The HSK speaking test is no longer optional from Level 3 — under the revised HSK standard introduced by Hanban in 2021, oral proficiency is a graded, scored component embedded directly into Levels 3 through 6, and a separate spoken exam (HSKK) remains available at all levels. This is one of the most significant structural changes students moving up from HSK 1 or 2 encounter, and misunderstanding it has caused otherwise well-prepared candidates to sit the wrong exam or skip required components entirely.
What Changed With the 2021 HSK Redesign
The old HSK framework (pre-2021) had six written levels plus a completely separate oral test called HSKK (Hanyu Shuiping Kouyu Kaoshi) at three grades — Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Candidates registered for written and oral exams independently, and many skipped the oral component entirely without consequence to their certificate.
The new framework, officially rolled out from 2021 and progressively adopted by test centers through 2022–2023, expands to nine levels. Levels 1 and 2 remain writing-focused entry points, but from Level 3 onward the examination design integrates a mandatory speaking dimension. The HSKK standalone exam continues to exist and still serves candidates who need a speaking certificate for specific visa or university purposes, but it no longer substitutes for the oral requirements embedded in the upper-level exams themselves.
Old HSK (pre-2021)
- 6 written levels
- HSKK oral exam entirely separate and optional
- Could earn Level 5/6 certificate with no speaking evidence
- HSKK had 3 grades: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
- Separate registration, separate fee, separate score report
New HSK (2021 onward)
- 9 levels total
- Speaking integrated from Level 3 as a graded component
- Levels 3–9 require demonstrating oral production
- HSKK standalone exam still exists but is supplementary
- Single exam session covers reading, writing, listening, speaking at L3+
Why Is the HSK Speaking Test Mandatory From Level 3?
The policy rationale comes directly from China's updated Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Chinese as a Foreign Language (GF0025-2021), which aligns the HSK framework with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and places communicative competence — not just reading and writing — at the core of proficiency assessment from the lower-intermediate stage. Level 3 corresponds approximately to CEFR B1, the threshold at which learners are expected to manage real-world spoken interaction. Awarding a B1-equivalent certificate without any evidence of speaking ability was identified as a credibility gap, and the redesign closes it.
Practically, this matters because universities in China and abroad that accept HSK certificates for admission, scholarship, or credit recognition increasingly specify that both written and spoken scores must appear on the certificate. A candidate who passed the old HSK 4 with no HSKK record now faces questions at institutions that expect the new integrated format.
What Does the Speaking Component Actually Look Like at Each Level?
The structure of the speaking section scales with level. Here is what candidates face from Level 3 through the advanced range:
| HSK Level | CEFR Approx. | Speaking Task Types | Preparation Time | Response Time | Pass Threshold (Speaking) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | B1 | Repeat sentences, describe pictures, answer short questions | 10–15 sec per item | 30–45 sec per item | 60/100 |
| Level 4 | B2 | Describe scenarios, express opinions on prompts, short monologue | 15–20 sec per item | 60–90 sec per item | 60/100 |
| Level 5 | C1 | Extended topic presentation, question-and-answer, opinion defense | 20–30 sec per item | 90–120 sec per item | 60/100 |
| Level 6 | C1+ | Spontaneous discussion, abstract topic argument, narrative reconstruction | 30 sec | Up to 3 min | 60/100 |
Note that the minimum passing score for the speaking section is 60 out of 100 at every level. Scoring below 60 in speaking fails the entire exam even if reading, writing, and listening scores are high — the subscore floors are absolute, not averaged away.
Do not assume a strong reading or listening score will compensate for a low speaking score. At Level 3 and above, each section has its own 60-point minimum. A candidate who scores 90 in writing and 55 in speaking fails the exam and must retake the full test.
How Is the HSK Speaking Section Scored?
Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 uses a combination of automated speech recognition (ASR) evaluation and trained human rater review. At Levels 5 and above, human raters take primary responsibility, with ASR used for consistency checks. Raters assess four dimensions:
- Pronunciation and tones — accuracy of initials, finals, and four-tone system including neutral tone
- Fluency — absence of disruptive pauses, false starts, and filler sounds (uh, um) that impede comprehension
- Vocabulary range — use of level-appropriate vocabulary without excessive code-switching or avoidance
- Discourse coherence — logical organization and completion of the communicative task within the time limit
For the sentence-repetition tasks at Level 3, accuracy is weighted most heavily — raters and ASR systems compare phoneme by phoneme. For the extended speaking tasks at Levels 4–6, discourse coherence and vocabulary range carry progressively more weight. A technically perfect accent with nothing meaningful to say will not pass at Level 5.
How to Prepare for the HSK Speaking Test Effectively
The speaking section rewards candidates who practice under timed, exam-realistic conditions — not those who simply study vocabulary lists or grammar rules. The following preparation sequence works for Level 3 through 5:
- Master the tone system at your level's vocabulary list before attempting full responses. Tone errors in sentence repetition tasks are penalized immediately by both ASR and human raters.
- Record yourself answering sample prompts and listen back critically for filler sounds, incomplete sentences, and hesitation patterns — do not rely on self-perception alone.
- Time every practice response. At Level 3, responses over 45 seconds that run past the cutoff are truncated and scored only on what was captured.
- Build topic-specific phrase banks for common HSK speaking prompt categories: daily routine, travel, study, work, social issues (Levels 5–6). Having ready phrases prevents vocabulary search pauses.
- Practice sentence-final particles and discourse connectors (然后, 因此, 虽然…但是) — they signal coherence to raters and add measurable vocabulary range credit.
- Do at least two full mock speaking sessions under exam conditions — microphone on, preparation timer running, no pausing — before test day.
For Level 3 sentence repetition tasks, rehearse the full Level 3 vocabulary list aloud, not silently. The ASR engine evaluates spoken phoneme accuracy, not reading comprehension — candidates who have only read the words often fail the repetition task because they have never physically produced the sounds.
Memo Chat+ offers timed HSK speaking practice sessions with feedback structured around the four official scoring dimensions — pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, and coherence — matching the format candidates face in the real exam.
The integration of speaking into HSK from Level 3 is a permanent feature of the current framework, not a transitional measure. Candidates who treat the speaking component as an afterthought — a habit inherited from the old optional HSKK era — consistently underperform relative to their actual Chinese ability. Build speaking practice into your preparation from the first week, time every response, and treat the 60-point floor as the non-negotiable baseline it is.