HSK 1
Pass 120 / 200 · listening 20, reading 20 · about 40 min
No writing, and every question has an answer key, so your score is just counting: 12 right out of 20 is 60 for that section. Try a timed HSK 1 mock test.
HSK Score Calculator
Type your section scores and see your total, whether it passes, and what you still need. Works for HSK 1 to HSK 7–9.
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Marked a practice paper yourself?
Total
Pass mark 180
– / 300
HSK 4 is out of 300, and 180 is a pass. Type the scores from your report, or switch to correct answers if you marked a practice paper.
HSK pass marks by level
HSK 1 to HSK 6 pass at 60% of the total. HSK 7–9 has no pass mark. Tap a level to load it into the calculator.
| Level | Sections | Total | Pass mark | Use in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | Listening, reading | 200 | 120 | |
| HSK 2 | Listening, reading, writing | 300* | 180* | |
| HSK 3 | Listening, reading, writing | 300 | 180 | |
| HSK 4 | Listening, reading, writing | 300 | 180 | |
| HSK 5 | Listening, reading, writing | 300 | 180 | |
| HSK 6 | Listening, reading, writing | 300 | 180 | |
| HSK 7–9 | Listening, reading, writing, translation, speaking | 500 | None — placed at 7, 8 or 9 |
* HSK 2 got a writing section in HSK 3.0. CTI’s sample paper prints no scores, so 300 comes from the rule of 100 per section, and 180 is 60% of that.
How your HSK score is worked out
1
Every section is out of 100
Your total is the sections added up. HSK 1 has listening and reading, so it is out of 200. HSK 2 to HSK 6 add writing and are out of 300. HSK 7–9 has five sections and is out of 500.
2
Listening and reading: count what you got right
Every question in a section counts the same. At HSK 4, listening has 32 questions, so each is worth about 3 points, and 20 right is about 63. That is why the calculator also takes correct answers.
3
Writing is marked by examiners
There is no answer key for writing, and CTI does not say what each task is worth. A writing score you give yourself is a guess, so be strict with it. At HSK 7–9, translation and speaking are marked the same way.
4
Only the total has to pass
There is no minimum per section. At HSK 4, 70 in listening, 60 in reading and 50 in writing make 180, which passes. Your report still lists every section, so a weak one shows.
Results come out sitting by sitting, and the report shows each section and the total. There is no fixed wait, so check the notice for your own exam. For dates, see the HSK exam calendar.
How many questions do you need to get right?
How many listening and reading questions each level has, and how many you need right for 60 or 70 in that section. 60 in every section is exactly the pass mark; 70 leaves room for a bad day.
| Level | Questions per section | Each worth | Right for 60 | Right for 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 20 | 5 | 12 / 20 | 14 / 20 |
| HSK 2 | 25 | 4 | 15 / 25 | 18 / 25 |
| HSK 3 | 30 | 3.3 | 18 / 30 | 21 / 30 |
| HSK 4 | 32 | 3.1 | 20 / 32 | 23 / 32 |
| HSK 5 | 35 | 2.9 | 21 / 35 | 25 / 35 |
| HSK 6 | 40 | 2.5 | 24 / 40 | 28 / 40 |
Worked out at equal weight per question and rounded up. CTI does not publish its conversion, so treat these as estimates.
What is a good HSK score?
Any total at the pass mark gets you the certificate. How much more you need depends on who is asking.
A pass
60%
180 / 300 · 120 / 200
Enough when all that matters is the level: a course that asks for HSK 3, or your own goal. But a few questions on a bad day separate it from a fail.
A safe pass
70% or more
210 / 300 · 140 / 200
A margin that should hold if you sat the paper again. Aim here when a university or employer asks for a level. This is our rule of thumb, not an official line.
A strong score
Well above 70%
Check the exact number
Some universities and scholarships set a minimum score as well as a level. It varies between schools and years, so ask the one you are applying to.
No score guarantees an offer. To see what each level means in practice, read HSK levels explained.
