HSK 3 Vocabulary

To split or cut something apart into halves or fractions; To separate, distribute, distinguish

Counting livestock by their heads: one head, one animal; Also used for garlic bulbs and a full head of hair

in a moment; shortly

auntie; aunt; respectful term for a middle-aged woman; nanny; maid

Of little physical height; low-built, especially for people or objects standing near the ground

quiet; peaceful; calm

safe; secure

To grip and hold something firmly in the hand; Measure word for handled or bundled things

To move or carry something from one place to another, especially heavy loads; To move house, shift jobs, transfer, or copy/apply ideas

class; grade

to move house

To handle official affairs or legal cases through strength and effort; To do, manage, arrange, set up, run, or punish wrongdoers

method; way; solution

office

half a day; a long time

to help; to assist

Having eaten one's fill, with the stomach completely satisfied; To be full, satisfied, or abundant

newspaper

The back of the body, shown as two people standing back to back; The north direction or northern region

the north; northern region

A quilt or bed covering laid over the body for warmth; By (passive marker)

notes

to compare; relatively; fairly

notebook; laptop computer

to give an example; to cite as an example

competition; match; to compete

must; have to

To change or transform something from one state, form, or condition into another; To become different

A complete tour around a flat region, covering every part of the ground; One whole occurrence of an action, measured from start to finish

to change into; to turn into; to become

to change; to vary; change; variation

other; else

other people; others

hotel; guesthouse

Water solidified into a clear, hard crystalline state; Frozen water

ice cream

refrigerator; fridge

patient; sick person

not only

to disappear; to go missing

need not; no need to

different; distinct; not the same

soon; before long; not long after

won't do; out of the question; no good

Marks the exact instant a sprout breaks through the earth — the root sense of "just now; "

menu

to participate; to join; to attend

Low-growing green plants with narrow leaves covering fields; Grass, lawn, weed, straw, or hay

lawn; grassland; meadow

A horizontal storey or floor in a multi-level building; Any countable layer, tier, or stratum—of clouds, sheets, or abstract concepts

To inspect timber closely under the first light of day; To check, look up, or investigate facts, records, and information

To fall short, diverge, or be unequal when compared; To be poor, bad, or substandard

almost; nearly; about the same; similar

To taste or sample food and drink to assess its flavor; To experience, try, or attempt something once for oneself

Occurring without variation; remaining constant over time

often; frequently

shirt; blouse

成绩 (名): grade; score; achievement; result

city; town

to arrive late; to be late

to set out; to depart; to start off

to be born

to be discharged from hospital; to leave the hospital

junior high school; middle school

except; besides; apart from

A wooden watercraft with a hull, cabin, and rigging for travel on rivers or seas; Any boat, ship, or vessel (including spaceships, e

spring (season)

dictionary

intelligent; smart; bright; clever

to clean; to sweep

to plan; to intend; plan; intention

probably; roughly; general; approximate

adult; grown-up

size; dimension

giant panda

overcoat; heavy coat

To wear or carry something fastened at the waist by a sash or belt; To bring, take, or carry along

to worry; to be anxious

cake

everywhere; in all places

to get; to obtain; to receive

to score points; score

if (used at the end of a conditional clause)

A vessel holding fire for illumination; Any lamp, electric light, or signal light

The solid earth, soil, or ground under one's feet; Ground, floor, land

location; place; site

place; location; space; part; aspect

map

A zigzag bolt of lightning flashing down from storm clouds; Electricity, electric power, current

elevator; lift; escalator

e-book; electronic book

To fling or cast something away from one's hand; To lose or misplace

The cardinal direction where the sun rises — the east; The eastern part or region

northeast; Northeast China

the East; the Orient; the east side

southeast

winter

to understand; to know

animal

zoo

Short in physical length or measured distance, the direct opposite of long; Brief in duration

shorts

A length or piece separated from a whole, originally broken off by striking or cutting; Measures any stretch or segment: roads, text, cloth, music, paragraphs, or periods of time

to exercise; to work out

to have a dialogue; to converse

A physical state of extreme need for food, the body's starvation; Hungry, famished

moreover; furthermore; but also

ear

headphones; earphones

To shoot an arrow forth from a bow, flinging it outward; To send, issue, dispatch, emit, or publish

to have a fever

to happen; to occur; to take place

to find; to discover; to realize

to develop; to grow; to expand

convenient; handy

instant noodles

method; way; means

direction; orientation

house; building; apartment

To drive away, banish, or send someone off by force; To release, let go, put, place, set free, emit, or play (music)

to have a holiday; to be on vacation

to feel relieved; to rest assured

to finish school (for the day); classes are over

to separate; to part; to split

The natural flow of air over the earth's surface; Style, custom, mood, or atmosphere

