HSK 4 Study Plan: Learn 1,000 New Words in 20 Weeks
Hanzi Grove · 2026-11-09
You can learn the 1,000 new words of HSK 4 (2025 exam syllabus) in about 20 weeks by studying one group of 10 words a day, five days a week, in 20 to 25 minutes. HSK 4 doubles your vocabulary from 1,000 to 2,000 words and raises your handwriting target to 400 characters.
HSK 4 is the first intermediate level, and it is a long one. A plan matters more here than at any earlier level, because 1,000 words cannot be crammed. This guide gives you a steady routine, a five-phase schedule, and ways to use what you already know so that each new word costs less effort. It uses the HSK 4 list on Hanzi Grove.
What is in HSK 4?
In the HSK exam syllabus released in November 2025 (HSK 3.0), HSK 4 adds 1,000 new words to the 1,000 of HSK 1 to 3, for 2,000 words in total. The syllabus is marked for implementation in July 2026.
For handwriting, you need to write 400 characters by hand by HSK 4, up from 250 at HSK 3.
The other lists differ. The 2021 standard also adds 1,000 words at level 4, but on top of a larger base of 2,245, for 3,245 in total (/hsk-2021/4). The old HSK 2.0 adds 600 words at HSK 4, for 1,200 (/hsk-2/4). See How many words are in HSK 1? for the full comparison.
Is 20 weeks realistic?
Twenty weeks is a sustainable pace for most adult learners with a daily habit. Here are three options:
- 20 weeks: one group a day, five days a week. The plan below.
- About 15 weeks: one group a day, seven days a week, with no checkpoint or rest days. Harder to sustain.
- About 10 weeks: two groups a day, five days a week. Only if you have 40 minutes a day and strong results on your quick checks.
Pick the slowest pace that still meets your goal. Consistency beats intensity at this level.
Before you start: check your first 1,000 words
Take one week to check HSK 1 to 3. Run through the HSK 1, HSK 2 and HSK 3 lists, a little each day. Mark every word you cannot read and say quickly, and test yourself on the 250 characters you should be able to write.
Put the missed words into a separate review list. Work through it alongside the new groups in the first month. If you missed a large share, return to the HSK 3 study plan first.
The daily routine (20 to 25 minutes)
- Review (7 minutes). Repeat yesterday’s group and the group from three days ago, then five old words from your review list.
- Learn one new group (8 minutes). For each word, look at its characters and their parts. Say it aloud. Read the example sentence and translate it in your head before checking.
- Quick check (2 minutes). Test the new group straight away. Missed words go into the next review.
- Write two characters (4 minutes). 100 learning days at about two characters a day covers the 150 extra characters you need for 400. Write from memory, then check stroke order.
- One sentence (2 minutes). Write or say one sentence using a new word.
The 20-week schedule
The plan has five phases of four weeks. Each week has five learning days, one checkpoint day and one rest day.
| Phase | Weeks | Groups | Checkpoint focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–4 | 1–20 | Clear your HSK 1–3 review list |
| 2 | 5–8 | 21–40 | Test 400 new words; rewrite 60 characters |
| 3 | 9–12 | 41–60 | Mid-point: test every group so far, one phase per day |
| 4 | 13–16 | 61–80 | Read example sentences aloud; target problem words |
| 5 | 17–20 | 81–100 | Final checkpoint on all 1,000 new words and 400 characters |
On checkpoint days, learn no new words. Test the week’s five groups, then one block from an earlier phase. At the end of each phase, take a full day off new material and test the whole phase.
Make old knowledge do the work
At HSK 4, many new characters are built from parts you already know, and many new words are built from characters you already know. Use both.
Words from known characters
Many HSK 4 words combine two characters you met earlier. When a new word appears, first check whether you know its characters. If you know both, you only need to learn how they combine. That is much faster than learning a new word from nothing.
Characters from known parts
Look at the breakdown of every new character. Ask which parts you know, which part hints at the meaning, and which part hints at the sound. For example, 想 (xiǎng, to think) is 相 (xiāng) on top of 心 (heart). 心 points to the meaning, which is about the mind, and 相 points to the sound. Open the 想 character page to see the full tree, or the 心 radical page for related characters.
The most useful meaning parts at this level include 讠 (speech), 扌 (hand), 氵 (water), 艹 (plants), 宀 (roof) and 纟 (silk or thread). See the 214 radicals for the full set.
Patterns
Characters at this level are larger, but they follow the same few layouts. Many are left–right or top–bottom, with some enclosures. The character patterns page shows all 12.
Reading and listening at HSK 4
At this level you need to understand words in longer sentences, so add a little reading and listening:
- Read the example sentences aloud for every new group. Speed comes from repetition.
- Listen first. Play a word’s audio, write the pinyin with tone marks, then check.
- Group near-synonyms. HSK 4 has many words with similar meanings. Learn them side by side and note one example for each so you can tell them apart.
- Collect set phrases. Write down common word pairs exactly as they appear in the examples, not just single words.
Common mistakes at HSK 4
- Starting too fast. A strong first month followed by a crash is the most common pattern. Choose a pace you can keep for five months.
- Letting reviews pile up. If you miss a day, do the reviews first. Add new groups only when the reviews are done.
- Skipping handwriting for months. Two characters a day is easy. 150 characters in the final week is not.
- Forgetting earlier levels. HSK 1 to 3 words appear in HSK 4 sentences. Keep a few old words in every review.
Frequently asked questions
How many words are in HSK 4?
In the HSK exam syllabus released in November 2025, HSK 4 adds 1,000 new words, for 2,000 words in total including HSK 1 to 3.
How many characters do I need to write for HSK 4?
400 characters by hand by HSK 4, up from 250 at HSK 3.
How long does HSK 4 take to prepare?
At one group of 10 words a day, five days a week, about 20 weeks for the vocabulary. Faster is possible with two groups a day if your quick-check results stay high.
Should I use the 2021 HSK 4 list instead?
Only if your course or app follows the 2021 standard. For the exam, use the 2025 syllabus list. Both lists share many words, so switching later is not a loss.