HSKK SPEAKING TEST
Hanyu Shuiping Kouyu Kaoshi (HSKK) is a standardised oral test that aims to test Chinese as second speakers' ability in spoken Chinese. It is the oral test of HSK.
HSKK is a standardised oral test that aims to test Chinese as second speakers' ability in spoken Chinese. It is the oral test of HSK.
The results of HSK and HSKK testing can be used to decide an applicant’s entry to Chinese tertiary institutions or help demonstrate Chinese proficiency to potential employers. HSK and HSKK are also a prerequisite when applying for Confucius Institute scholarship to study in China.
The ABCI is a registered and authorised HSKK Testing Centre for HSKK Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Level.
HSKK SPEAKING TEST – Structure, Vocabulary, Score
The level exam of oral Chinese (HSKK) assesses mainly the capacity of oral expression in Chinese language of the candidate; three levels are included: HSKK (Basic Level), HSKK (Intermediate Level) and HSKK (Advanced Level). The exam uses recordable format.
The HSKK Basic Level is mainly adapted to a study progress of Chinese language for two to three academic semesters with a frequency of two or three sessions a week; this means a use of vocabulary of about 200 words of frequent use by the candidate.
The HSKK Intermediate Level is mainly adapted to a study progress of Chinese language for three academic years with a frequency of two or three sessions a week; this means a use of vocabulary of about 900 words of frequent use by the candidate.
The HSKK Advanced Level is mainly adapted to a study progress of Chinese language for more than four academic years with a frequency of two or three sessions a week; this means a use of vocabulary of about 3.000 words of frequent use by the candidate.
| HSKK Level | Vocabulary | Listen & Repeat | Listen & Reply | Answer the questions | Test Duration | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HSKK Beginner
|
200
|
15 sentences/4 minutes
|
10 questions/3 minutes
|
2 questions/3 minutes |
17 minutes |
16:00 |
|
HSKK Intermediate
|
900
|
10 sentences/3 minutes
|
2 questions/4 minutes
|
2 questions/4 minutes |
21 minutes |
16:30 |
|
HSKK Advanced
|
3.000
|
3 sentences/7 minutes
|
1 questions/2 minutes
|
2 questions/5 minutes |
24 minutes |
17:00 |
The maximum score of HSKK on each three level is 100. A score of 60 or above is considered a passing result.
All exam papers and oral recordings will be sent to Test Centre in China within two days after the test is taken.
Your test results can be checked online within a month after the test date, certificates will be sent to the Business Confucius Institute at the Athens University of Economics and Business two months after the test date. HSKK certificates are valid for two years ((beginning from the test date).
HSKK EXAM DATES
HSKK EXAM FEES
The examination fees for each level are as follows:
HSKK Exam Level | Fee (€) |
|---|---|
Beginner | 80,00 |
Intermediate | 90,00 |
Advanced | 100,00 |
HSKK SPEAKING TEST Registration and Payment
Ι. To successfully register for the test, please follow the steps
Log into the website
User Registration
Test Registration
Fill in your personal information
Upload a photo
Confirm the registration information
Pay the test fee
After registering online, pay the test fee before the registration deadline by direct deposit to the Athens Business Confucius Institute account at National Bank of Greece. You can do this at any National Bank branch, via an ATM or via web/mobile banking through your own bank. If there is no evidence of a money transfer before the registration deadline , then your registration is unfortunately invalid and you cannot take part in the examination. After you have paid, the test cannot be cancelled.
The name of the examinee should appear in the ‘Αιτιολογία’ field on the bank deposit slip or web/mobile banking transaction form.
You will need the following information for direct deposit and web banking:
|
Bank Name: Account holder: Account Number: IBAN: Transaction Purpose: |
National Bank of Greece OPA / ELKE / Business Confucius Institute of Athens 110 / 4 8015 124 GR20 0110 1100 0000 1104 8015 124 The name of the examinee & HSK Level |
Collect/Print the test Admission Ticket
Ten days before the exam date, log into www.chinesetest.cn and print your test admission ticket (Personal Information Center->Test Taker Information->Print). On the test date, you must bring and present your printed test admission ticket and identity certificate.
Click here to download a Reference Admission Ticket Sample.
HSKK SPEAKING TEST Format and Samples
Compared with HSK, HSKK tests are much shorter (only 10-15 minutes long). Each HSKK test consists of three sections.
