New HSK (HSK 3.0) writing section: what each level asks you to write
The new HSK changes the writing part at almost every level. Here is exactly what you will be asked to write, level by level, based on the official sample papers.
Updated 14 November 2026
Everything on this page comes from the official HSK 3.0 sample papers published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation on chinesetest.cn (papers dated July 2026). Many sites copied older or guessed information; where they disagree with the sample papers, the papers win. Always check the official site for your own test date and any later updates.
Writing at a glance
| Level | Writing questions | Time | What you write |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | none | – | No writing section |
| HSK 2 | 10 | 10 min | Complete characters |
| HSK 3 | 10 | 20 min | Characters from pinyin, then your own sentences |
| HSK 4 | 6 | 25 min | 5 sentences + a short text of 80+ characters |
| HSK 5 | 2 | 40 min | A picture story (100+) and a topic essay (200+) |
| HSK 6 | 2 | 45 min | A practical text (150+) and an opinion essay (300+) |
| HSK 7–9 | 2 | 55 min | A chart description (200+) and an argument essay (600+) |
In the papers, HSK 2 and 3 call this part 书写 ("writing characters"); from HSK 4 it becomes 写作 ("composition").
HSK 2: writing appears for the first time
Ten questions in ten minutes, in two parts of five.
- Part 1: choose the missing component. You see a two-character word with pinyin, for example 什么 with one half of 什 missing, and pick the missing part (such as 十) from six options.
- Part 2: write the character. A short sentence has one character replaced by its pinyin, and you write the character.
How to prepare: practise writing the HSK 2 characters by hand, and learn the common components (氵, 亻, 子, 日 and so on).
HSK 3: characters, then your own sentences
Ten questions in twenty minutes.
- Part 1 (5 questions): write the character from pinyin in the middle of a full sentence, for example 牛先生认为这个办（fǎ）不能解决问题.
- Part 2 (5 questions): make a sentence with a given word. The paper gives a word such as 开心 and an example answer: 他开心得跳起来了。 Words in the sample include 羽毛球, 饱, 爬, 结婚 and 地图.
This second part is new and is the first time you write freely. Keep sentences short and correct rather than long and risky. Watch the classic traps: 结婚 cannot take an object (他跟她结婚了, not 他结婚她了), and 得 follows the verb.
HSK 4: sentences and a first short text
Six questions in twenty-five minutes.
- Part 1 (5 questions): look at a picture and write a sentence using the given word, for example 结账, 幅, 文件, 活泼, 正式. Note that one of these is a measure word: you need to know what 幅 counts (一幅画).
- Part 2 (1 question): a short text of at least 80 characters. The sample asks you to describe your most memorable trip (介绍一下你最难忘的一次旅行).
The 80-character text is where most marks are lost to small grammar mistakes. Our 10 common HSK 4 writing mistakes covers the ones we see most.
HSK 5: a picture story and a topic essay
Two questions in forty minutes.
- Picture story (100+ characters). Four pictures show a sequence of events; you write the story.
- Topic essay (200+ characters). The sample gives a short statement about trying new things and asks you to describe one time you tried something and how you felt afterwards.
For the story, time words and linking words (一开始, 后来, 没想到, 最后) make the order clear. For the essay, a clear structure matters as much as vocabulary: what you tried, what happened, what you learned.
HSK 6: a practical text and an opinion essay
Two questions in forty-five minutes.
- Practical writing (150+ characters). The sample asks you to write an online post looking for a flatmate, including what you expect from them and what the flat offers.
- Opinion essay (300+ characters). The sample asks whether the development of science and technology helps or holds back people's all-round development.
The practical task tests whether you can write for a real purpose and reader, so cover every point the task lists. In the essay, state your position early and support it with reasons and examples.
HSK 7–9: a chart and a long argument
Two questions in fifty-five minutes, inside a much longer exam that also includes translation and speaking.
- Chart description and analysis (200+ characters, 15 minutes). The sample chart shows why people in China go to the gym.
- Argument essay (600+ characters, 40 minutes). The sample asks whether you agree with 己所不欲，勿施于人 from the Analects, and to argue your view.
What this means for your preparation
- Handwriting matters from HSK 2. The lower levels now test characters directly, not only recognition.
- Free writing starts at HSK 3. You will write your own sentences, so accuracy with basic grammar pays off early.
- Every level has a minimum length. Practise writing to the length under time pressure: 80 characters at HSK 4, 200 at HSK 5, 300 at HSK 6, 600 at HSK 7–9.
- Get feedback on what you write. Writing practice only helps if you find out what was wrong. Paste your practice answers into our checker, pick your level, and it marks every mistake with a short explanation.