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.
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 业余 | yè yú | spare time; amateur; extra-curricular | |
| 业务 | yè wù | business; professional work; service | |
| 丝毫 | sī háo | the slightest amount or degree; a bit | |
| 丝绸 | sī chóu | silk cloth; silk | |
| 严肃 | yán sù | solemn; grave; serious | |
| 个人 | gè rén | individual; personal; oneself | |
| 个别 | gè bié | individual; specific; respective | |
| 个性 | gè xìng | individuality; personality | |
| 中介 | zhōng jiè | to act as intermediary; to link; intermediate | |
| 中心 | zhōng xīn | center; heart; core | |
| 中旬 | zhōng xún | middle third of a month | |
| 临时 | lín shí | at the instant sth happens; temporary; interim | |
| 主人 | zhǔ rén | master; host; owner | |
| 主席 | zhǔ xí | chairperson; premier; chairman | |
| 主张 | zhǔ zhāng | to advocate; to stand for; view | |
| 主持 | zhǔ chí | to take charge of; to manage or direct; to preside over | |
| 主观 | zhǔ guān | subjective | |
| 举 | jǔ | to lift; to hold up; to cite | |
| 义务 | yì wù | duty; obligation; commitment | |
| 乐观 | lè guān | optimistic; hopeful | |
| 乖 | guāi | (of a child) obedient; well-behaved; clever | |
| 乘 | chéng | to ride; to mount; to make use of | |
| 乙 | yǐ | second of 10 heavenly stems 十天干; second in order; letter "B" or roman "II" in list "A, B, C" | |
| 书架 | shū jià | bookshelf; CL:個|个[gè] | |
| 了不起 | liǎo bu qǐ | amazing; terrific; extraordinary |
Free Simplified Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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