HSK 2 adds 197 new words to your foundation, bringing your total to nearly 500. At this level you can handle basic conversations and follow stories with slightly more complex plots. Grammar introduces comparisons, duration, and simple cause-and-effect.
Stories with richer plots — minor conflicts, simple travel situations, and conversations between friends. You’ll see more connectors (因为、所以、但是) that let stories flow more naturally. Characters start having opinions, not just routines.
Common Questions
What’s the difference between HSK 1 and HSK 2 stories?▼
HSK 2 stories have longer chapters, more dialogue, and introduce basic plot complications. Where HSK 1 stories describe simple situations, HSK 2 stories have characters making decisions and dealing with small problems.
I passed HSK 1 but still struggle with reading. Should I jump to HSK 2?▼
Read a few more HSK 1 stories first. Passing the test means you recognize words in isolation — reading stories builds fluency, the ability to process words at natural speed in context. Once HSK 1 stories feel comfortable, move up.
How many characters do I need to know for HSK 2?▼
HSK 2 uses about 350 unique characters (some words share characters). If you’re comfortable with HSK 1, you already know roughly 250 of them. The 100 new characters appear repeatedly across our stories, so they’ll stick.
一会儿yī huì ra moment; a while; in a moment一起yī qǐ(in) the same place; together; in company (with); altogether; in total万wànten thousand; a great number丈夫zhàng fuhusband上去shàng qùto go up上来shàng láito come up; to approach; (verb complement indicating success)上网shàng wǎngto go online; to connect to the Internet; (of a document etc) to be uploaded to the Internet上面shàng miànon top of; above-mentioned; also pr. [shang4 mian5]下去xià qùto go down; to descend; to go on下来xià laito come down; (completed action marker); (after verb of motion, indicates motion down and towards us, also fig.)下面xià miànbelow; under; next不好意思bù hǎo yì sito feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing; to be sorry (for inconveniencing sb)不错bù cuòcorrect; right; not bad个子gè zistature; height; size (of a person or object); (agriculture) bundle of cereal stalks tied together为什么wèi shén mewhy?; for what reason?书包shū bāoschoolbag; satchel; bookbag事情shì qingaffair; matter; thing; business; CL:件[jian4],樁|桩[zhuang1]介绍jiè shàoto introduce (sb to sb); to give a presentation; to present (sb for a job etc)从cóngfrom; through; via从小cóng xiǎofrom childhood; from a young age但dànbut; yet; however但是dàn shìbut; however位wèiposition; location; place公交车gōng jiāo chēpublic transport vehicle; town bus; CL:輛|辆[liang4]准备zhǔn bèipreparation; to prepare; to intend出chūto go out; to come out; to arise出去chū qùto go out出国chū guóto go abroad; to leave the country出来chū láito come out; to appear; to arise出门chū ménto go out; to leave home; to go on a journey别biéto leave; to part (from); (literary) to differentiate前面qián miànahead; in front; preceding动dòng(of sth) to move; to set in movement; to displace包bāoto cover; to wrap; to hold可能kě néngmight (happen); possible; probable右yòu(bound form) right; right-hand side; (bound form) (politics) right of center右边yòu bianright side; right, to the right名míngname; noun (part of speech); place (e.g. among winners)后面hòu mianthe back; the rear; the last bit; behind; near the end; at the back; later; afterwards告诉gào sùto press charges; to file a complaint周zhōuto make a circuit; to circle; circle咖啡kā fēi(loanword) coffee; CL:杯[bei1]商场shāng