HSK 5 expands to 3,500+ words, covering formal and literary vocabulary. At this level you can appreciate writing style, follow complex arguments, and read about specialized topics. Stories become vehicles for cultural understanding, not just language practice.
Longer, more literary stories with sophisticated themes — professional dilemmas, historical settings, philosophical questions. The writing uses varied sentence structures, figurative language, and domain-specific vocabulary from fields like medicine, law, or academia.
Common Questions
What makes HSK 5 stories different from native Chinese fiction?▼
Our HSK 5 stories are written to be genuinely engaging while staying within the 3,500-word boundary. Native fiction frequently uses rare characters, classical allusions, and dialect — our stories give you the literary experience without those barriers.
Should I still use graded readers at HSK 5?▼
Absolutely. Even at HSK 5, native novels can have 5-10% unknown words per page, which breaks reading flow. Graded stories let you read fluently and build the stamina for longer texts. Mix graded reading with native content for best results.
How many HSK 5 stories do you have?▼
We’re continuously adding stories. Check the library above for the current count. Each story is unique — different genres, settings, and themes — so you won’t read the same pattern twice.
一代yī dàian era; an age; a generation
一旦yī dànin case (sth happens); if; once (sth happens, then...)
一次性yī cì xìngone-off (offer); one-time; single-use
一致yī zhìconsistent; unanimous; in agreement; together; in unison
一路yī lùthe whole journey; all the way; going the same way
一路顺风yī lù shùn fēngto have a pleasant journey (idiom)
万一wàn yījust in case; if by any chance; contingency
上下shàng xiàthe top and bottom of sth; the full vertical extent of sth; from top to bottom; to go up and down
上传shàng chuánto upload
上升shàng shēngto rise; to go up; to ascend
上涨shàng zhǎngto rise; to go up
下载xià zǎito download; also pr. [xia4zai4]
不利bù lìunfavorable; disadvantageous; harmful
不幸bù xìngmisfortune; adversity; unfortunate
不得了bù dé liǎodesperately serious; disastrous; extremely
不然bù ránnot so; no; or else
不符bù fúinconsistent; not in agreement with; not agree or tally with
不良bù liángbad; harmful; unhealthy; (of a device, connection, material etc) defective; faulty
不要紧bù yào jǐnunimportant; not serious; it doesn't matter
不足bù zúinsufficient; lacking; deficiency
丑chǒuclown; 2nd earthly branch: 1-3 a.m., 12th solar month (6th January to 3rd February), year of the Ox; ancient Chinese compass point: 30°
专家zhuān jiāexpert; specialist
专心zhuān xīnto focus one's attention; to concentrate on (doing sth)
业余yè yúin one's spare time; outside working hours; amateur (historian etc)
业务yè wùbusiness; professional work; service
丢失diū shīto lose; to misplace
严肃yán sù(of an atmosphere etc) solemn; grave; serious; (of a manner etc) earnest; severe; exacting; to strictly enforce
个人gè rénindividual; personal; oneself
个别gè biéindividually; one by one; just one or two; exceptional; rare
个性gè xìngindividuality; personality
中介zhōng jièto act as intermediary; to link; intermediate
中医zhōng yītraditional Chinese medical science; a doctor trained in Chinese medicine
中华Zhōng huáZhonghua, historical and cultural term for China, often used to denote Chinese civilization and identity (as in 中華文化|中华文化[Zhong1 hua2 wen2 hua4] "Chinese culture")
中华民族Zhōng huá mín zúthe Chinese nation; the Chinese people (collective reference to all the ethnic groups in China)
中外zhōng wàiSino-foreign; Chinese-foreign; home and abroad
中心zhōng xīncenter; heart; core
中期zhōng qīmiddle (of a period of time); medium-term (plan, forecast etc)
中级zhōng jímiddle level (in a hierarchy)
中药zhōng yàotraditional Chinese medicine; CL:服[fu4]
丰富多彩fēng fù duō cǎirichly colorful
临时lín shías the time draws near; at the last moment; temporary
主人zhǔ rénmaster; host; owner
主任zhǔ rèndirector; head; CL:個|个[ge4]
主动zhǔ dòngto take the initiative; to do sth of one's own accord; spontaneous
主席zhǔ xíchairperson; premier; chairman
