[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ width=”90%” width_tablet=”90%” width_phone=”90%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]<\/p>\n
Rumours about the new HSK system<\/strong> have been going around since last year, but this week, official standards were released<\/strong><\/a>, so we don\u2019t have to speculate any more!<\/p>\n The official data from Hanban came in a 260-page document. We’ve looked through it and turned it into an infographic. But if you prefer text – scroll down below \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n New HSK Infographic<\/a><\/strong> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”infographic” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”28px” background_color=”#f1f1f0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||17px|||” custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”28px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||60px|||”]<\/p>\n Here’s a quick summary of the things we know about the new HSK system & levels.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tm.thatsmandarin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TM-new-HSK-levels-infographic.png” alt=”New HSK Levels 2021 Explained – Infographic | That’s Mandarin Chinese Language School” title_text=”New HSK Levels 2021 Explained – Infographic | That’s Mandarin Chinese Language School” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”60%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”text” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”|0px|6px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”28px” background_color=”#f1f1f0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||60px|||” custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]<\/p>\n The new HSK standards will be effective on July 1, 2021.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n Very different in 3 ways.<\/p>\n First, there will be 9 New HSK levels<\/strong> instead of 6.<\/p>\n Secondly, each level will have a set number of 300 new characters in each level<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>and a varying number of\u00a0500 to 1140<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>new words in each level\u00a0<\/strong>based on all possible combinations of these characters.\u00a0<\/span>This means that <\/span>Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 will be harder than before, but <\/span>Levels 5 and 6 will be a bit easier – so the whole learning process will be more gradual.<\/span><\/p>\n And thirdly, the word lists have been revised to exclude some outdated words<\/strong> (e.g. “fax”).<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]Now let’s look at each of these points in detail.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n The new HSK system will have 9 levels<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The new system is called \u201cThree levels and nine bands\u201d – with “levels” referring to 3 language levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)<\/strong> and \u201cbands\u201d referring to 9 HSK Levels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)<\/strong>.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tm.thatsmandarin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/new-hsk-levels-system-2021.png” alt=”New HSK Levels 2021 Explained – Infographic | That’s Mandarin Chinese Language School” title_text=”New HSK Levels 2021 Explained – Infographic | That’s Mandarin Chinese Language School” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”80%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n There be 300 new characters<\/strong> in each new HSK level.<\/p>\n Since characters can make up many more new words when put together, the number of words in each new HSK level will vary<\/strong>. It’s the snowball effect: Level 1 is going to be a bit easier, since only 500 words can be made of 300 characters; but when you move on to HSK Level 2, you will have all the combinations of the new 300 characters PLUS the 300 from the previous level.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n The old HSK system had a big disadvantage: it was very easy to pass HSK 1 and HSK2 (with only 150 words in each level), but really difficult to get to HSK 5 and 6 (with 2500 and 5000 words respectively).<\/p>\n So the new system tries to solve this problem by adding more words to HSK Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 to “spread out” the new words across levels, and to make the learning progress more gradual.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n The old HSK only had 6 levels. In the new HSK system, they added new Levels 7, 8 and 9. These levels will higher than the old HSK6, and targeting higher proficiency levels (think of them as of Chinese for academic purposes<\/strong>).<\/p>\n If you look at the levels table, you will notice that HSK Levels 7, 8, 9 share the total number of\u00a0new characters (1200)\u00a0and\u00a0new words (5636). It means all Level 7-9 test-takers will take the same test, and based on the score they\u00a0get, they will qualify either for Level 7,\u00a08, or\u00a09.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n We’ve been excited about this news since the beginning. That’s Mandarin uses its own, in-house curriculum developed for NihaoCafe. It is roughly based on HSK levels, but features many more important and handy words from everyday life. So we are happy that HSK has finally caught up! For example, in our NihaoCafe Level 1, we have 547 new words<\/strong>. And according to the new system,\u00a0 there will be 500 words\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in the new HSK 1\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 so our level will be covering just a bit more.