chǎngshopping mall; shopping center; department store啊amodal particle ending sentence, showing affirmation, approval, or consent回去huí quto return; to go back回来huí laito return; to come back因为yīn wèibecause; owing to; on account of地de-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct地铁dì tiěunderground railway; subway; subway train坏huàibad; spoiled; broken外国wài guóforeign country外面wài miànoutside (also pr. [wai4 mian5] for this sense); surface; exterior头tóuhead; hair style; the top女孩儿nǚ hái rerhua form of 女孩[nu : 3 hai2]奶奶nǎi nai(informal) grandma (paternal grandmother); (respectful) mistress of the house; CL:位[wei4]奶茶nǎi chámilk tea妻子qī zǐwife and children姓xìngfamily name; surname; to be surnamed ...姓名xìng míngsurname and given name; full name完wánto finish; to be over; whole小孩儿xiǎo hái rerhua variant of 小孩[xiao3 hai2]小时候xiǎo shí houin one's childhood就jiù(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as左zuǒleft; the Left (politics); east左边zuǒ bianleft; the left side; to the left of已经yǐ jīngalready希望xī wàngto hope; a hope; a wish帮bāngto help; to assist; to support帮忙bāng mángto help; to lend a hand; to do a favor床chuángbed; couch (furniture that one can lie down on) (CL:張|张[zhang1]); bed开始kāi shǐto begin; beginning; to start开学kāi xué(of a student) to start school; (of a semester) to begin; (old) to found a school往wǎngto go (in a direction); to; towards得déto obtain; to get; to gain忘wàngto forget; to overlook; to neglect快kuàirapid; quick; speed快乐kuài lèhappy; joyful快要kuài yàonearly at the point of (doing sth); about to (do sth)意思yì siidea; opinion; meaning慢mànslow懂dǒngto understand; to comprehend所以suǒ yǐtherefore; as a result; so手shǒuhand; (formal) to hold; person engaged in certain types of work手表shǒu biǎowristwatch; CL:塊|块[kuai4],隻|只[zhi1],個|个[ge4]打dǎa semantically light, transitive verb that is combined with various grammatical objects to form compound verbs and verb-object phrases with a diverse range of meanings (e.g. 打傘|打伞[da3 san3] "to hold an umbrella", 打電話|打电话[da3 dian4 hua4] "to make a phone call", 打針|打针[da3 zhen1] "to get an injection", 打手套[da3 shou3 tao4] "to knit gloves", 打氣|打气[da3 qi4] "to inflate"); to hit; to strike打开dǎ kāito open; to show (a ticket); to turn on打车dǎ chēto take a taxi (in town); to hitch a lift拿náto hold; to seize; to catch教jiào(bound form) to teach; to instruct; a religion教室jiào shìclassroom; CL:間|间[jian1]旁边páng biānside; adjacent place旅游lǚ yóutrip; journey; tourism时shío'clock; time; when晴qíngclear; fine (weather)最zuì(before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est有意思yǒu yì siinteresting; meaningful; enjoyable有时yǒu shísometimes; now and then本子běn zibook; notebook; Japanese-style self-published comic (esp. an erotic one), aka "dōjinshi"机场jī chǎngairport; airfield; (slang) service provider for Shadowsocks or similar software for circumventing Internet censorship; CL:家[jia1],處|处[chu4]机票jī piàoplane ticket; airline ticket; CL:張|张[zhang1]条tiáostrip; item; article楼lóuhouse with more than 1 story; storied building; floor次cìnext in sequence; second; the second (day, time etc)正zhèngstraight; upright; proper每měieach; every比bǐto compare; (followed by a noun and adjective) more {adj.