主持zhǔ chíto take charge of; to manage or direct; to preside over
主观zhǔ guānsubjective
主题zhǔ títheme; subject
主食zhǔ shístaple food
久远jiǔ yuǎnold; ancient; far away
义务yì wùduty; obligation (CL:項|项[xiang4]); volunteer (work etc)
乐观lè guānoptimistic; hopeful
乐趣lè qùdelight; pleasure; joy
乘务员chéng wù yuánattendant on an airplane, train, boat etc
乙yǐsecond of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]; second in order; letter "B" or Roman "II" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc
乡xiāngcountry or countryside; native place; home village or town
乡村xiāng cūnrustic; village; countryside
书房shū fángstudy (room); studio; CL:間|间[jian1]
书架shū jiàbookshelf; CL:個|个[ge4]
书法shū fǎcalligraphy; handwriting; penmanship
买卖mǎi màito buy and sell
了不起liǎo bu qǐamazing; terrific; extraordinary
争zhēngto strive for; to vie for; to argue or debate
争取zhēng qǔto fight for; to strive for; to win over
事业shì yèundertaking; project; activity
事件shì jiànincident; event
事先shì xiānin advance; before the event; beforehand
事实shì shífact; CL:個|个[ge4]
事故shì gùaccident; CL:樁|桩[zhuang1],起[qi3],次[ci4]
事物shì wùthing; object
二手èr shǒuindirectly acquired; second-hand (information, equipment etc); assistant
二维码èr wéi mǎ2D barcode; matrix code; (esp.) QR code
亏kuīto lose (money); to have a deficit; to be deficient
互动hù dòngto interact; interactive
五颜六色wǔ yán liù sèmulticolored; every color under the sun
交往jiāo wǎngto associate (with); to have contact (with); to hang out (with)
交换jiāo huànto exchange; to swap; to switch (telecom)
交易jiāo yìto deal; to trade; to transact; transaction; deal; CL:筆|笔[bi3]
产chǎnto give birth; to reproduce; to produce
产业chǎn yèindustry; estate; property
产品chǎn pǐngoods; merchandise; product
产量chǎn liàngoutput
享受xiǎng shòuto enjoy; to live it up; pleasure
亲qīnparent; one's own (flesh and blood); relative
亲人qīn rénone's close relatives
亲切qīn qièamiable; cordial; close and dear
亲情qīn qíngaffection; family love; love, esp. within a married couple or between parents and children
亲朋好友qīn péng hǎo yǒufriends and family; kith and kin
亲爱qīn àidear; beloved; darling
亲自qīn zìpersonally; in person; oneself
人体rén tǐhuman body
人力rén lìmanpower; labor power
人口rén kǒupopulation; people
人工rén gōngartificial; manpower; manual work
人才rén cáitalent; talented person; looks
人民rén mínthe people
人民币rén mín bìRenminbi, the official currency of the PRC (currency codes: RMB or CNY)
人物rén wùperson; personage; figure (esp. sb of importance); character (in a play, novel etc); (genre of traditional Chinese painting) figure painting
人类rén lèihumanity; human race; mankind
人群rén qúncrowd
人际rén jìhuman relationships; interpersonal
亿yì100 million
今日jīn rìtoday
从不cóng bùnever
从事cóng shìto go for; to engage in; to undertake
从前cóng qiánpreviously; formerly; once upon a time
从而cóng érthus; thereby
他人tā rénanother person; sb else; other people
付出fù chūto pay; to expend; to invest (energy or time)
代dàito be a substitute for; to act on behalf of; to replace
代替dài tìto replace; to take the place of
代表dài biǎorepresentative; delegate; CL:位[wei4],個|个[ge4],名[ming2]
令lìngto order; to command; an order
以yǐto use; by means of; according to
以及yǐ jíand; as well as
以来yǐ láisince (used after a specified time or event)
价值jià zhívalue; worth; (ethical, cultural etc) values
仿佛fǎng fúto seem; as if; seemingly; alike; similar
企业qǐ yècompany; firm; enterprise; corporation; CL:家[jia1]
休闲xiū xiánleisure; relaxation; not working
众多zhòng duōnumerous
优势yōu shìsuperiority; dominance; advantage
优惠yōu huìprivilege; favorable (terms); preferential (treatment)
优美yōu měigraceful; fine; elegant
优良yōu liángfine; good; first-rate
优质yōu zhìexcellent quality
伙huǒmeals (abbr. for 伙食[huo3 shi2])
伙伴huǒ bànpartner; companion; comrade
伟大wěi dàhuge; great; grand; worthy of the greatest admiration; important (contribution etc)
传chuánto pass on; to spread; to transmit
传播chuán bōto disseminate; to propagate; to spread
传统chuán tǒngtradition; traditional; convention
传说chuán shuōlegend; folk tale; to repeat from mouth to mouth; they say that...
