HSK 7-9 Vocabulary List 2026
HSK 7-9 introduces approximately 5,600 new words — the largest vocabulary jump in the entire HSK system. The cumulative total reaches ~10,600 words, spanning professional, academic, literary, legal, scientific, and classical Chinese registers.
~5,600
New words at 7-9
~10,600
Cumulative vocab
14
Categories
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Family, Community & Housing
~280 words
Family dynamics, marriage customs, lineage, community culture, housing systems, neighborhood organizations, and civic community life.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 家风 | jiafeng | family tradition; family ethos | n. |
| 家教 | jiajiao | family upbringing; private tutoring | n. |
| 婚嫁 | hunjia | marriage; wedding customs | n. |
| 单亲 | danqin | single-parent | adj. |
| 抚养 | fuyang | to raise; to bring up; to support | v. |
| 社区制度 | shequ zhidu | community regulations/systems | n. |
| 邻里 | linli | neighborhood; neighbors | n. |
| 产权 | chanquan | property rights; ownership | n. |
Showing 8 of ~280 sample words
Health, Medicine & Life Sciences
~400 words
Disease diagnosis and etiology, treatment methods, mental health, medical ethics, pharmacology, physiology, and health psychology.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 诊断 | zhenduan | diagnosis; to diagnose | v./n. |
| 抑郁症 | yiyuzheng | depression (illness) | n. |
| 病因 | bingyin | cause of disease; etiology | n. |
| 诊疗 | zhenliao | diagnosis and treatment | n. |
| 医学伦理 | yixue lunli | medical ethics | n. |
| 生理 | shengli | physiological; physiology | adj./n. |
| 心理 | xinli | psychological; psychology; mental | adj./n. |
| 煎熬 | jianaO | torment; suffering; to be tortured by | n./v. |
Showing 8 of ~400 sample words
Food, Culinary Culture & Dining
~200 words
Advanced food vocabulary including culinary techniques, dining customs, restaurant industry terms, nutrition science, and cultural dimensions of Chinese cuisine.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 业态 | yetai | business model; industry format | n. |
| 食材 | shicai | ingredients; foodstuffs | n. |
| 烹饪 | pengren | cooking; culinary arts | v./n. |
| 餐桌礼仪 | canzuo liyi | table manners; dining etiquette | n. |
| 菜肴 | caiyao | cooked dishes; cuisine | n. |
| 滋味 | ziwei | flavor; taste; feeling | n. |
| 地道 | didao | authentic; genuine; real | adj. |
| 饮食文化 | yinshi wenhua | food culture; culinary culture | n. |
Showing 8 of ~200 sample words
Sports, Geography & Travel
~300 words
Sports events and culture, adventure tourism, natural geography, cultural landscapes, tourism models, ethnography, and environmental travel.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 冲浪 | chonglang | surfing; to surf | n./v. |
| 摔跤 | shuaijiao | wrestling; to wrestle; to fall | n./v. |
| 徒步探险 | tubu tanxian | hiking/trekking expedition | n. |
| 民宿 | minsu | homestay; bed and breakfast | n. |
| 地貌 | dimao | landform; terrain; topography | n. |
| 人文特色 | renwen tese | cultural/humanistic characteristics | n. |
| 风俗 | fengsu | customs; local practices | n. |
| 体育精神 | tiyu jingshen | sportsmanship; athletic spirit | n. |
Showing 8 of ~300 sample words
Legal, Civic & Rights
~300 words
Contracts, agreements, civil law, personal rights, property disputes, consumer advocacy, legal procedures, and civic engagement in dispute resolution.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 租赁 | zulin | to lease; leasing; rental | v./n. |
| 纠纷 | jiufen | dispute; conflict; controversy | n. |
| 诉求 | suqiu | demand; claim; appeal | n. |
| 责任归属 | zeren guishu | attribution of responsibility | n. |
| 侵权 | qinquan | infringement; to violate rights | v./n. |
| 维权 | weiquan | to protect/defend one's rights | v. |
| 合同 | hetong | contract; agreement | n. |
| 协议 | xieyi | agreement; protocol | n. |
Showing 8 of ~300 sample words
Work, Business & Industry
~500 words