} than {noun}; ratio没意思méi yì siboring; of no interest洗xǐto wash; to bathe; to develop (photographs)洗手间xǐ shǒu jiāntoilet; lavatory; washroom游yóuto swim游泳yóu yǒngswimming; to swim爱好ài hàoto like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby爷爷yé ye(coll.) paternal grandfather; grandpa班bānteam; class; grade球qiúball used for playing games (variant of 球[qiu2])生日shēng rìbirthday; CL:個|个[ge4]男孩儿nán hái rerhua form of 男孩[nan2 hai2]画huàto draw; to paint; picture疼téng(it) hurts; sore; to love dearly白色bái sèwhite; fig. reactionary; anti-communist眼睛yǎn jingeye; CL:隻|只[zhi1],雙|双[shuang1]着zheaspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state票piàoticket; ballot; banknote离líto leave; to part from; to be away from站zhànstation; to stand; to halt笑xiàoto laugh; to smile; to laugh at笔bǐwriting brush; writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhi1],枝[zhi1]); brushstroke等děngto wait for; to await; by the time篮球lán qiúbasketball; CL:個|个[ge4],隻|只[zhi1]累lèitired; weary; to strain红色hóng sèred (color); revolutionary红茶hóng cháblack tea; CL:杯[bei1],壺|壶[hu2]经常jīng chángfrequently; constantly; regularly; often; day-to-day; everyday; daily绿色lǜ sègreen绿茶lǜ chágreen tea; (slang) (of a girl) seemingly innocent and charming but actually calculating and manipulative; a girl who has these qualities网上wǎng shàngonline考kǎoto beat; to hit; to inspect考试kǎo shìto take an exam; exam; CL:次[ci4]肉ròumeat; flesh; pulp (of a fruit)自己zì jǐoneself; (attributive) one's own舒服shū fucomfortable; feeling well花huāflower; blossom; CL:朵[duo3],支[zhi1],束[shu4],把[ba3],盆[pen2],簇[cu4]药yàoleaf of the iris药店yào diànpharmacy; drugstore虽然suī ránalthough; even though (often used correlatively with 可是[ke3 shi4] or 但是[dan4 shi4] etc)裤子kù zipants让ràngto yield; to permit; to let sb do sth记得jì deto remember词cíword; statement; speech走zǒuto walk; to go; to run走路zǒu lùto walk; to go on foot; to leave; to depart; (informal) to clear off; to beat it起来qǐ laito stand up; to get up; also pr. [qi3lai2]足球zú qiúsoccer; football; a soccer ball; a football跑pǎoto run; to run away; to escape跑步pǎo bùto run; to jog; (military) to march at the double跟gēnheel; to follow closely; to go with路lùroad (CL:條|条[tiao2]); journey; route路上lù shangon the road; on the way; en route跳舞tiào wǔto dance踢tīto kick; to play (e.g. soccer); (slang) butch (in a lesbian relationship)身体shēn tǐthe body; one's health车站chē zhànrail station; bus stop; CL:處|处[chu4],個|个[ge4]过guòto cross; to go over; to pass (time)过去guò qù(in the) past; former; previous; to go over; to pass by过年guò niánto celebrate the Chinese New Year过来guò láito come over; to manage; to handle运动yùn dòngto move; to exercise; sports近jìnnear; close to; approximately还是hái shistill (as before); had better; unexpectedly这么zhè meso much; this much; how much?这样zhè yàngthis way; like this; so; (before a noun) this kind of; such进jìnto go forward; to advance; to go in进去jìn qùto go in进来jìn láito come in远yuǎnfar; distant; remote送sòngto send; to deliver; to transmit那么nà melike that; in that way; to that extent; (before a number) ... or so; about ...; then; in that case那样nà yàngthat kind; that sort酒店jiǔ diànwine shop; pub (public house); hotel里面lǐ miàninside; interior; also pr. [li3 mian5]错cuòmistake; wrong; bad长zhǎngchief; head; elder门méngate; door; CL:扇[shan4]门口mén kǒudoorway; gate; CL:個|个[ge4]门票mén piàoticket (for theater, cinema etc)间jiānbetween; among; within a definite time or space阴yīnovercast (weather); cloudy; shady面miànface; side; surface题títopic; problem for discussion; exam question颜色yán sècolor; countenance; appearance飞fēito fly饭馆fàn guǎnrestaurant; CL:家[jia1]高gāohigh; tall; above average高中gāo zhōngsenior high school (abbr. for 高級中學|高级中学[gao1 ji2 zhong1 xue2])鱼yúfish (CL:條|条[tiao2],尾[wei3])鸟niǎobird; CL:隻|只[zhi1],群[qun2]; "bird" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 196)黑色hēi sèblack