传递chuán dìto transmit; to pass on to sb else; (math.) transitive
伤shāngto injure; injury; wound
伤害shāng hàito injure; to harm
伸shēnto stretch; to extend
似乎sì hūit seems; seemingly; as if
似的shì deseems as if; rather like; Taiwan pr. [si4 de5]
位于wèi yúto be located at; to be situated at; to lie
位置wèi zhiposition; place; seat
低头dī tóuto bow the head; to yield; to give in
住址zhù zhǐaddress
住宿zhù sùto stay at; lodging; accommodation
住房zhù fánghousing
体会tǐ huìto know from experience; to learn through experience; to realize
体力tǐ lìphysical strength; physical power
体现tǐ xiànto embody; to reflect; to incarnate
体验tǐ yànto experience for oneself
作出zuò chūto put out; to come up with; to make (a choice, decision, proposal, response, comment etc)
使得shǐ deusable; serviceable; feasible; workable; doable; to make; to cause; to bring about
依据yī jùaccording to; basis; foundation
依然yī ránstill; as before
依靠yī kàoto rely on sth (for support etc); to depend on
便biànplain; informal; suitable
便利biàn lìconvenient; easy; to facilitate
便利店biàn lì diànconvenience store
促使cù shǐto prompt; to induce; to spur
促进cù jìnto promote (an idea or cause); to advance; boost
促销cù xiāoto promote sales
保bǎoto defend; to protect; to keep
保存bǎo cúnto conserve; to preserve; to keep; to store; (computing) to save (a file etc)
保安bǎo ānto ensure public security; to ensure safety (for workers engaged in production); public security
保持bǎo chíto keep; to maintain; to hold
保留bǎo liúto keep; to retain; to have reservations (about sth)
保质期bǎo zhì qīshelf life; expiration date
保险bǎo xiǎninsurance; to insure; safe
信任xìn rènto trust; to have confidence in
信封xìn fēngenvelope
信用xìn yòngtrustworthiness; (commerce) credit; (literary) to trust and appoint
修建xiū jiànto build; to construct
修改xiū gǎito amend; to alter; to modify
假如jiǎ rúif
停留tíng liúto stay somewhere temporarily; to stop over
偶然ǒu ránincidentally; occasional; occasionally
傍晚bàng wǎnin the evening; when night falls; towards evening
催cuīto urge; to press; to prompt
傻shǎfoolish
儿女ér nǚchildren; sons and daughters; a young man and a young woman (in love)
元旦Yuán dànNew Year's Day
充值chōng zhíto recharge (money onto a card); to top up
充分chōng fènample; sufficient; adequate
充满chōng mǎnfull of; brimming with; very full
充电chōng diànto recharge (a battery); (fig.) to recharge one's batteries (through leisure); to update one's skills and knowledge
充足chōng zúadequate; sufficient; abundant
先后xiān hòuearly or late; first and last; priority; in succession; one after another
先进xiān jìnsophisticated; advanced (technology etc); meritorious; exemplary (deeds etc)
光临guāng lín(formal) to honor with one's presence; to attend
光明guāng mínglight; radiance; (fig.) bright (prospects etc)
光线guāng xiànlight ray; CL:條|条[tiao2],道[dao4]; light
克服kè fú(try to) overcome (hardships etc); to conquer; to put up with
兔子tù zihare; rabbit; CL:隻|只[zhi1]
全体quán tǐall; entire
全力quán lìwith all one's strength; full strength; all-out (effort)
全新quán xīnall new; completely new
全面quán miànall-around; comprehensive; total
公务员gōng wù yuáncivil servant; public servant
公寓gōng yùapartment building; block of flats (may be a public housing block or a condominium etc) (CL:套[tao4])
公布gōng bùto announce; to make public; to publish
公平gōng píngfair; impartial
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