāoshì
- 衬衫chènshān
- 成绩chéngjì
- 城市chéngshì
- 迟到chídào
- 出现chūxiàn
- 除了chúle
- 厨房chúfáng
- 春chūn
- 词语cíyǔ
- 聪明cōngming
- 打扫dǎsǎo
- 打算dǎsuàn
- 带dài
- 担心dānxīn
- 蛋糕dàngāo
- 当然dāngrán
- 地dì
- 地方dìfang
- 地铁dìtiě
- 地图dìtú
- 灯dēng
- 低dī
- 电梯diàntī
- 电子diànzǐ
- 东dōng
- 冬dōng
- 动物dòngwù
- 短duǎn
- 段duàn
- 锻炼duànliàn
- 多么duōme
- 饿è
- 而且érqiě
- 耳朵ěrduo
- 发烧fāshāo
- 发现fāxiàn
- 方便fāngbiàn
- 放fàng
- 放心fàngxīn
- 分fēn
- 附近fùjìn
- 复习fùxí
- 敢gǎn
- 感冒gǎnmào
- 干净gānjìng
- 刚才gāngcái
- 根据gēnjù
- 跟gēn
- 更gèng
- 公园gōngyuán
- 故事gùshi
- 刮guā
- 关guān
- 关系guānxi
- 关心guānxīn
- 关于guānyú
- 国家guójiā
- 果汁guǒzhī
- 过去guòqù
- 还是háishi
- 害怕hàipà
- 河hé
- 黑板hēibǎn
- 护照hùzhào
- 花huā
- 花园huāyuán
- 画huà
- 坏huài
- 环境huánjìng
- 换huàn
- 黄huáng
- 会议huìyì
- 或者huòzhě
- 机会jīhuì
- 极jí
- 几乎jīhū
- 记得jìde
- 季节jìjié
- 检查jiǎnchá
- 简单jiǎndān
- 见面jiànmiàn
- 健康jiànkāng
- 讲jiǎng
- 角jiǎo
- 脚jiǎo
- 教jiào
- 接jiē
- 街道jiēdào
- 节目jiémù
- 节日jiérì
- 结婚jiéhūn
- 结束jiéshù
- 解决jiějué
- 借jiè
- 经常jīngcháng
- 经过jīngguò
- 经理jīnglǐ
- 久jiǔ
- 旧jiù
- 举行jǔxíng
- 句子jùzi
- 决定juédìng
- 可爱kěài
- 渴kě
- 刻kè
- 客人kèrén
- 空调kōngtiáo
- 口kǒu
- 哭kū
- 裤子kùzi
- 筷子kuàizi
- 蓝lán
- 老lǎo
- 了解liǎojiě
- 离开líkāi
- 礼物lǐwù
- 历史lìshǐ
- 脸liǎn
- 练习liànxí
- 辆liàng
- 邻居línjū
- 楼lóu
- 绿lǜ
- 马mǎ
- 马上mǎshàng
- 满意mǎnyì
- 帽子màozi
- 米mǐ
- 面包miànbāo
- 面条miàntiáo
- 明白míngbai
- 拿ná
- 奶奶nǎinai
- 南nán
- 难nán
- 难过nánguò
- 年级niánjí
- 年轻niánqīng
- 鸟niǎo
- 努力nǔlì
- 爬山páshān
- 盘子pánzi
- 胖pàng
- 啤酒píjiǔ
- 葡萄pútao
- 普通话pǔtōnghuà
- 其实qíshí
- 其他qítā
- 奇怪qíguài
- 骑qí
- 铅笔qiānbǐ
- 清楚qīngchu
- 秋qiū
- 裙子qúnzi
- 然后ránhòu
- 热情rèqíng
- 认为rènwéi
- 认真rènzhēn
- 容易róngyì
- 如果rúguǒ
- 伞sǎn
- 上网shàngwǎng
- 生气shēngqì
- 声音shēngyīn
- 使shǐ
- 世界shìjiè
- 瘦shòu
- 叔叔shūshu
- 舒服shūfu
- 树shù
- 数学shùxué
- 刷shuā
- 双shuāng
- 水平shuǐpíng
- 司机sījī
- 虽然suīrán
- 太阳tàiyang
- 糖táng
- 特别tèbié
- 疼téng
- 提高tígāo
- 体育tǐyù
- 甜tián
- 条tiáo
- 同事tóngshì
- 同意tóngyì
- 头发tóufa
- 突然tūrán
- 图书馆túshūguǎn
- 腿tuǐ
- 完成wánchéng
- 碗wǎn
- 万wàn
- 忘记wàngjì
- 为了wèile
- 为什么wèishénme
- 位wèi
- 文化wénhuà
- 西xī
- 习惯xíguàn
- 洗手间xǐshǒujiān
- 洗澡xǐzǎo
- 夏xià
- 先xiān
- 相同xiāngtóng
- 相信xiāngxìn
- 香蕉xiāngjiāo
- 像xiàng
- 小心xiǎoxīn
- 校长xiàozhǎng
- 鞋xié
- 新闻xīnwén
- 新鲜xīnxiān
- 信xìn
- 行李箱xínglixiāng
- 兴趣xìngqù
- 熊猫xióngmāo
- 需要xūyào
- 选择xuǎnzé
- 眼镜yǎnjìng
- 要求yāoqiú
- 爷爷yéye
- 一般yībān
- 一边yībiān
- 一定yīdìng
- 一共yīgòng
- 一会儿yīhuìr
- 一样yīyàng
- 一直yīzhí
- 以后yǐhòu
- 以前yǐqián
- 以为yǐwéi
- 音乐yīnyuè
- 银行yínháng
- 应该yīnggāi
- 影响yǐngxiǎng
- 用yòng
- 游戏yóuxì
- 有名yǒumíng
- 又yòu
- 遇到yùdào
- 愿意yuànyì
- 月亮yuèliang
- 越yuè
- 云yún
- 站zhàn
- 照顾zhàogu
- 照片zhàopiàn
- 照相机zhàoxiàngjī
- 着急zháojí
- 只zhǐ
- 中间zhōngjiān
- 终于zhōngyú
- 种zhǒng
- 重要zhòngyào
- 周末zhōumò
- 主要zhǔyào
- 注意zhùyì
- 祝zhù
- 字典zìdiǎn
- 自己zìjǐ
- 总是zǒngshì
- 最近zuìjìn
- 作业zuòyè
- 作用zuòyòng
How to actually learn HSK 3 vocabulary
Reading a word on a page and catching it at speed in a sentence are different skills. The HSK listening section tests the second.
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The method in practice
Hear HSK 3 vocabulary in real Mandarin
Each HSK 3 episode uses this word band, with the transcript, pinyin and line-by-line English. Five free episodes after a one-tap magic-link sign-in — no password, no payment.