HSK 3 PDF Downloads

HSK vocabulary is cumulative.

By the end of HSK 3, you are expected to know 1,000 words in total, but only 500 of them are newly introduced at this level.

If you have already completed HSK 2, your new HSK 3 vocabulary target is therefore:

Words 501–1000 — 500 new words

The PDF focuses on those 500 new words instead of repeating the first 500 words already covered at HSK 1 and HSK 2.

If you still need to review earlier vocabulary, use the HSK 1 and HSK 2 PDF pages separately.

A checklist of the 500 new HSK 3 words.

• 500 new HSK 3 words
• official cumulative numbers 501–1000
• Chinese characters
• pinyin
• parts of speech
• learner-friendly English meanings
• printable checkboxes for tracking progress

The list begins with 501 阿姨 (āyí) and ends with 1000 作业 (zuòyè).

Keeping the cumulative numbering visible makes it easy to see exactly where HSK 2 ends and HSK 3 begins.

You can use the PDF as a printable checklist or offline reference.

For flashcards, example sentences, search, and more active study, use the online HSK 3 Vocabulary List.

You may still find HSK 3 PDFs and vocabulary lists online that contain 600 words.

Those materials generally follow the previous HSK system.

Under the new standard used on this page, HSK 1 covers the first 300 words, HSK 2 adds another 200, and HSK 3 adds 500 new words.

That is why this PDF contains words 501–1000, while the cumulative vocabulary requirement reaches 1,000.

If you are comparing PDFs, textbooks, or vocabulary lists from different sources, check which HSK standard they follow before comparing the word counts.

Learn more about the new HSK system →

The three resources serve different purposes.

The PDF is best for a clean checklist and offline reference. The online vocabulary page is better for active word study. The official sample materials are for understanding how the language appears inside the exam.

1. 1

   Mark what you already know

   Work through the checklist once before trying to memorize everything.

   Mark familiar words and leave uncertain words unchecked. This gives you a clearer picture of what actually needs attention.

2. 2

   Use the online vocabulary list when you need more context

   A printable list is useful for review, but some words are difficult to learn from a short English meaning alone.

   Use the online HSK 3 vocabulary page when you want to see example sentences, study with flashcards, or search for a specific word.

3. 3

   Keep reviewing earlier vocabulary

   HSK 3 adds 500 new words, but the exam assumes the earlier vocabulary is still available to you.

   Continue mixing some HSK 1 and HSK 2 vocabulary into your review while working through words 501–1000.

The vocabulary PDF and the official sample materials solve different problems.

The vocabulary PDF helps you build the language base required at HSK 3. The official sample materials show how that language is tested.

1. 1. Try the sample first

   Complete the sample questions before checking the answers. This gives you a clearer picture of what you can already handle under exam conditions.

2. 2. Review what you missed

   Go back through the questions you answered incorrectly or found difficult.

3. 3. Identify why you missed it

   • Was the problem an unfamiliar word?
   • Did you understand the words but miss the meaning of the sentence?
   • Did you understand the language but misunderstand the question format?

If vocabulary caused the problem, return to the HSK 3 vocabulary list and review the relevant words. If the language was familiar, spend more time on exam-format practice.