HSK 4 Study Guide: Vocabulary, Grammar and a 16-Week Plan (New HSK 3.0)

HSK 4 is where Chinese starts to feel like a language you can actually use rather than a set of textbook patterns. You stop describing your day in short sentences and start explaining reasons, comparing options and telling stories with a clear beginning and end.

This guide explains what HSK 4 covers under the New HSK 3.0 word lists, which words and grammar to prioritize, how to practice each skill, and a realistic 16-week plan. If you have not finished the earlier levels yet, start with our HSK 1 beginner guide, the HSK 2 grammar list and the HSK 3 grammar summary.

Who HSK 4 Is For and What You Can Do at This Level

HSK 4 is for learners who are comfortable with everyday HSK 3 Chinese and want to handle real conversations and real texts on familiar topics. At this level you should be able to:

Talk about work, study, health, travel and money with some detail.
Give reasons and conditions: "since...", "no matter...", "even if...".
Read short articles, notices and messages without pinyin, using context to guess unknown words.
Follow everyday conversations at a natural, not slowed-down, speed on familiar topics.
Write a short paragraph that connects several sentences logically.

You will not understand everything yet, and that is normal. HSK 4 is about moving from "I can say simple things" to "I can explain what I mean".

How HSK 4 Differs from HSK 3

More words, faster. In the New HSK 3.0 lists used by the Learn Chinese app, HSK 4 adds 1,000 new words, bringing your total to 3,245. It also introduces roughly 300 new characters, for about 1,200 characters in total.

Connectors become the backbone. HSK 3 taught you single sentences with patterns like 把 and 被. HSK 4 grammar is mostly about linking ideas: concession (尽管, 即使), condition (无论, 既然), surprise (竟然, 反而) and emphasis (连...都, 甚至). If you are not yet confident with basic pairs like 虽然...但是, review our guide to Chinese conjunctions first.

Abstract and semi-formal vocabulary. Words like 导致 (to lead to), 促进 (to promote) and 符合 (to conform to) appear in news, workplace and school contexts. They are rarely used in casual chat, but you will meet them constantly in reading.

Less pinyin support. Most learners find that by HSK 4 pinyin becomes a crutch. Reading characters directly is the single biggest skill jump at this level.

A note on HSK 2.0 vs HSK 3.0

The HSK is in transition between the older HSK 2.0 format and the New HSK 3.0 standard. The two versions use different word lists and different exam papers, and which one is offered can depend on your test center and date. Before you register, check the current format, sections and registration details on the official site, chinesetest.cn.

How to prepare either way: the HSK 3.0 HSK 4 list is larger than the HSK 2.0 HSK 4 list, so if you study the 3.0 list you will cover most of what the older exam expects. If you are sitting a 2.0 paper soon, prioritize the 2.0 list and that paper's sample questions, and keep the rest of the 3.0 words for later.

Vocabulary Strategy for HSK 4

A thousand words sounds like a lot, but it breaks down into about 10 new words a day for 100 days. The trick is to learn them in a way that sticks.

1. Learn words in collocations, not alone

Many HSK 4 words are verbs that only feel natural with certain objects. Learn the pair, not the word:

积累经验 (jīlěi jīngyàn): to build up experience
提供服务 (tígōng fúwù): to provide a service
符合要求 (fúhé yāoqiú): to meet the requirements
承担责任 (chéngdān zérèn): to take responsibility
避免错误 (bìmiǎn cuòwù): to avoid mistakes

2. Group words by shared characters

HSK 4 has many word families. Once you know 降 (to fall, to lower), the words 降低 (to reduce), 降价 (to cut prices) and 降温 (temperatures drop) are much easier. The same goes for 获 in 获得, 获奖 and 获取.

