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Your first step into Mandarin Chinese. HSK 1 tests 150 essential words and basic everyday sentences. Take a full mock test free, then unlock detailed feedback with Shells — no subscription, ever.
150 essential words
Vocabulary
~40 minutes (including 5 minutes to fill in the answer sheet)
Total exam time
2
Exam sections
HSK 1 (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, Level 1) is the entry-level exam in the official Chinese proficiency test administered by Hanban / Chinese Testing International. It is designed for learners who have studied Mandarin for one semester (around 40–60 hours of class time) and certifies that you can understand and use simple words and phrases to meet concrete needs in daily life.
For most adult learners, HSK 1 is the natural first goal: it gives you a clear vocabulary list (150 words), a clear test structure (Listening + Reading, no writing), and a clear passing line (120/200). Once you clear HSK 1, the path to HSK 2 and beyond is mostly about building on the same skills with more vocabulary.
On HSK Ace you can practice the full HSK 1 exam under realistic timing, hear the listening section in native pronunciation (the same Beijing-Mandarin standard used in the real test), and review every wrong answer with pinyin, English meaning, and stroke-order animations for every character you missed.
Total: ~40 minutes (including 5 minutes to fill in the answer sheet) · Pass: 120 out of 200 (60 / 100 in each section) · 150 essential words
Short audio clips, simple sentences and basic dialogues. Each clip is played twice. You match what you hear to pictures or to written answer choices.
Match characters to pictures, decide whether short sentences match a description, and complete short dialogues with the right vocabulary.
Take any of these free mocks under real timing. Detailed AI grading and unlimited attempts unlock with Shells.
Suggested plan: 8–12 weeks for a beginner studying 30–45 minutes a day. Adjust based on your starting level and time budget.
Drill all four tones with a tone trainer (the dictionary on HSK Ace uses Pleco-style tone colors). Learn pinyin initials and finals. Start handwriting the first 20 most common characters: 我, 你, 好, 是, 不, 的, 一, 二, 三, 中, 国, 人.
15 minutes new vocabulary in the HSK Ace dictionary (filter by HSK 1). 10 minutes handwriting the new characters. 10 minutes listening practice — short HSK 1 audio clips with the audio button.
Finish the remaining 50 words. Practice sentence patterns: 是 / 不是, 有 / 没有, 在, 这 / 那, basic 吗 questions. Review weak characters in the handwriting quiz (gated SRS — 5 free per day).
Take one full HSK 1 mock test per week on HSK Ace under real timing. Review every wrong question. If your section score is below 60, drill that section for two days before the next mock.
Tap any character to see its stroke order with native audio, or look it up in the free dictionary.
Pay once for a Shells pack. Use them on any feature, any level, forever — no monthly fee.
| Feature | HSK Ace One-time Shells | Subscription apps ~$14.99 / month | Free apps Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full HSK mock tests | |||
| AI speaking grading |
Buy once, use across every HSK and HSKK level on HSK Ace.
Take a free mock today. No card, no subscription. Unlock detailed AI grading whenever you want with a one-time Shells pack.
| Handwriting stroke practice |
| Free Chinese dictionary |
| No expiry on credits |
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Stroke-order animations and SRS quiz for every HSK character.