HSK 3 is the level where Chinese conversations stop being a guessing game and start feeling like real exchanges. You’re past pointing at menus and counting change-now you want to chat about your weekend, describe your plans, and handle everyday situations without freezing. This vocabulary list is built for exactly that moment.
We’ve gathered around 299 HSK 3 words that the official test expects and that daily life actually demands. Each entry gives you a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you see the word in action-not just a lifeless translation.
Ready to give your Mandarin a little boost? Scroll to the bottom of the article to find the free printable HSK 3 vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable HSK 3 flashcards—your study buddies are waiting!
If this topic helped, explore more in our Chinese learning section. it’s the easiest way to keep building related vocabulary without jumping around the web.
Quick Quiz
Quiz time! See how many of these HSK 3 words you can match to their meanings. It’s a quick, low-stress check-just hit the quiz below and give it a shot.
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 愿意 | yuàn yì | to wish; to want; ready | |
| 成绩 | chéng jì | achievement; performance records; grades | |
| 或者 | huò zhě | or; possibly; maybe | |
| 才 | cái | a moment ago; just now; (preceded by a clause of condition or reason) not until | |
| 打扫 | dǎ sǎo | to clean; to sweep | |
| 打算 | dǎ suàn | to plan; to intend; to calculate | |
| 把 | bǎ | to hold; to contain; to grasp | |
| 护照 | hù zhào | passport; CL:本; 個|个[gè] | |
| 担心 | dān xīn | anxious; worried; uneasy | |
| 拿 | ná | to hold; to seize; to catch | |
| 换 | huàn | to change; to exchange | |
| 接 | jiē | to receive; to answer (the phone); to meet or welcome sb | |
| 提高 | tí gāo | to raise; to increase | |
| 搬 | bān | to move; to shift; to remove | |
| 放 | fàng | to release; to free; to let go | |
| 放心 | fàng xīn | to feel relieved; to feel reassured; to be at ease | |
| 故事 | gù shi | narrative; story; tale | |
| 教 | jiāo | to teach | |
| 敢 | gǎn | to dare; daring; (polite) may I venture | |
| 数学 | shù xué | mathematics; mathematical | |
| 文化 | wén huà | culture; civilization; cultural | |
| 新闻 | xīn wén | news; CL:條|条; 個|个[gè] | |
| 新鲜 | xīn xiān | fresh (experience, food etc); freshness; novel | |
| 方便 | fāng biàn | convenient; to help out; to make things easy for people | |
| 旧 | jiù | old; opposite: new 新; former |
