How many words do you need for HSK 1?
150 words under the HSK 2.0 standard, and around 500 under the HSK 3.0 standard introduced in 2021. Unlike the JLPT, the HSK publishes official vocabulary lists, so these are real requirements rather than estimates. InputDojo covers 300 HSK 1 entries, sitting between the two standards.
Key figures
- Official HSK 2.0 requirement
- 150 words
- Official HSK 3.0 requirement
- ~500 words
- HSK 1 entries in InputDojo
- 300
Check which standard your exam uses
This is the practical question and it is easy to get wrong. HSK 3.0 raised the vocabulary requirement at every level substantially, and rollout has been staggered, so material written for 2.0 undershoots badly if you are sitting 3.0. Confirm with your test centre before choosing a word list — the difference at level 1 alone is more than triple.
150 words is a smaller ask than it sounds
Chinese words are largely built from a smaller set of characters, so 150 words does not mean 150 unrelated things to memorise. 电 gives you 电话, 电视 and 电脑; 中 gives you 中国 and 中文. Learners who notice this early move considerably faster than those treating each word as an isolated unit.
The pages behind these numbers
Frequently asked questions
Does HSK 1 require characters?
The test provides pinyin alongside characters at level 1, so you can pass without solid character recognition. Skipping characters at this stage makes every later level harder.
Which HSK standard should I study for?
Whichever your test centre is administering. HSK 3.0 has substantially higher word counts, so studying the wrong one leaves a real gap.
How long does 150 words take?
A few weeks at a relaxed pace. The characters and tones take longer than the words themselves.