A unit for counting items sealed or wrapped shut; Used for letters, emails, and packages—one letter, one parcel

husband and wife; married couple

to serve; to provide service

vicinity; neighborhood; nearby area

to review; to revise

To owe or be bound by a spoken promise; To should/ought to

clean; neat; tidy

to be interested in

to feel; to sense; to perceive

to catch a cold; common cold

To strike or act with a wooden pole, the root sense of performing an action; To do, work, carry out a job, or get things done

Exactly at that precise moment, no sooner than an action just completed; Just now

just now; a moment ago

just; only just; barely

high-speed rail; bullet train

to base on; according to; based on

To indicate a higher degree of comparison — more, even more; Also means further, in addition, or increasingly (used before adjectives/verbs)

kilogram (kg)

park

working day; weekday

story; tale

To remove hair or dirt by dragging a sharp blade across a surface; To blow (as wind)

To slide a crossbar over a gateway and bolt it shut; To close, shut, turn off, switch off, or lock in (confine)

to power off; to shut down (a machine/phone)

to care about; to be concerned about

about; regarding; concerning

to pay attention to; to follow

country; nation; state

to celebrate a festival or holiday

the past; former times

A vast body of salt water covering most of Earth's surface; A great quantity or expanse of something (如人海, 火海)

to be afraid; to be scared

many; a lot of

long (time); quite a while

to seem; to look like; as if

number (serial/identification)

The Yellow River (黄河), the specific mother river of northern China that this character originally named; Any river or natural watercourse in general

suitable; appropriate; fit

blackboard

traffic light; traffic signal

afterwards; later; then

passport

garden; flower garden

painter; artist

to welcome; to greet

environment; surroundings

To give one thing in return for another, passing items from hand to hand; To change, exchange, replace, switch, or convert into something different

yellow; yellow color

to answer; to reply

meeting; conference; session

A territory or frontier guarded by a halberd (戈), signifying "somewhere" or "some person; "

or (in statements)

A domesticated bird raised for eggs and meat; Chicken as food

almost; nearly; practically

opportunity; chance

At the highest ridgepole of a house; reaching the utmost limit

To have the heart racing as if being chased or rushed to reach (及); Urgent, hurried, pressing

To put one's own words (讠) into marks for oneself (己) — to note down for future reference; To remember, memorize, or recall

The youngest child in a family; the last month of a season

season

To put one thing together with another to increase its amount or number; To add, plus, increase, or apply (e

vacation; holiday; period of leave

to persist; to insist on; to persevere

to check; to inspect; to examine

simple; uncomplicated

to check tickets

healthy; fit

To speak or talk with someone directly; To explain, tell, or lecture

A horn or point; one-tenth of a yuan, the coin unit dividing the whole

The lower limb part that bears weight and enables walking and standing; Base or bottom of objects

To join or link two things together by hand; To receive, pick up, answer, or welcome someone

A wide road or main thoroughfare passing through a settlement; A street, city avenue, or neighborhood

A bamboo node or joint where the stalk divides into segments; A section, segment, or part

to get married; to marry

program; show; item (on a program)

festival; holiday

to end; to finish; to conclude

to solve; to resolve

sisters

To obtain another's belongings for temporary use, with a promise to return; To borrow, lend, or make use of something as a pretext or opportunity

A unit of weight equal to 500g (one catty) in the traditional Chinese market system; Still used daily for buying food and groceries

to pass; to go through; process (noun)

manager

A drawn-out interval far exceeding the ordinary span; Long (time)