3. Sample HSK 4 words worth learning early

These words are all from the HSK 4 list in the app. The connectors in the first group are especially useful because they unlock the level's grammar.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
否则	fǒuzé	otherwise; or else
然而	rán'ér	however; yet
甚至	shènzhì	even; so much that
既然	jìrán	since; now that
无论	wúlùn	no matter (what, how)
哪怕	nǎpà	even if
此外	cǐwài	besides; in addition
反而	fǎn'ér	on the contrary; instead
竟然	jìngrán	unexpectedly; to one's surprise
究竟	jiūjìng	after all; exactly (in questions)
对于	duìyú	regarding; as for
根据	gēnjù	according to; basis
申请	shēnqǐng	to apply for; application
面试	miànshì	job interview; to interview
简历	jiǎnlì	résumé; CV
加班	jiābān	to work overtime
降低	jiàngdī	to reduce; to lower
提供	tígōng	to provide; to offer
避免	bìmiǎn	to avoid; to prevent
导致	dǎozhì	to lead to; to cause
积累	jīlěi	to accumulate; to build up
符合	fúhé	to conform to; to meet (requirements)

4. Keep the new-word load steady

Adding 30 words on a motivated Sunday and none on Monday creates a review pile-up later in the week. A fixed daily number of new words, with reviews done first, keeps your workload predictable.

Key HSK 4 Grammar Points with Examples

The grammar below follows the HSK 4 grammar lessons in the Learn Chinese app. Each pattern links two ideas, so practice them as whole sentences.

Condition: 无论 / 不管 ... 都 ...

"No matter...". The first half needs a question word or a choice (A 还是 B, or verb-not-verb).

无论天气怎么样，他每天都去跑步。 Wúlùn tiānqì zěnmeyàng, tā měi tiān dōu qù pǎobù. No matter what the weather is like, he goes running every day.
不管你同意不同意，我都要试一试。 Bùguǎn nǐ tóngyì bù tóngyì, wǒ dōu yào shì yi shì. Whether you agree or not, I'm going to give it a try.

Inference: 既然 ... 就 ...

"Since (we know this is true), then...". Use it for a fact both speakers already accept.

既然你已经决定了，就别再犹豫了。 Jìrán nǐ yǐjīng juédìng le, jiù bié zài yóuyù le. Since you've already decided, stop hesitating.

Concession: 即使 / 哪怕 ... 也 ... and 尽管 ... 还是 / 却 ...

即使 and 哪怕 introduce a hypothetical ("even if"); 尽管 introduces a real fact ("even though").

哪怕只有十分钟，我也每天复习生词。 Nǎpà zhǐ yǒu shí fēnzhōng, wǒ yě měi tiān fùxí shēngcí. Even if I only have ten minutes, I still review new words every day.
尽管外面很冷，他还是穿得很少。 Jǐnguǎn wàimiàn hěn lěng, tā háishi chuān de hěn shǎo. Even though it's cold outside, he's still wearing very little.

Reason first or result first: 之所以 ... 是因为 ...

This flips the usual order: result first, then the reason. It sounds more deliberate than 因为...所以.

我之所以学中文，是因为我对中国历史很感兴趣。 Wǒ zhī suǒyǐ xué Zhōngwén, shì yīnwèi wǒ duì Zhōngguó lìshǐ hěn gǎn xìngqù. The reason I study Chinese is that I'm very interested in Chinese history.

Emphasis: 连 ... 都 / 也 ... and 不仅 ... 甚至 ...

他忙得连饭都没时间吃。 Tā máng de lián fàn dōu méi shíjiān chī. He's so busy he doesn't even have time to eat.
这个问题不仅学生不会，甚至有的老师也答不出来。 Zhège wèntí bùjǐn xuésheng bú huì, shènzhì yǒu de lǎoshī yě dá bu chūlái. Not only can students not do this question, even some teachers can't answer it.

Surprise and contrast: 竟然, 反而, 难怪

竟然 marks something unexpected. 反而 means the result went the opposite way from what you expected. 难怪 means "no wonder", after you learn the reason.

