HSK 5 is the level where Chinese conversations stretch beyond the everyday and start dancing into real opinions, abstract ideas, and unexpected tangents. You’re not just ordering food or asking for directions-you’re debating if a movie sequel was worth it, explaining why you want to switch jobs, or describing the exact vibe of your favourite café. It’s a messy, exciting stage where your vocabulary needs to keep up with your thoughts.
This list gathers about 1300 practical words the HSK 5 exam expects and that your daily Chinese life actually demands. Each word comes with a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence so you can see it in action, not a lonely translation. There’s audio playback for every entry too, because your ears need practice just as much as your eyes.
Once you’ve worked through the table online, use the free PDF download button right below it to take your study offline-no sign-ups, no fuss.
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Quick Quiz
Think you know your HSK 5 words inside out? Take the quick quiz below to check which ones have stuck and where you might need a little extra review.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一旦 | yī dàn | in case (sth happens); if; once (sth happens, then...) | |
| 一致 | yī zhì | unanimous; identical (views or opinions) | |
| 一路 | yī lù | the whole journey; all the way; going the same way | |
| 一辈子 | yī bèi zi | (for) a lifetime | |
| 丁 | dīng | fourth of 10 heavenly stems 十天干; fourth in order; letter "D" or roman "IV" in list "A, B, C" | |
| 万一 | wàn yī | just in case; if by any chance; contingency | |
| 上当 | shàng dàng | taken in (by sb's deceit); to be fooled; to be duped | |
| 下载 | xià zǎi | to download; also pr. [xià zài] | |
| 不免 | bù miǎn | inevitably | |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎo yì si | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing; to be sorry (for inconveniencing sb) | |
| 不如 | bù rú | not equal to; not as good as; inferior to | |
| 不安 | bù ān | unpeaceful; unstable; uneasy | |
| 不得了 | bù dé liǎo | desperately serious; disastrous; extremely | |
| 不必 | bù bì | need not; does not have to; not necessarily | |
| 不断 | bù duàn | unceasing; uninterrupted; continuous | |
| 不然 | bù rán | not so; no; or else | |
| 不耐烦 | bù nài fán | impatience; impatient | |
| 不要紧 | bù yào jǐn | unimportant; not serious; it doesn't matter | |
| 不见得 | bù jiàn de | not necessarily; not likely | |
| 不足 | bù zú | insufficient; lacking; deficiency | |
| 与其 | yǔ qí | rather than...; 與其|与其 A 不如 B (rather than A, better to B) | |
| 丑 | chǒu | shameful; ugly; disgraceful | |
| 专家 | zhuān jiā | expert; specialist; CL:個|个[gè] | |
| 专心 | zhuān xīn | to concentrate; absorption; concentration | |
| 丙 | bǐng | third of 10 heavenly stems 十天干; third in order; letter "C" or roman "III" in list "A, B, C" |
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