Old, former, or of an earlier time; Used, worn, outdated, or previously owned

A single unit of speech or written text bounded by pauses; Used to count sentences, lines of poetry, remarks, or quoted utterances

sentence

to decide; decision

A clip, fastener, or checkpoint that clamps or stops movement between two sides; A card (ID, credit, playing), and a common shorthand for calorie (卡路里) in daily speech

to bloom; to flower; to blossom

to power on; to turn on (a device/machine)

happy; joyful; delighted

to seem; to appear

A dry, parched mouth and throat needing water; Extreme craving or longing for something

cute; lovable; lovely

but; however

A carved notch or engraved division on a water clock marking a fixed time interval; A quarter of an hour (15 minutes)

textbook; coursebook

guest; visitor; customer

lesson text

air conditioner; air conditioning

To weep loudly with wailing, like a dog's howl of distress; To cry, shed tears, or sob

chopsticks

mineral water

to come from; to originate from

Of the color of the indigo plant, whose leaves yield a deep blue dye; Blue

old people; senior citizens

to leave; to depart from

gift; present

history

The fleshy cheek area on the side of the head; The whole face

To boil and treat raw silk threads to soften and whiten them; To practice, train, drill, or refine a skill through repeated effort

to practice; exercise; drill

pleasantly cool

A unit for counting a single wheeled carriage or cart; Today’s all-purpose counter for cars, buses, bicycles, and other road vehicles

To speak directly into another's ear, face to face and informal; To chat, to converse casually, to shoot the breeze with friends

to chat; to have a chat

neighbor

to study abroad

international student; student studying abroad

stairs; staircase

roadside; side of the road

intersection; crossing

immediately; at once; right away

to be satisfied with; to be pleased with

A monetary unit equal to one tenth of a yuan; a dime

in front of; in the presence of

clear; plain; obvious; to understand; to realize

list of names; roll; roster

famous person; celebrity

A hanging ancient percussion instrument used in ritual music; The south direction, southern regions, or the surname Nan

Hard to do or deal with, requiring great effort and skill; Troublesome, awkward, unpleasant, or hard to please

south; southern part

sad; hard to bear; distressed

ugly; bad-looking; shameful

man; male

difficult problem; hard question; puzzle

unpleasant to hear; offensive (of words)

grade (in school); year

young

Large hoofed farm animal raised for meat, milk, and labor; A “bull” in finance

hard-working; to make great effort

woman; female person

To crawl on hands and knees like an animal or insect; To climb (mountains, trees), to get up (from bed), to creep (like vines)

To be seized with a white-paled heart of dread; To fear, be afraid of, or worry deeply about something

to take a photo; to take a picture

plate; dish

A body full of thick, fleshy meat; Fat, plump, chubby

beer

ordinary times; normally; usually

bottle

To mount and sit astride a horse, with legs on either side of its back; To ride bicycles, motorcycles, or animals

actually; in fact

other; else

To rise from a lower position or from rest, lifting the body upward; To start, begin, set out, or get up

to take off

car; automobile

pencil

clear; to understand

to ask for leave; to request time off

to treat someone (to a meal); to invite guests

autumn; fall

ball court; sports field

skirt; dress

then; afterwards; after that

enthusiastic; warm; passionate

to recognize; to know (someone)

to think; to consider; to believe

serious; earnest; conscientious

easy

if; in case

A portable canopy of fabric on a folding rib frame, carried by a central pole to shield from rain or sun; Any umbrella-shaped or sheltering cover: a parachute, a protective umbrella, or a covering power

To remove dirt or dust by brushing with a broom; To clean up thoroughly

sofa; couch

A towering landform rising steeply above the surrounding ground; A mountain, hill, or anything piled up like a peak (e

upper garment; jacket; coat

spoon; ladle

at one's side; by one's side

body height; height (of a person)

A stone chime struck by a mallet, its vibration ringing through the ear; Sound, voice, or noise

life; to live

to get angry; to be annoyed

sound; voice

A marketplace or trading place where people gather to buy and sell goods; A city, town, or municipality

To use or examine by putting something into action or practice; To attempt, try, experiment, or test something out

The inner dwelling chamber within a house, enclosed by a roof; A room, indoor space, office, studio, or household

world

To gather or harvest crops with the hands; To receive, collect, accept, or put something away

to receive; to get

To receive or accept something passed from another hand; To suffer, endure, bear, or be subjected to something

