HSK 3.0 Band 5 Word List — PDF + Native Audio

What is HSK 3.0 Band 5?

Band 5 is the most practical list in the series. It is full of the words you need the moment you live, travel or study in Chinese: 护照 (hùzhào, passport), 行李 (xíngli, luggage), 地图 (dìtú, map), 冰箱 (bīngxiāng, fridge), 外卖 (wàimài, takeaway) and 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ, credit card). It names the four seasons, from 春天 (chūntiān, spring) to 冬天 (dōngtiān, winter), and gives you the classroom words 作业 (zuòyè, homework), 复习 (fùxí, to revise) and 学期 (xuéqī, term).

Every word is on the official Level 3 list in the HSK 3.0 syllabus. Band 4 took the more common half of the Level 3 words left after Bands 1–3; Band 5 holds all the rest. These words are less frequent in general text, but that is because they are specific, not because they are rare in daily life. You will use most of them every week.

You get all 195 words in three forms: an A4 PDF organised by category for printing and offline study, the search-and-filter grid above for quick lookup, and native Mandarin audio for every word (Microsoft Xiaoxiao, slowed slightly for clarity).

How to use this Band 5 word list

This is a list of concrete words, so learn it the way you would use it: by situation. Here’s how:

1. Print the PDF and stick the Places page by your front door. Most of the 32 place words describe a journey you could take today.
2. Learn by scene. Group the words you’d need at an airport (护照 hùzhào, 行李 xíngli, 起飞 qǐfēi, 晚点 wǎndiǎn), in a kitchen (冰箱 bīngxiāng, 盘子 pánzi, 筷子 kuàizi, 勺子 sháozi) or at school (作业 zuòyè, 黑板 hēibǎn, 课本 kèběn).
3. Learn the eight directions together. Band 5 adds 东北 (dōngběi, northeast), 西南 (xīnán, southwest) and the rest. Chinese names east or west first, so “northeast” is literally “east-north”.
4. Label your home. Write 沙发 (shāfā, sofa), 空调 (kōngtiáo, air conditioner) and 洗衣机 (xǐyījī, washing machine) on sticky notes. You’ll read each one dozens of times a week.
5. Say the seasons and holidays with a date: 新年 (xīnnián, New Year), 节日 (jiérì, festival), 放假 (fàngjià, to have a holiday). Tie each to a real day in your calendar.
6. Use the grid’s search to test yourself in English: type “bowl” or “lift” and say the Chinese before you look.

Finishing Band 5 means you know the vocabulary of the new Level 3 exam. The exam itself also tests listening, reading, handwriting and a compulsory speaking test. Our 1-on-1 HSK Preparation course follows the new format. If you want to speak rather than sit an exam, our Basics course turns these everyday words into everyday conversations.

The 16 categories in this Band 5 word list

This list groups the 195 words into 16 categories. Because Band 5 is so concrete, most categories map onto a place or a moment in your day.

• People & Pronouns (5) — 客人 (kèrén), 男生 (nánshēng), 邻居 (línjū) — guests, neighbours and visitors.
• Family (5) — 姐妹 (jiěmèi), 夫妻 (fūqī), 叔叔 (shūshu) — relatives and how to address them.
• Time & Dates (19) — 不久 (bùjiǔ), 平时 (píngshí), 好久 (hǎojiǔ) — the seasons, holidays and days either side of today.
• Numbers & Measure Words (2) — 公斤 (gōngjīn), 斤 (jīn) — weights at the market.
• Food & Drink (13) — 啤酒 (píjiǔ), 蛋糕 (dàngāo), 饮料 (yǐnliào) — drinks, fruit, snacks and the table.
• Places & Getting Around (32) — 南方 (nánfāng), 自行车 (zìxíngchē), 花园 (huāyuán) — the biggest group: home, town, travel and directions.
• School & Work (25) — 作业 (zuòyè), 数学 (shùxué), 练习 (liànxí) — the classroom, the campus and the office.
• Body & Health (9) — 牙 (yá), 耳朵 (ěrduo), 感冒 (gǎnmào) — colds, fevers, hospitals and exercise.
• Hobbies, Sport & Leisure (12) — 运动员 (yùndòngyuán), 晚会 (wǎnhuì), 得分 (défēn) — sport, parties and photos.
• Nature, Animals & Weather (7) — 草 (cǎo), 羊 (yáng), 月亮 (yuèliang) — grass, flowers, animals and the moon.
• Things & Objects (23) — 碗 (wǎn), 相机 (xiàngjī), 沙发 (shāfā) — clothes, appliances and the things in your bag.
• Everyday Verbs (12) — 刷 (shuā), 尝 (cháng), 分开 (fēnkāi) — daily routines, from brushing to moving house.
• Thinking & Feeling (6) — 难过 (nánguò), 懂得 (dǒngde), 喜爱 (xǐ’ài) — feelings, interest and understanding.
• Speaking & Communication (6) — 对话 (duìhuà), 邮件 (yóujiàn), 邮箱 (yóuxiāng) — emails, sentences and conversation.
• Adjectives & Descriptions (14) — 甜 (tián), 安静 (ānjìng), 瘦 (shòu) — taste, size, looks and cleanliness.
• Adverbs & Linking Words (5) — 常常 (chángcháng), 以外 (yǐwài), 不但 (bùdàn) — how often, in total, and “not only… but also”.

Sitting the new Level 3 exam?

With Band 5 you have all 1,000 words of Levels 1–3. The exam also tests listening, reading, handwriting and a compulsory speaking test. Our 1-on-1 HSK Preparation course drills those skills with mock papers and pacing technique.

Book a free HSK consultation

A two-week study plan

Here’s a two-week plan for the whole Band 5 list at about 14 words a day, 15–20 minutes a session.

• Week 1: Places & Getting Around (32) + Time & Dates (19) + Food & Drink (13) + Nature, Animals & Weather (7) + Numbers & Measure Words (2) — 73 words. Out and about: places, travel, seasons, food and the outdoors.
• Week 2: School & Work (25) + Things & Objects (23) + Adjectives & Descriptions (14) + Hobbies, Sport & Leisure (12) + Everyday Verbs (12) + Body & Health (9) + Thinking & Feeling (6) + Speaking & Communication (6) + People & Pronouns (5) + Family (5) + Adverbs & Linking Words (5) — 122 words. At school, at home and with people. Then filter “All” in the grid and say every word before the audio plays.

After a fortnight you’ll have met every Band 5 word with native audio, and with it the whole of official Level 3. Band 6 starts Level 4. The HSK levels guide shows the whole ladder.

FAQs

Sources: word list from the official HSK 3.0 (November 2025) syllabus via Chinese Testing International; English glosses adapted from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0).