HSK stands for Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi

which is the standardized Chinese Proficiency Test for non-native speakers of the Chinese language. It is organized and administered by Hanban, a Chinese organization that is in charge of the Confucius Institution to promote the Chinese language and culture worldwide.

As a Chinese learner, you might have heard that there will be a change to the current HSK. However, do you know what are the changes made to the New HSK? When will the changes take place? How will it affect Chinese learners who want to take the HSK exam? Why is the HSK changing? Don’t worry, we’ll provide an answer here, stay tuned to find out more.

What is the New HSK 3.0 All About?

The Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (hereinafter referred to as the “Standards”) is the main basis for the HSK exam, which is issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education as a reference for the International Chinese Language Education in terms of the overall design, textbook compilation, classroom teaching, and course assessment. The Standards will be effective from 1st July 2021, documenting the changes of the new HSK syllabus. Below are the major changes that you need to know as a Chinese learner who studies for the HSK:

1. New HSK: Grading Framework Changed to “3 Levels & 9 Bands”

The HSK grading framework will be changed from 6 levels to “3 levels and 9 bands”. The original HSK level requirement requires the learner to learn around 150 – 5000 vocabulary as shown in Table 1:

With the release of the new Standards, more vocabulary will be added to each level and band, making it more challenging than the old HSK syllabus as shown in Table 2:

Band 1 to 6 do not correspond completely with the original HSK level 1 to 6 as there are many new words added to each band under the new syllabus. In addition, there are four major elements covered in the New HSK:

· 1110 syllables

· 3000 Chinese characters

· 11092 vocabulary

· 572 grammar points

2. New HSK: 5 Types of Language Skills

Apart from the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, translation skill is also added. However, translation skill is only covered under Bands 7-9 under the advanced level. These bands are used to assess those Chinese language learners who pursue a study in Chinese-related fields, such as literature, linguistics, or sinology.

3. New HSK: 3 Conceptual Dimensions for Each Band

There are 3 important dimensions that separate one band from another. Firstly, each band covers varying degrees of verbal communication abilities, learners need to use the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation comprehensively so that they are able to communicate in Chinese on various topics in different contexts. Secondly, each band covers different topics and tasks that learners may encounter when they use Chinese in their life, study, and work. They will need to accomplish typical language communication tasks by comprehensively using multiple language skills. Lastly, each band has different sets of quantitative criteria that cover the varying content and quantity of syllables, characters, vocabulary and grammar that learners need to master at each level and band. The Standards provide a standardized reference to international Chinese language education across schools, institutions and enterprises.

How Will the HSK Reform Impact Your Chinese Learning?

1. Current HSK Exam Will Remain Unchanged for Now

As of 2021, HSK Level 1-6 will not be adjusted. The “3 Levels & 9 Bands” exam grading system will only be more relevant in the next 3-5 years, which means that the relevant teaching materials and courses can still be used for now. Since the adjustments will only be made gradually, the validity, content, format and vocabulary of the current HSK exam will remain unchanged. For candidates who have already participated in the current HSK exam, the results and the certificate obtained are still valid.

2. HSK Exam for Advanced Chinese Learners (Band 7-9)

The mock test for HSK Band 7-9 is scheduled in December 2021. The paper will then be officially launched in March 2022. Candidates only need to take one paper to determine whether they are in Band 7, 8, or 9. This is important for foreign students who want to pursue a study in a Chinese-related field, such as literature, linguistics or sinology.

3. Increased Difficulty for the Vocabulary Element

Many new words are added to the new HSK syllabus for every level and band. For example, the previous HSK 1 only requires learners to learn 150 words, but for the New HSK syllabus, it has increased to 500. Additionally, it is expected that some irrelevant vocabulary will be dropped to better align with the current usage of the Chinese language.

Why Is There a Change to the HSK Syllabus?

1. More Collective, Systematic and Detailed Standards to Determine Learners’ Chinese Proficiency

There are 3 important conceptual dimensions to separate one band from another, they are: verbal communication abilities, topics and tasks, as well as quantitative criteria. They provide a clearer classification to outline the learning outcomes of each level and band. Under quantitative criteria, 4 language elements including syllables, characters, vocabulary and grammar are covered. This systematic approach will help to determine the learners’ Chinese proficiency level more easily and accurately.

2. Better Align with International Standards such as the CEFR

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which stands for CEFR, is an international standard for describing language ability. The new HSK is changing to better align with the CEFR, thus giving the HSK exam more weightage and credibility internationally.

Key Takeaways

Learners can still use the current HSK learning materials to prepare for their HSK exam as the changes will only be made gradually in the next 3-5 years.
For more advanced language learners who are interested to pursue higher Chinese studies, they can consider taking the HSK paper designed for Band 7-9 learners to determine which band they belong under the advanced level. However, this paper is only ready to launch in March 2022.
Although the difficulty for HSK 3.0 has increased, it is a more precise assessment of a learner’s Chinese proficiency. Furthermore, new words are added to the vocabulary element to make it more relevant to our daily lives.

An Update on the New HSK 3.0 Test 2021