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.
Study the 197 new Level 2 words offline with the Free HSK 2 Anki deck, including word and sentence audio.
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
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
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
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; (coll.) boobies
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 (CL:個|个[ge4])
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
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
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
机票jī piàoplane ticket; airline ticket
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
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
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
累lèitired; weary; to strain
红色hóng sèred (color); revolutionary
红茶hóng cháblack tea
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
肉ròumeat; flesh; pulp (of a fruit)
自己zì jǐoneself; 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; trousers
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 (CL:個|个[ge4])
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
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 kind of; so; this way
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
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
高gāohigh; tall; above average
高中gāo zhōngsenior high school
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