Level by level
The pass mark, what the paper looks like, and the thing that most often decides the score.
HSK 2
Pass 180 / 300* · listening 25, reading 25, writing 10
New in HSK 3.0: a writing section where you complete characters from their parts and write characters from pinyin. If your sitting still uses the old two-section paper, it is out of 200 and passes at 120. Try an HSK 2 mock test.
HSK 3
Pass 180 / 300 · listening 30, reading 30, writing 10 · about 83 min
18 right out of 30 in listening or reading is 60. From HSK 3 you also register for a speaking test, which is sat separately and is not part of the 300. Try an HSK 3 mock test.
HSK 4
Pass 180 / 300 · listening 32, reading 32, writing 6 · about 85 min
Writing is five sentences built from a picture and a given word, then one 80-character passage. Many university programmes and scholarships ask for HSK 4, so aim well clear of 180. Try an HSK 4 mock test.
HSK 5
Pass 180 / 300 · listening 35, reading 35, writing 2 · about 110 min
Writing is only two tasks: 100 characters on four pictures and a 200-character essay. With two tasks, one weak essay pulls the whole section down. Try an HSK 5 mock test.
HSK 6
Pass 180 / 300 · listening 40, reading 40, writing 2 · about 125 min
Each listening or reading question is worth 2.5, so 24 right is 60. Writing is a 150-character practical piece and a 300-character argument. Speaking is sat separately and not counted in the 300. Try an HSK 6 mock test.
HSK 7–9: no pass mark
HSK 7–9 is one paper for three levels: listening, reading, writing, translation and speaking, 100 each, 500 in all. There are 98 questions and it takes about 210 minutes.
Your total is not checked against a line. CTI places you at level 7, 8 or 9, or below 7, from an estimate of ability drawn from the whole paper. No table turning a total into a level has been published, so the calculator shows your total and stops there. To see how your sections hold up, sit an HSK 7–9 mock test.
FAQ
What is the HSK passing score?
HSK 1 passes at 120 out of 200. HSK 2 to HSK 6 pass at 180 out of 300. That is 60% of the total in every case. HSK 7–9 has no pass mark: you are placed at level 7, 8 or 9 from the whole paper.
Compare every HSK levelHow many questions do I need to get right to pass HSK 4?
About 20 out of 32 in listening and 20 out of 32 in reading gives roughly 60 in each, if every question counts the same. But only the total has to reach 180, so a stronger section can make up for a weaker one.
Check on an HSK 4 mock testCan I fail one section and still pass?
Yes. HSK 1 to HSK 6 look at the total only, and the published rule sets no minimum per section. At HSK 4, a 50 in writing with 70 in listening and 60 in reading makes 180. The report still lists each section, so whoever reads it can see the weak one.
Shore up a weak section with the word listIs HSK 1–2 out of 200?
HSK 1 is: listening and reading, 100 each, pass at 120. HSK 2 is out of 200 only on the older paper. In HSK 3.0 it gained a writing section, which makes it 300 with a pass at 180, a figure CTI has not printed yet. Check which version your registration shows.
Does writing count? Does speaking?
Writing counts from HSK 2 up and is 100 of the total. HSK 1 has no writing. At HSK 3 to HSK 6, speaking is a separate test and is not in the 300. At HSK 7–9, speaking is one of the five sections and does count.
Build the vocabulary your writing draws onIs this calculator official?
No. It uses the official totals and pass marks, and adds up what you type. Turning correct answers into a score assumes every question counts the same, which CTI does not confirm, so those totals are estimates. Your score report is the only official result.
When do HSK results come out?
CTI announces the release for each sitting separately, so there is no fixed number of days. Check the notice for your own exam. The report shows your total and every section.
See the HSK exam datesHow long is my HSK score valid?
The official documents our figures come from do not say, so we do not quote a period. In practice the university, scholarship or employer asking for it decides how recent it must be. Check with them before you register.