这么简单的题，他竟然做错了。 Zhème jiǎndān de tí, tā jìngrán zuò cuò le. Such an easy question, and he actually got it wrong.
我以为他会生气，他反而笑了。 Wǒ yǐwéi tā huì shēngqì, tā fǎn'ér xiào le. I thought he would get angry, but instead he laughed.
他在北京住了十年，难怪汉语说得这么好。 Tā zài Běijīng zhù le shí nián, nánguài Hànyǔ shuō de zhème hǎo. He lived in Beijing for ten years. No wonder his Chinese is so good.

Pressing questions: 究竟 / 到底

Both mean "exactly" or "after all" in a question. They go with question words or verb-not-verb, never with 吗.

你究竟想不想去？ Nǐ jiūjìng xiǎng bu xiǎng qù? Do you actually want to go or not?

Useful extras: 既 ... 又 ..., 否则, 拿 ... 来说, 来得及 / 来不及

这家饭馆的菜既便宜又好吃。 Zhè jiā fànguǎn de cài jì piányi yòu hǎochī. The food at this restaurant is both cheap and tasty.
你得早点儿睡，否则明天会起不来。 Nǐ děi zǎo diǎnr shuì, fǒuzé míngtiān huì qǐ bu lái. You need to go to bed early, otherwise you won't be able to get up tomorrow.
拿我来说，我每天只有半个小时学习。 Ná wǒ lái shuō, wǒ měi tiān zhǐ yǒu bàn ge xiǎoshí xuéxí. Take me, for example: I only have half an hour a day to study.
现在出发还来得及。 Xiànzài chūfā hái láidejí. If we leave now, we can still make it.

The last example uses a potential complement. If 来得及 / 来不及 and 起不来 still feel shaky, our potential complements guide covers the pattern in depth, and 就 vs 才 explains the 就 in 既然...就.

How to Practice Reading, Listening and Writing

Reading: drop pinyin and read in chunks

Read characters first, check pinyin second. Cover the pinyin and only look when you are stuck.
Read the same text three times. First for the gist, second for connectors (尽管, 于是, 然而), third for new words.
Use graded texts. The app's HSK 4 graded readers retell two classic idiom stories, 拔苗助长 (pulling up seedlings to help them grow) and 掩耳盗铃 (covering your ears to steal a bell). They are short enough to reread until you can read them aloud smoothly.

Listening: shadow short dialogues

The app has four HSK 4 dialogues on practical topics: returning an online order, making a workout plan, a tech job interview and a delayed flight. A good routine for each one:

Listen once without text and note what you understood.
Listen with the text and mark every word you missed.
Shadow it: play a line, pause, and repeat it with the same rhythm and tones.
A few days later, listen again without text.

If tones still slow down your listening, spend a few minutes in the Tone Trainer; the guide to the four Mandarin tones explains what to listen for.

Writing: build sentences with target grammar

Each day, write three to five sentences that use that week's grammar and new words.
Use the app's sentence scramble exercises to practice word order with the new connectors.
Practice writing characters with stroke order guidance, and test yourself with tingxie dictation: listen to a word and write it from memory.

A 16-Week HSK 4 Study Plan

This plan assumes 30 to 45 minutes a day and 10 new words a day, which is the pace of the app's spaced repetition review. At that pace the 1,000 new words take about 100 days, leaving the final weeks for consolidation and practice tests. If you have more time, add reading, not more new words.

Weeks	New words	Grammar focus	Reading and listening	Output practice
1–2	about 140	无论 / 不管...都, 既然...就	Dialogue: returning an online order	3 sentences a day with each pattern
3–4	about 140	即使 / 哪怕...也, 尽管...还是	Graded reader: 拔苗助长	Retell the story in 5 sentences
5–6	about 140	之所以...是因为, 否则	Dialogue: making a workout plan	Write about your own weekly routine
7–8	about 140	连...都, 不仅...甚至	Graded reader: 掩耳盗铃	First HSK 4 practice test
9–10	about 140	竟然, 反而, 难怪	Dialogue: a tech job interview	Write a short self-introduction for a job
11–12	about 140	究竟 / 到底, 既...又	Dialogue: a delayed flight	Describe a travel problem you had
13–14	about 140	拿...来说, 来得及 / 来不及	Short authentic texts: notices, messages	Second practice test; review weak sections
15–16	the last 20 or so, then reviews only	Review all patterns	Reread all readers and dialogues	Timed practice; official sample material if available

Every day: clear your due reviews first, then add new words, then spend the rest of your time on the week's reading or listening.