<\/span><\/p>\n For That’s Mandarin curriculum development team, this means that in the upcoming months we will need to update the HSK tags for every word in the system, and make sure that we are not missing out on any of the new words.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n We hope this information was helpful. We will keep updating this post<\/strong> as we get more familiar with the 253-page document published by Hanban.<\/p>\n Happy learning!<\/p>\n P.S. if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in comments below. \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”9px|0px||0px|false|false” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text module_id=”pdf” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”32px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_blog posts_number=”1″ include_categories=”237″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_excerpt=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#4d4d4d” header_font_size=”20px” read_more_font=”|600||on|||||” width=”40%”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ width=”90%” width_tablet=”90%” width_phone=”90%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Rumours about the new HSK system have been going around since last year, but this week, official standards were released, so we don\u2019t have to speculate any more! The official data from Hanban came […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10001416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" The talks about the New HSK have been going around since last year. This week, the official standards have finally come out, so don\u2019t need to speculate any more! Let\u2019s look at the data that Hanban has provided and make conclusions from it.<\/p> The new HSK standards will be effective on July 1, 2021<\/strong>.<\/p> Very different in 3 ways. <\/strong><\/p> First, there will be 9 New HSK levels<\/strong> instead of 6.<\/p> Secondly, each level will have a set number of new characters (300 in each level) <\/strong>and a varying number of new words (from 500 to 1140 in each level) <\/strong>based on all possible combinations of these characters. This means that Levels 1, 2, 3 will be harder than before<\/strong>, but Levels 4, 5, 6 will be a bit easier<\/strong> - so the whole learning process will be more gradual.<\/p> And thirdly, the word lists have been revised to exclude some outdated words (e.g. \"fax\").<\/p> Now let's look at each of these points in detail.<\/p> The new HSK system will have 9 levels<\/strong>.<\/p> The new system is called \u201cThree levels and nine bands\u201d - with \"levels\" referring to 3 language levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)<\/strong> and \u201cbands\u201d referring to 9 HSK Levels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)<\/strong>.<\/p> There be 300 new characters<\/strong> in each new HSK level.<\/p> Since characters can make up many more new words when put together, the number of words in each new HSK level will vary<\/strong>. It's the snowball effect: Level 1 is going to be a bit easier, since only 500 words can be made of 300 characters; but when you move on to HSK Level 2, you will have all the combinations of the new 300 characters PLUS the 300 from the previous level.<\/p> The 'old' HSK system had a big disadvantage: it was very easy to pass HSK 1 and HSK2, with only 150 words in each level, but super difficult to get to HSK 5 and 6 (with 2500 and 5000 words respectively). So the new system tries to solve this problem by adding more words to HSK Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 to 'even out\" the new words across levels, and to make the learning progress more gradual.<\/p> The old HSK only had 6 levels. In the new HSK system, they added new Levels 7, 8 and 9<\/strong>. These levels will higher than the old HSK6, and targeting higher proficiency levels (think of them as of Chinese for academic purposes).<\/p> If you look at the levels table, you will notice that HSK Levels 7, 8, 9 share the total number of new characters (1200)<\/strong> and new words (5636)<\/strong>. It means that you will take the exam and get a result similar to the IELTS English system - based on the score you get, you will qualify either for HSK Level 7, or for HSK Level 8, or for HSK Level 9.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[237],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
New HSK Details<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNew HSK Levels 2021: Infographic<\/h2>\n
New HSK Levels: Details Q&A<\/h2>\n
1. When<\/span> will the new HSK standards come into effect?<\/h3>\n
2. How different is the new HSK from the old HSK?<\/h3>\n
3. How many levels<\/span> will be there in the new HSK?<\/h3>\n
4. How many words<\/span> will each new HSK level have?<\/h3>\n
5. Why there are so many more<\/span> words in the new HSK levels 1, 2, 3, 4?<\/h3>\n
6. What are the new advanced HSK levels 7, 8, 9<\/span> all about?<\/h3>\n
7. What does this change mean for That’s Mandarin and NihaoCafe?<\/h3>\n
To Be Continued<\/h3>\n
Further Reading<\/h2>\n
When will the new HSK standards come into effect?<\/h3>
How different is the new HSK from the old HSK?<\/h3>
How many levels are in the new HSK?<\/h3>
How many words will be in each new HSK level?<\/h3>
Why there are so many more words in the new HSK levels 1, 2, 3, 4?<\/h3>
What are the new HSK levels 7, 8, 9 all about?<\/h3>