Pass Mandarin HSK 1

Proof required

Complete a 75-item HSK 1 practice set (vocabulary, listening, and grammar) and submit a photo with a score of 80% or above, plus a handwritten list of the four Mandarin tones with one example word per tone in Pinyin and characters.

What gets checked

• 80% or above on a 75-item HSK 1 practice set
• Four tones listed with Pinyin tone marks correct and one example word per tone
• Character versions of the example words written by hand — not typed

Common mistakes

• Ignoring tones and studying vocabulary only in pinyin without tone marks — HSK 1 listening questions use minimal pairs distinguished only by tone
• Confusing 不 and 没 — 不 negates habitual actions and intent (我不吃肉), 没 negates completed actions (我没吃飞机餐); this distinction is tested at HSK 1 and HSK 2

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• The four tones should be marked correctly — ā/á/ǎ/à; missing or wrong tone marks are knowledge gaps
• The 80% threshold on HSK 1 practice is deliberately high — HSK 1 is a beginner exam and should not be a stretch goal at this stage
• Ask the learner to pronounce the four example words aloud — tone production, not just recognition, confirms genuine tonal mastery

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Proof required

Submit a handwritten page (photo or scan) with 10 original HSK 1 sentences in Chinese characters + pinyin, covering: 2 sentences using 吗 questions, 2 using negation (1×不, 1×没有), 2 using 在 for location, 2 using a time expression, and 2 free sentences using HSK 1 vocabulary.

What gets checked

• All 10 sentences written in Chinese characters with Pinyin tone marks below
• Negation forms (不/没有) used in the correct context in their respective sentences
• Location sentences use 在 correctly placed before the location noun

Common mistakes

• Writing Pinyin only without characters — HSK 1 exam requires character recognition; Pinyin-only study leaves a large exam component untested
• Placing time expressions at the end of sentences (English word-order transfer) — Mandarin time expressions come before the verb or at the sentence start

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Time expressions in sentences should precede the verb — 我明天去 (correct) not 我去明天 (incorrect Chinese word order)
• The 没有 sentence should negate a completed or experienced action, not a habitual one — 我没有去 (I didn't go) not 我没有想去 (which would use 不)
• Character writing should be legible — simplified characters (HSK uses simplified Chinese)

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Proof required

Submit (1) your official HSK 1 certificate or score report, AND (2) a video recording of a 5-minute unscripted conversation with a native or near-native Mandarin speaker, with both sides audible.

What gets checked

• Official HSK 1 certificate or score report (Hanban/CTCSOL issued) showing a passing result
• Conversation recording is at least 5 minutes with both speakers audible
• Tones are attempted in speech — not necessarily perfect, but not ignored entirely

Common mistakes

• Treating the exam as the endpoint — speaking practice must accompany written exam preparation
• Using only tonal Pinyin in speech without connecting to characters — the connection between written and spoken Mandarin must be built early

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• The certificate should be Hanban-issued (or CTCSOL post-2021 transition) and show the HSK level and score
• Tones in the conversation: native speakers tolerate HSK 1-level errors; verifiers should note whether tones are being attempted or ignored entirely
• The conversation topic may be very simple — greetings, numbers, family — this is appropriate and expected at HSK 1 level

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