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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 进口 | jìn kǒu | to import; imported | |
| 进步 | jìn bù | progress; improvement; to improve | |
| 违反 | wéi fǎn | to violate (a law) | |
| 连忙 | lián máng | promptly; at once | |
| 连续剧 | lián xù jù | serialized drama; dramatic series; show in parts | |
| 迫切 | pò qiè | urgent; pressing | |
| 迷路 | mí lù | to lose the way; lost; labyrinth | |
| 追求 | zhuī qiú | to pursue (a goal etc) stubbornly; to seek after; to woo | |
| 退 | tuì | to retreat; to decline; to move back | |
| 退休 | tuì xiū | to retire; retirement (from work) | |
| 退步 | tuì bù | to do less well than before; to make a concession; setback | |
| 逃 | táo | to escape; to run away; to flee | |
| 逃避 | táo bì | to escape; to evade; to avoid | |
| 选举 | xuǎn jǔ | to elect; election; CL:次 | |
| 透明 | tòu míng | transparent; open (non-secretive) | |
| 逐步 | zhú bù | progressively; step by step | |
| 递 | dì | to hand over; to pass on sth; to gradually increase or decrease | |
| 逗 | dòu | to stay; to stop; to pause (while reading) | |
| 通常 | tōng cháng | regular; usual; normal | |
| 通讯 | tōng xùn | communications; news story; dispatch | |
| 造成 | zào chéng | to bring about; to create; to cause | |
| 逻辑 | luó ji | logic (loanword) | |
| 道德 | dào dé | virtue; morality; ethics | |
| 道理 | dào li | reason; argument; sense | |
| 遗憾 | yí hàn | regret; to regret; to be sorry that |
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