Professional communication, corporate operations, industry overviews, negotiations, HR policy, project management, and business correspondence.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 业绩 | yeji | performance; achievement; results | n. |
| 策划 | cehua | to plan; to devise; planning | v./n. |
| 倡议 | changyi | proposal; initiative; to propose | n./v. |
| 绩效考核 | jixiao kaohe | performance appraisal/evaluation | n. |
| 进修 | jinxiu | advanced study; continuing education | v./n. |
| 聘任 | pinren | to engage; to appoint; appointment | v./n. |
| 基层 | jiceng | grassroots level; basic level | n. |
| 共享经济 | gongxiang jingji | sharing economy | n. |
Showing 8 of ~500 sample words
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Finance, Trade & Economics
~400 words
Market dynamics, economic policy, investment, trade finance, consumer behavior, economic disputes, reform policies, and macroeconomic concepts.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 杂交水稻 | zajiao shuidao | hybrid rice | n. |
| 能耗 | nenghao | energy consumption | n. |
| 公款 | gongkuan | public funds; public money | n. |
| 势头 | shitou | momentum; tendency; situation | n. |
| 经济体制 | jingji tizhi | economic system/structure | n. |
| 跨境电商 | kuajing dianshang | cross-border e-commerce | n. |
| 市场动态 | shichang dongtai | market dynamics; market trends | n. |
| 消费热点 | xiaofei redian | consumer trend; hot consumption topic | n. |
Showing 8 of ~400 sample words
Science, Technology & Innovation
~450 words
AI, cybersecurity, big data, aerospace, biotech, network security, information technology, scientific research methods, and emerging technologies.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大数据 | da shuju | big data | n. |
| 信息安全 | xinxi anquan | information security; cybersecurity | n. |
| 人工智能 | rengong zhineng | artificial intelligence (AI) | n. |
| 航空航天 | hangkong hangtian | aviation and aerospace | n. |
| 生物化学 | shengwu huaxue | biochemistry | n. |
| 算法 | suanfa | algorithm | n. |
| 版权保护 | banquan baohu | copyright protection | n. |
| 著作权 | zhuzuoquan | copyright; intellectual property rights | n. |
Showing 8 of ~450 sample words
Media, Society & Current Affairs
~400 words
Journalism, news analysis, media ethics, social responsibility, online media, public opinion, social phenomena, and current event commentary.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 时事 | shishi | current events; current affairs | n. |
| 深度报道 | shendu baodao | in-depth reporting; investigative journalism | n. |
| 社会责任 | shehui zeren | social responsibility | n. |
| 谣言 | yaoyan | rumor; false information | n. |
| 诽谤 | feibang | defamation; slander; to defame | v./n. |
| 舆论 | yulun | public opinion; public sentiment | n. |
| 传媒 | chuanmei | mass media; media industry | n. |
| 老龄化 | laolinghua | aging (of population); graying society | n. |
Showing 8 of ~400 sample words
Education & Academic Research
~350 words
Academic institutions, research methodology, thesis writing, literature reviews, academic debate, scholarly exchange, and higher education systems.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 文献综述 | wenxian zongshu | literature review | n. |
| 研究设计 | yanjiu sheji | research design | n. |
| 论文提要 | lunwen tiyao | thesis abstract; paper summary | n. |
| 学籍 | xueji | student status; enrollment records | n. |
| 攻读 | gongdu | to pursue a degree; to study intensively | v. |
| 后现代主义 | houxiandai zhuyi | postmodernism | n. |
| 有教无类 | you jiao wu lei | education for all regardless of background (Confucius) | phrase |
| 答辩 | dabian | thesis defense; to defend a thesis | n./v. |
Showing 8 of ~350 sample words
Chinese Culture, Thought & Global Issues
~400 words
Classical Chinese thought, literary analysis, world heritage, global public health, human community building, and cross-cultural exchange.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 人类命运共同体 | renlei mingyun gongtongti | community of shared future for mankind | n. |