HSKK Beginner
- Listen and repeat: listen to a recording of sentences and repeat the sentences
- Listen and reply: listen to a recording of questions and provide brief answers
- Answer questions: read the questions (pinyin provided) on test paper or screen and provide detailed answers
HSKK Intermediate
- Listen and repeat: listen to a recording of sentences and repeat the sentences
- Describe pictures: say something based on the pictures presented on test paper or screen
- Answer questions: read the questions (pinyin provided) on test paper or screen and provide detailed answers
HSKK Advanced
- Listen and repeat: listen to a recording of sentences and repeat the sentences
- Read aloud: read aloud the passage (shown in characters) on test paper or screen
- Answer questions: read the questions on test paper or screen and provide detailed answers
You might think the speaking test is sort of like a face to face Q&A session with a teacher, but it’s not. The questions are pre-recorded and read to you on speaker or headphones. There is no interaction with real people. You answer the questions on a recording device and get scored by examiners later.
HSKK Beginner Level
The HSKK Beginners’ Level Speaking Test assesses the test takers’ ability to express themselves in oral Chinese. It is the counterpart of the Level I and Level II of the HSK Written Exam. Test takers who are able to pass the HSK Speaking Test (Beginner Level) can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and meet specific needs for communication.
I. Test Target
The HSK Speaking Test (Beginner Level) is intended for the students who have studied Chinese 2-3 sessions per week for 2-3 semesters. These students have mastered about 200 commonly used words.
II. Test Content
The HSK Speaking Test (Beginner Level) is comprised of three parts, containing 27 items in total.
The duration of the test is 17 minutes (including 7 minutes for preparation).
There are 15 items in Part I. For each item, a sentence recording will be played. The test taker should repeat the sentence.
There are 10 items in Part II. In each item, the recording of a question will be played. The test taker should provide a brief answer.
There are 2 items in Part III. There will be two questions on the test paper (in pinyin). The test taker should answer these questions using a minimum of 5 sentences per answer.
HSKK Intermediate Level
The HSK (Intermediate Level Speaking Test assesses the test takers’ ability to express themselves in oral Chinese. It is the counterpart of the Level III and Level IV of the HSK Written Exam. Test takers who are able to pass the HSK Speaking Test (Intermediate Level) can understand intermediate Chinese and converse fluently with native Chinese speakers.
I. Test Target
The HSK Speaking Test (Intermediate Level) is intended for students who have studied Chinese 2-3 sessions per week for 3 academic years. These students have mastered about 900 commonly used words.
II. Test Content
The HSK Speaking Test (Intermediate Level) is comprised of three parts, containing 14 items in total.
The duration of the test is 21 minutes (including 10 minutes for preparation).
There are 10 items in Part I. For each item, a sentence recording will be played. The test taker should repeat the sentence.
There are 2 items in Part II. Each item consists of an image. The test taker should say something based on the picture.
There are 2 items in Part III. The test taker should answer the two questions (in pinyin).
HSKK Advanced Level
The HSK Advanced Level Speaking Test assesses the test takers’ ability to express themselves orally in Chinese. It is the counterpart of the Level V of the HSK Written Exam. Test takers who are able to pass the HSK Speaking Test (Advanced Level) can understand spoken Chinese and fluently express their ideas in Chinese.
I. Test Target
The HSK Speaking Test (Advanced Level) is intended for the students who have studied Chinese 2-3 sessions per week for more than 4 academic years. These students have mastered about 3,000 common words.
II. Test Content
The HSK Speaking Test (Advanced Level) is comprised of three parts, containing 6 items in total.
The duration of the test is 24 minutes (including 10 minutes for preparation).
There are 3 items in Part I. The recording of a passage will be played, and the test taker should repeat the content.
There is 1 item in Part II. There will be a passage on the test paper, and the test taker should read it out aloud.
There are 2 items in Part III. The test taker should answer the two questions on the test paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no way to measure test-taker’s speaking ability based on HSK results. However, for more than two decades, HSK was the only solid language prerequisite for international students to apply for degree programs at Chinese universities, hence many students chose to study Chinese along the specific, quick “HSK route” at the expense of their speaking abilities. (We’ve actually seen students that passed HSK6 – the highest level, and yet can barely communicate at all in Chinese, not even things like “how’s your weekend?” )
To answer the complaints from educators and employers, as well as to encourage Chinese learners to spend more time working on speaking skills, Hanban developed the separate HSKK oral test in the 2010s as a complement to HSK. It assesses test-taker’s pronunciations, tones, clarity, continuity, variety, and fluency in speech. It serves as an objective way to measure learner’s overall speaking ability in real life.
