HSK 6 Character List 2026
HSK 6 adds 413 new recognition characters and 150 new writing characters to your repertoire. By level 6 you can recognize 1,940 individual characters and write 850 from memory — a strong foundation for reading Chinese newspapers, literature, and formal documents.
413
New recognition chars
150
New writing chars
1,940
Cumulative recognition
850
Cumulative writing
Compare Adjacent Levels
Follow the same skill across the HSK ladder
Compare recognition and handwriting character growth across the HSK ladder.
Current Level Hub
HSK 6 Requirements 2026
Return to the level overview for the task outline, skill split, and adjacent study resources.
Previous Level
HSK 5 Character List 2026
Compare how many characters were introduced at the previous stage.
Next Level
HSK 7-9 Character List 2026
See how recognition and handwriting expectations increase at the next stage.
Cumulative Character Progress: HSK 1-6
Recognition characters = characters you must be able to read. Writing characters = characters you must write from memory. Writing chars are always a subset of recognition chars.
| Level | New Recog. | New Writing | Cum. Recog. | Cum. Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 246 | 100 | 246 | 100 |
| HSK 2 | 125 | 150 | 371 | 250 |
| HSK 3 | 284 | 150 | 655 | 400 |
| HSK 4 | 441 | 150 | 1,096 | 550 |
| HSK 5 | 431 | 150 | 1,527 | 700 |
| HSK 6 | 413 | 150 | 1,940 | 850 |
HSK 6 Recognition Characters (413)
All 413 new characters introduced at HSK 6 that you must be able to read and identify. Characters also required for writing (150 chars) are highlighted in green.
See these characters in real words
In the Pass HSK app, HSK 6 characters show up in the words and sentences you learn, with pinyin, audio and short practice questions.
Find your level and start freeFree to start · No account or credit card needed · Web, iOS & Android
HSK 6 Writing Characters (150)
The 150 characters you must be able to write from memory at HSK 6. These are a subset of the 413 recognition characters above. Writing requires correct stroke order and full character structure.
Key Radical Groups at HSK 6
Learning characters by radical helps you spot patterns and accelerate memorization. Here are the most productive radical clusters at HSK 6.
Study Strategies for 413 New Characters
Learn Radicals First
Many HSK 6 characters share radicals: 月 (body parts: 肠/肺/肝/胸/脂/脖/肪), 氵(water: 涌/涵/淹/淋/渡/潜), 扌(hand actions: 摆/撤/撑/捧/捕). Group by radical to reduce memorization load.
Prioritize Writing Chars
150 writing characters is a manageable subset of 413. Master these first, then extend to recognition-only chars. The HSK exam tests writing chars in fill-in-the-blank tasks.
Notice Body Part Characters
HSK 6 health/medical tasks introduce many body characters: 脂 (fat/lipid), 肪 (fat), 肺 (lung), 肝 (liver), 肠 (intestine), 肩 (shoulder), 臂 (arm), 脖 (neck), 颈 (neck), 胸 (chest). Learn them as a cluster.
Read to Reinforce
Passive recognition improves fastest through extensive reading. At HSK 6 level, read Chinese social media, news articles, and classical excerpts to encounter characters in natural context.
Characters stick better inside words
In the Pass HSK app, HSK 6 characters show up in the words and sentences you learn, with pinyin, audio and short practice questions.
Find your level and start freeFree to start · No account or credit card needed · Web, iOS & Android