| 世界遗产 | shijie yichan | world heritage; World Heritage Site | n. |
| 全球化 | quanqiuhua | globalization | n. |
| 本土化 | bentuhua | localization; indigenization | n. |
| 消除贫困 | xiaochu pinkun | poverty elimination; poverty alleviation | n. |
| 公共卫生 | gonggong weisheng | public health | n. |
| 生态环境 | shengtai huanjing | ecological environment | n. |
| 少数民族 | shaoshu minzu | ethnic minority; minority nationality | n. |
Showing 8 of ~400 sample words
Formal, Literary & Classical Register
~350 words
Literary vocabulary, classical Chinese expressions (文言), formal document language, rhetorical devices, philosophical terms, and elevated written registers.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 所谓 | suowei | so-called; what is called; what is meant by | adv. |
| 予以 | yuyi | to give; to grant; to accord (formal) | v. |
| 乃至 | naizhi | even; even as far as; up to | conj. |
| 况且 | kuangqie | furthermore; moreover; besides | conj. |
| 免得 | miande | so as not to; in order to avoid | conj. |
| 倘若 | tangruo | if; supposing; in case (literary) | conj. |
| 既然 | jiran | since; given that; now that | conj. |
| 归根到底 | guigen daodi | in the final analysis; ultimately | phrase |
Showing 8 of ~350 sample words
Chengyu, Idioms & Set Expressions
~300 words
Four-character idioms (成语), proverbs, literary allusions, and set expressions commonly encountered in formal written Chinese and sophisticated speech.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 小心翼翼 | xiaoxin yiyi | with the utmost care; cautiously | phrase |
| 颠倒黑白 | diandao heibai | to confuse right and wrong; to distort | phrase |
| 刻舟求剑 | ke zhou qiu jian | to act without regard to changing circumstances | phrase |
| 天伦之乐 | tianlun zhi le | family happiness; joy of family life | phrase |
| 力所能及 | li suo neng ji | within one's power/capability | phrase |
| 取经 | qujing | to learn from others experience; to study best practices | v. |
| 摊牌 | tanpai | to lay one's cards on the table; to have a showdown | v. |
| 分外 | fenwai | especially; extraordinarily; beyond one's duty | adv. |
Showing 8 of ~300 sample words
How to Study 5,600 New Words
Immerse in Native Content Daily
5,600 new words cannot be acquired through flashcards alone. Read Chinese newspapers (人民日报, 南方周末), watch documentaries (纪录片), and follow academic podcasts daily.
Learn Domain-Specific Clusters
Group words by profession: legal terms (纠纷/诉求/侵权), medical terms (诊断/病因/诊疗), academic terms (文献综述/答辩/学籍). Domain clusters are more memorable than random lists.
Master Chengyu and Formal Registers
HSK 7-9 tests classical expressions, literary allusions, and formal written Chinese. Read classical texts, official government documents, and formal commentary to build this register.
Active Production, Not Just Recognition
At this level, passive recognition is insufficient. Write essays, translate texts, and practice translation aloud to build productive vocabulary. Keep a writing journal in Chinese.
Budget 2-4 Years
5,600 new words at 10/day = 560 days of first exposure alone. Factor in review cycles (at least 3x per word) and this is genuinely a multi-year effort requiring sustained immersion.
Link Words to Contexts, Not Translations
At HSK 7-9, many words lack simple one-to-one translations (e.g., 人类命运共同体, 有教无类). Learn them through Chinese explanations and context, not English glosses.
A list is not the same as remembering it
In the Pass HSK app, HSK 7-9 words come in real sentences, with pinyin, audio and short practice questions that check whether they stuck.
Find your level and start freeFree to start · No account or credit card needed · Web, iOS & Android
Social Life & Personal Identity
~350 words
Personal character, values, interpersonal relationships, lifestyle choices, aesthetics, and social etiquette in formal and informal settings.
Showing 8 of ~350 sample words