Starting Chinese from zero? HSK 1 is your first milestone. Under the new HSK 3.0 (2026), you need 300 words — up from 150 in the old system. But don't let that number intimidate you: these are the most fundamental, high-frequency words in Mandarin, and you'll encounter them everywhere.
This page gives you the complete HSK 1 word list organized by category, with pinyin, English translations, and study tips for each group.
Word count clarification: Many online lists still show 150 words for HSK 1 (that's the old HSK 2.0). The official 2026 HSK 3.0 requires 300 words. See our HSK 3.0 vs 2.0 guide for the full breakdown. For all levels, see our complete vocabulary overview.
HSK 1 at a Glance
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total vocabulary | 300 words |
| Characters to recognize | ~200 |
| Exam sections | Listening + Reading (no writing, no speaking) |
| Exam duration | ~40 minutes |
| Passing score | 120/200 (60%) |
| CEFR equivalent | A1 |
| Study timeline | 3–4 weeks (30–60 min/day) |
Word List by Category
Pronouns & People (15 words)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | wǒ | I, me |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 他 | tā | he, him |
| 她 | tā | she, her |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we, us |
| 他们 | tāmen | they, them |
| 这 | zhè | this |
| 那 | nà | that |
| 谁 | shéi | who |
| 什么 | shénme | what |
| 人 | rén | person |
| 朋友 | péngyou | friend |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 学生 | xuéshēng | student |
| 同学 | tóngxué | classmate |
Numbers & Time (25 words)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一 / 二 / 三 | yī / èr / sān | 1 / 2 / 3 |
| 四 / 五 / 六 | sì / wǔ / liù | 4 / 5 / 6 |
| 七 / 八 / 九 / 十 | qī / bā / jiǔ / shí | 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 |
| 百 | bǎi | hundred |
| 两 | liǎng | two (with measure words) |
| 零 | líng | zero |
| 几 | jǐ | how many, several |
| 多少 | duōshao | how much/many |
| 年 | nián | year |
| 月 | yuè | month |
| 日/号 | rì/hào | day/date |
| 星期 | xīngqī | week |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow |
| 昨天 | zuótiān | yesterday |
| 现在 | xiànzài | now |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock |
| 分钟 | fēnzhōng | minute |
| 上午/下午 | shàngwǔ/xiàwǔ | morning/afternoon |
Daily Verbs (30 words)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 是 | shì | to be |
| 有 | yǒu | to have |
| 去 | qù | to go |
| 来 | lái | to come |
| 吃 | chī | to eat |
| 喝 | hē | to drink |
| 看 | kàn | to look, to read |
| 听 | tīng | to listen |
| 说 | shuō | to speak |
| 读 | dú | to read aloud |
| 写 | xiě | to write |
| 学习 | xuéxí | to study |
| 工作 | gōngzuò | to work |
| 住 | zhù | to live |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy |
| 想 | xiǎng | to want, to think |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like |
| 爱 | ài | to love |
| 会 | huì | can, will |
| 能 | néng | can, able to |
| 做 | zuò | to do, to make |
| 叫 | jiào | to call, to be called |
| 认识 | rènshi | to know (a person) |
| 知道 | zhīdào | to know (a fact) |
| 回 | huí | to return |
| 坐 | zuò | to sit, to take (transport) |
| 开 | kāi | to open, to drive |
| 睡觉 | shuìjiào | to sleep |
| 起床 | qǐchuáng | to get up |
| 打电话 | dǎ diànhuà | to make a phone call |
Places & Objects (20 words)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school |
| 家 | jiā | home, family |
| 饭店 | fàndiàn | restaurant, hotel |
| 商店 | shāngdiàn | shop, store |
| 医院 | yīyuàn | hospital |
| 书 | shū | book |
| 水 | shuǐ | water |
| 茶 | chá | tea |
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | rice |
| 水果 | shuǐguǒ | fruit |
| 钱 | qián | money |
| 电话 | diànhuà | phone |
| 电脑 | diànnǎo | computer |
| 电视 | diànshì | television |
| 车 | chē | car, vehicle |
| 飞机 | fēijī | airplane |
| 衣服 | yīfu | clothes |
| 天气 | tiānqì | weather |
| 名字 | míngzi | name |
Study Strategy for 300 Words in 3–4 Weeks
- Week 1: Pronouns, numbers, greetings, basic verbs (80 words)
- Week 2: Daily life nouns, adjectives, question words (80 words)
- Week 3: Remaining vocabulary + grammar patterns (80 words + review)
- Week 4: Full review + mock exam practice (remaining 60 words + consolidation)
That's about 15–20 new words per day, which is very manageable. The key is daily review — spaced repetition is essential to retain what you've learned.
Ready to start? HSK Mastery includes the complete HSK 1–6 vocabulary with audio pronunciation, spaced repetition, and mock exams. Start your HSK journey with the right tools. For a detailed study timeline, check our HSK 4 study plan (which starts from HSK 1).