Changes to the New HSK: Combined Written and Oral Exams at Levels 3 to 6
Until relatively recently, preparing for the HSK meant something very specific: studying vocabulary, grammar and reading comprehension to pass a written exam. The oral component, the HSKK, a separate exam with its own structure and its own date, was optional for many learners who only needed to certify general language proficiency.
That model no longer exists in the New HSK 3.0.
One of the most significant structural changes in the reform of the HSK system is the integration of the written and oral tests at levels 3 to 6. What used to be two separate exams is now a single assessment in which speaking is measured within the same certification. The implicit message is clear: speaking Chinese is no longer an add-on; it's a fundamental part of what it means to master the language.
This guide explains exactly what changed, why it matters and what you need to do differently in your study plan if you're preparing for the New HSK.
In this article:
- The HSK System: Then and Now
- What Exactly Changed at Levels 3 to 6
- Why This Change Matters
- What the Oral Component Looks Like in Practice
- What It Means for Your Study Plan
- Strategies to Build Your Speaking Skills
The HSK System: Then and Now
To understand the scope of the change, it helps to be clear on how the old system worked and what the New HSK 3.0 introduced.
The old system (HSK 2.0)
The HSK system in place for decades had two completely separate exams:
The HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì, 汉语水平考试): the written exam of general proficiency. It was organized into six levels:
| Level | Required vocabulary | Approximate equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 150 words | Absolute beginner |
| HSK 2 | 300 words | Basic beginner |
| HSK 3 | 600 words | Lower intermediate |
| HSK 4 | 1,200 words | Intermediate |
| HSK 5 | 2,500 words | Advanced |
| HSK 6 | 5,000 words | Advanced proficiency |
The HSKK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǒuyǔ Kǎoshì, 汉语水平口语考试): the oral exam. It was a completely independent test, with its own three levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced), different exam dates and separate registration. There was no obligation to take both; many learners took the written HSK without ever sitting the HSKK.
The New HSK 3.0
The New HSK, whose standard was published in 2021 and whose exams are being rolled out gradually (the full switch is scheduled for late 2026), restructures the system from the ground up:
-
Three bands instead of a single block of six levels:
- Elementary HSK: levels 1, 2 and 3
- Intermediate HSK: levels 4, 5 and 6
- Advanced HSK: levels 7, 8 and 9
- New vocabulary: significantly higher word requirements at every level
- Oral integration: from level 3 up, the exam includes an oral section within the same test
This last part is the most relevant change for learners planning their preparation.
What Exactly Changed at Levels 3 to 6
The oral component isn't applied uniformly at every level. Here's the structure of the New HSK level by level:
Levels 1 and 2: no oral changes
The first two levels of the New HSK are still written only. That makes sense pedagogically: in the early stages of learning Chinese, learners need to consolidate phonetics, characters and basic vocabulary before being assessed orally in a structured way.
Level 3: the first oral integration
The New HSK 3 is the first level where the oral component appears within the main exam. Under the old system, HSK 3 was written only; under the new system, the test includes a speaking section that assesses the ability to respond and express yourself in spoken Chinese.
Under the 2021 standard, the cumulative vocabulary for the New HSK 3 is around 2,245 words, far above the 600 of the old HSK 3, and you now also have to show you can use that vocabulary orally, not just in writing.
Levels 4, 5 and 6: fully integrated assessment
From level 4 up, the oral component is an established structural part of the exam. All three levels of the intermediate band assess reading, writing and listening as well as speaking within the same exam session.
The New HSK's vocabulary requirements in the intermediate band are noticeably higher than in the previous system:
| New HSK level | Cumulative vocabulary (2021 standard) | Old HSK equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 4 | 3,245 words | Old HSK 4 (1,200) |
| HSK 5 | 4,316 words | Old HSK 5 (2,500) |
| HSK 6 | 5,456 words | Old HSK 6 (5,000) |
Besides requiring more vocabulary, the fundamental difference is that learners are now expected to use it actively and fluently when speaking, not just recognize it in written texts.
Levels 7, 8 and 9: the advanced band
The New HSK also introduces three advanced levels (7, 8 and 9) with no direct equivalent in the old system. These levels assess sophisticated command of Chinese (roughly C1 and C2 on the Common European Framework of Reference) and require mastering about 11,000 words. The oral component at these levels includes extended speech, argumentation and formal register.