Using Spaced Repetition and the App Effectively

Spaced repetition (SRS) shows you a word again just before you are likely to forget it. Words you know well come back after longer gaps; words you miss come back sooner. In the Learn Chinese app, the daily SRS review shows due cards first and then adds up to 10 new words.

To get the most from it:

Be honest. If you hesitated or guessed, mark the card as forgotten. Overrating yourself only pushes the real review later.
Never skip reviews to learn new words. Reviews are what make new words stick.
Say every word aloud before you reveal the answer, so you are practicing tones and recall together.
Write the hard ones. Use writing practice with stroke order for characters you keep confusing.
Test yourself regularly. The app's HSK 4 practice tests have listening and reading questions. Use them to find weak areas rather than to predict an exact exam score.
Keep words in sight. The Word of the Day home screen widget gives you one extra exposure every time you unlock your phone.

Common HSK 4 Mistakes

Using 无论 without a question or a choice. Wrong: 无论下雨，我都去。 Right: 无论下不下雨，我都去。
Forgetting the second half of a pattern. 无论 needs 都, 既然 usually takes 就, and 即使 takes 也.
Adding 吗 to 究竟 or 到底 questions. Wrong: 你究竟去吗？ Right: 你究竟去不去？
Using 反而 for any contrast. 反而 only works when the result is the opposite of what was expected. For a simple contrast, use 但是 or 然而.
Confusing 对于 and 关于. 关于 introduces a topic ("a book about history": 关于历史的书). 对于 introduces what an attitude or action is directed at (对于这个问题，大家有什么看法？).
Relying on pinyin. If you can only read a word with pinyin, you do not really know it yet.
Learning formal words without context. Words like 导致 and 促进 sound odd in casual chat. Note where you met each word.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words do I need for HSK 4?

Under the New HSK 3.0 word lists used in the Learn Chinese app, HSK 4 adds 1,000 new words, for 3,245 words in total across Levels 1 to 4. The older HSK 2.0 lists are smaller at this level, so check which version your exam uses on chinesetest.cn.

How long does it take to go from HSK 3 to HSK 4?

It depends on your daily time and starting point. At 10 new words a day, the pace of the app's spaced repetition review, the 1,000 new words take about 100 days, so most learners who study every day should plan for around four months, plus extra time for reading and listening practice.

Is the HSK 4 exam based on HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?

The HSK is moving from the 2.0 format to the 3.0 standard, and which format a test center offers can vary. Confirm the current paper for your level and test date on the official site, chinesetest.cn, before you register.

Do I need to handwrite characters for HSK 4?

That depends on whether you take a paper-based or computer-based test and on the exam version, so check the official information. Either way, you need to recognize HSK 4 characters quickly, and writing the most common ones by hand makes them much easier to remember.

Is HSK 4 enough to study or work in China?

Some universities and employers have asked for HSK 4 or higher for certain programs, but requirements differ by institution and change over time. Always check the exact level required by the school or employer you are applying to.

What is the best way to remember 1,000 new words?

Review a small number of new words every day with spaced repetition, learn each word inside a collocation or example sentence, and meet the words again in reading and listening. Daily consistency matters more than long weekend sessions.

What's Next

Once HSK 4 reading feels comfortable, the next step is more formal, written Chinese. Our HSK 5 study guide covers the next 1,071 words, formal connectors like 从而 and 一旦, and how to read longer texts. To review earlier levels, see the HSK 3 grammar summary.

Learn Chinese is free to download on iOS and Android, and HSK 1 and 2 are free in full. Its HSK 4 lessons, grammar, dialogues, graded readers and practice tests follow the plan above and are part of Learn Chinese Pro.