The HSK 7–9 is the most advanced level in the new HSK system, designed for Chinese learners who want to function in Chinese at an academic or professional level. Many years ago when there was no HSK 7-9, I took the HSK6 just for fun. Recently, I’ve been trying out the sample HSK 7-9 paper because I’m hoping to take it eventually. I was absolutely floored by the huge increase in difficulty from HSK6.
What makes HSK 7–9 so challenging?
Compared to HSK 6, which focuses on upper-intermediate fluency (~5,000 words), HSK 7–9 demands mastery of around 11,000 words and the ability to understand and understand and produce critical, complex, summarised and abstract content. I would say HSK 7-9 is just the Chinese version of TOEFL or IELTS.
During the test, you’ll need to demonstrate that you:
- Know how to use academic and professional language
- Have good control over advanced grammar and formal structures
- Can quickly process dense reading and listening passages
- Can produce critical essay writing and report analysis from scratch
- Quickly process Chinese while speaking, reading, writing and listening
- Have native-like cultural context awareness
How to Prepare for HSK 7–9 Effectively
Although I’ve not taken the exam, I do plan to pass it within the next couple of years (I’m prioritising JLPT N1 first). This is just what I think might be really helpful and it will also be my study approach. Feel free to take what helps.
1. Master the full vocabulary list
Memorize over 11,000 words, including formal written Chinese (书面语), idioms (成语), proverbs, fixed expressions, and field-specific terms (business, law, tech, etc.). Access the vocabulary list here. If you’re someone like me who grew up in a native Chinese-speaking household, you’ll find that you probably already know most of the words on this list, but it’s still necessary to spend some time brushing up.
2. Practice reading fast and thinking critically
Read academic essays, opinion columns, and literary critiques with hidden meanings, idiomatic language, and nuanced argumentation. Build speed and comprehension by reading publications like National Geographic (国家地理) and The Economist (经济学人) often.
3. Stay informed about China
A bit of knowledge about Chinese geography, history, social trends, and current affairs is definitely helpful but not necessary. The questions do not assume background knowledge, but having some will help you comprehend faster. For the output sections like speaking and writing, this will surely help you quickly come up with examples. Follow Chinese media, watch documentaries and news to stay informed.
4. Practice structured writing
You’ll need to write essays, reports, and argumentative pieces from scratch. Clear structure, logical flow, and use of formal grammar are critical. Practice translating and summarising complex texts, as well as constructing structured, well-supported opinions. I have been using DeepSeek to help mark and critique my writing and it’s been great so far. I personally cannot recommend ChatGPT because it’s Chinese isn’t at a native level yet.
5. Consume authentic content
A characteristic of Chinese at this level is that it’s rather condensed, and it could feel that the information “flies” by quickly and it’s hard to catch. Watch documentaries, news programs, interviews, and panel discussions to get used to real-life speed and language use. Listening passages are long and abstract, often mimicking academic or professional scenarios.
HSK 7–9 is the ultimate test of your ability to think, analyse, criticise, translate and summarise in Chinese at an academic and professional level. With the right strategy, consistency, and exposure to real-world content, reaching this milestone is definitely possible. I’ll be diving into each section in depth in future. Stay tuned!
Leave a Reply