Why This Change Matters
This change isn't just administrative. It reflects a shift in how China's official system understands what "mastering Chinese" means.
The philosophy behind the integration
For years, the HSKK existed as an optional test because of an implicit assumption that language proficiency could be split into two relatively independent dimensions: written and oral. A researcher who needed to read historical documents in Chinese didn't necessarily need to speak. A student applying to a Chinese university could show written proficiency without certifying fluent conversation.
The New HSK 3.0 rejects that split. By making speaking a structural, non-optional requirement, it establishes that real communicative competence is indivisible: there's no genuine command of a language if you can read but not speak, or write but not listen and respond in real time.
This brings the HSK in line with the modern language assessment standards that bodies like the European Framework of Reference have been setting for decades: the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) are interdependent components of language proficiency, not interchangeable modules.
The impact on learners from the old system
For learners who prepared under the previous HSK system, especially those who reached HSK 5 or HSK 6 with a mainly written focus, the integration of speaking may mean a significant adjustment.
It's possible to have a 5,000-word recognition vocabulary and solid reading comprehension yet genuinely struggle to produce those words in fluent conversation under exam pressure. Recognizing a written word and actively retrieving it to use in speech are different cognitive skills, and the second requires specific practice that text-only study doesn't develop.
International recognition and employability
The New HSK also has implications for how the certificate is recognized. Chinese universities, employers and international institutions that accept the HSK as proof of Chinese proficiency are starting to update their requirements to the new system. An HSK under the 3.0 system, with an integrated oral component, communicates something different from the old reading-only certificate.
What the Oral Component Looks Like in Practice
Understanding the exact structure of the oral component helps you prepare more efficiently.
General format of the integrated oral exam
At the levels where it applies (3 to 6 and the advanced band), the oral component of the New HSK typically includes three types of tasks:
Sentence repetition (跟读, gēndú): the candidate hears a sentence in Chinese and repeats it as faithfully as possible, including pronunciation, tones and rhythm. This section assesses phonetic accuracy and auditory working memory.
Reading aloud (朗读, lǎngdú): the candidate is given a written text and reads it aloud within the time allowed. It assesses pronunciation, fluency and the ability to process characters and produce speech at the same time, a skill that takes specific practice.
Answering questions (回答问题, huídá wèntí): the candidate hears a question and answers orally. At higher levels, this can include questions about described situations, opinions on given topics or summaries of information heard earlier. This is the section closest to spontaneous conversation.
The technology side
At many test centers, the oral component of the New HSK is taken on a computer: the candidate speaks into a microphone and the audio is recorded for assessment. This has practical implications:
- It's important to speak loudly and clearly enough; don't mumble
- Pronunciation needs to be standard enough to be assessed; strong regional accents can affect your score
- Getting familiar with the computer format reduces anxiety on exam day
Scoring and pass marks
The oral component carries its own weight in the final score at each level. The result is calculated on the combined score of all sections: written, listening and oral. A candidate who scores very high on the written part but very low on the oral may not reach the overall threshold even if their reading is excellent. That makes skipping oral preparation a risky strategy.
What It Means for Your Study Plan
The New HSK's structural change has very concrete consequences for how you should organize your study time, especially if you're preparing for levels 3 to 6.
Reading and writing are no longer enough
The classic HSK study model (vocabulary flashcards, grammar exercises, reading texts and written mock exams) is still necessary but no longer sufficient. If you spend 100% of your prep time on written skills, you'll arrive at the exam without having trained a part that now counts toward your score.
The general rule should be: your speaking practice time should be proportional to the weight of the oral component in the exam.
Build in speaking from level 1
The most common mistake is waiting until the levels where speaking is formally assessed to start practicing it. By then it's too late. Speaking Chinese requires automaticity (words and structures you know passively becoming accessible without conscious effort), and that automaticity is built through months of accumulated practice, not a few weeks of sprinting before the exam.
The practical recommendation: start practicing speaking from level 1, even if you won't be assessed on it yet. Every word you learn should be learned spoken, not just seen.
Practice under exam conditions
Preparing for the oral section isn't the same as simply speaking Chinese. Exam conditions (limited time, a specific format, the pressure of being assessed) are different from free conversation. Specifically practice:
- Repeating sentences quickly and accurately right after hearing them (simulating the 跟读 section)
- Reading texts aloud at a steady pace, without stopping at difficult words
- Answering questions orally within a time limit with no preparation
This exam-format practice is different from, and complementary to, general conversation.
Strategies to Build Your Speaking Skills
The good news is that building speaking skills for the New HSK and learning to speak Chinese in real life are the same process. Strategies that work for one reinforce the other.
Find conversation partners
Conversation practice with native speakers or other advanced learners is irreplaceable. Apps like HelloTalk and Tandem connect Chinese learners with native speakers learning the learner's language; the exchange works well because both sides have an incentive to help.
What to look for in these sessions to prepare for the HSK:
- Quick-response practice: have your partner ask you questions you must answer with no prep time
- Active correction of pronunciation and tones: a native speaker will catch problems you can't hear in yourself
- Conversation on topics that come up often in the exams: daily life, work, society, culture
Record yourself speaking regularly
Listening to yourself is one of the most effective and most underused diagnostic tools in learning to speak Chinese. What you think you're saying and what you actually say can differ significantly, especially when it comes to tones.
The process is simple:
- Record yourself talking about a topic (describe your day, summarize a text, answer a question)
- Listen back later, ideally the next day, so you're no longer familiar with what you meant to say
- Identify specifically which tones are wrong, which words sound unnatural and where the rhythm breaks
- Work on exactly those points in your next session and record again
Keeping these recordings over time also gives you tangible evidence of progress, something that can be hard to notice when you're in the middle of learning.
Shadowing: the active imitation technique
Shadowing is one of the most effective techniques for developing oral fluency and natural pronunciation in Chinese. It involves listening to audio of native speakers and repeating it immediately, with as little lag as possible, trying to imitate not just the words but the rhythm, tones and musicality of the speech.
How to do it well:
- Choose material at the right level: too easy doesn't challenge you; too hard frustrates you. Audio where you understand 70–80% of what's said is the ideal starting point.
- Start without the text: the first pass is listening only, imitating by instinct. The goal is to catch the rhythmic pattern before the text explains it to you.
- Add the text on the second pass: with the transcript in front of you, check what you understood, what sounded different from what you expected and where you lost the rhythm.
- Repeat at natural speed: don't practice at reduced speed for too long. The natural speed of spoken Chinese is the speed of the exam, so you need to be comfortable there.
Good material for shadowing: intermediate-level podcasts like ChinesePod or Mandarin Corner, CCTV news clips (for formal register, relevant to the higher HSK levels), or simply the audio tracks from official exam prep materials.
Work on pronunciation systematically
Chinese has four tones plus a neutral tone, and the difference between one tone and another can change the meaning completely. For the HSK oral component, pronunciation isn't decorative: it's assessed directly. Working on tones systematically is an investment that keeps paying off.
What works:
- Tonal minimal pairs: practice pairs of words that differ only in tone until the distinction becomes automatic. 妈 (mā, first tone) vs. 马 (mǎ, third tone) is the classic example, but the work should extend to tone combinations in phrases.
- Focus on the third tone: the third tone is the one non-native learners most consistently get wrong, especially in combinations. A third tone before another third-tone syllable is pronounced as a second tone, and that takes specific practice.
- Native feedback: your perception of your own tones isn't reliable. You need a native speaker (a teacher, an exchange partner, a tutor) to confirm that what you're producing is correct.
Use online tutors for targeted practice
Platforms like iTalki or Preply connect learners with professional Chinese tutors who can structure sessions specifically for HSK oral prep. One weekly 45–60 minute session with a tutor focused on the oral section formats can be more productive than hours of unstructured self-study.
What to ask a tutor for when preparing for the HSK oral:
- Mock tests in the specific oral section format (跟读, 朗读, 回答问题)
- Detailed feedback on tones and pronunciation
- Quick-response practice with no prep time
- Work on active vocabulary: words you can recognize but can't produce spontaneously
The New HSK 3.0 puts on the table something the best language teachers have been saying for decades: speaking a language isn't an add-on to studying it; it's the goal. Integrating speaking at levels 3 to 6 doesn't complicate the certificate; it makes it more honest about what mastering Chinese means.
For those who were preparing under the old system, the adjustment means building regular speaking practice in from the start, not as a last-minute add-on before the exam. The upside is that this adjustment doesn't just improve your exam score: it improves your real Chinese.
Preparing for the New HSK? Check out Chinese Flow's resources for learners with certification goals.