Thin and emaciated as a result of sickness or poor health; Skinny, lean, low-fat, or tight-fitting (clothes)

to receive; to be subjected to; to be the object of

uncle (father's younger brother; term for a man of father's generation)

A woody perennial plant with a single tall trunk and branches; A tree-shaped diagram, family tree, or any tree-like structure

mathematics; math

To brush or scrub with a bristle tool; To swipe (cards/screens), scroll through feeds, or renovate with paint

A pair of birds held in one hand, counted together as one unit; Pair of matching items (shoes, gloves, hands, eyes)

level; standard; proficiency

driver; chauffeur

the four seasons

the sun

Sweet edible substance extracted from fermented rice or grain; Sugar, candy, sweets

special; particular; especially; very

to improve; to raise; to increase

sports; physical education (PE)

gymnasium; stadium; gym

Having the taste of sugar or honey on the tongue; Pleasant, delightful, or endearing

To spring up off the ground using the feet and legs; To hop, skip, bounce, throb or pulse

to hear of; to be told; it is said that

To straighten or pull something upright, jutting out firmly; Very, quite, rather — a colloquial intensifier before adjectives, like 挺好

colleague; co-worker

to agree; to consent; to approve

hair (on the human head)

sudden; abrupt

library

The body part from hip to foot that bears weight and drives walking; A leg, thigh, ham, or any leg-shaped support on furniture and objects

takeout; food delivery

foreign language

to complete; to finish; to accomplish

A round, deep stoneware vessel used for holding food or drink; Any bowl-shaped object

to be late; to be delayed (of transport)

evening party; gala

tennis; tennis ball

website; web site

to forget

To act or do something on behalf of another's interest; For, for the benefit of, on behalf of, or to serve a purpose

bathroom; restroom; toilet

room; house

A bird settling into its nest for the night; The west, the direction of sunset

northwest

the West; the Western world

watermelon

southwest

to like; to love; to be fond of

washing machine

to take a bath; to take a shower

summer; summertime

Before in time or order; a foot stepping ahead of others

banana

to believe; to trust; to be convinced

box; case; suitcase

To face a direction, like a window set in a house wall looks outward; To turn toward, move toward, or be aimed at

To resemble another person in outward appearance or form; To be like, seem, or appear as

camera

residential community; neighborhood

careful; cautious; to be careful; to take care

campus; schoolyard

principal; headmaster; university president

Footwear made of leather or other materials worn on the feet; Shoes

New Year

news

Sincere words spoken by a person as a pledge of truth; To believe, trust, or have faith

credit card

To walk, pace, or advance along a road at a crossroads; To go or travel

luggage; baggage

interest; hobby

to take a vacation; to go on leave

to need; to require; need; requirement

To step forward and take the preferred one from a group; To choose, select, elect, or pick from available options

to choose; to select

semester; term

Hard white structure in the mouth for biting and chewing; A tooth-like object: gear tooth, tusk, ivory, or fang

toothbrush

The horned domestic ruminant kept for wool, milk, and meat; A sheep or goat

To feed and rear livestock or dependents from youth to maturity; To nurture talent, support one's family, cultivate habits, or rest to regain health

to require; to demand; requirement; request

A person's head atop a body—the character's ancient root is "head"; A measure word for pages or leaves of paper in books, newspapers, and documents

certain; definite; certainly; definitely; must

altogether; in total

together; one piece

the same; alike

after; later; in the future

above; more than; over

beyond; outside; except

to think; to assume (incorrectly)

below; under; the following

general; ordinary; average

continuously; always; all along

music

bank

bank card

beverage; drink

to influence; to affect; influence; impact

To use or employ something for a practical purpose; To need (often in 不用=don't need)

mail; post; email

game; play

mailbox; postbox; email inbox

to relate to; to be concerned with; regarding; concerning

useful; helpful; effective

To repeat an action or state once again, the same thing happening anew; Also, moreover

badminton; shuttlecock

language

raincoat

to encounter; to run into; to come across

to meet; to come across

A walled-off patch of land used for growing vegetables, trees, or flowers; A park, public recreation ground, amusement park, or a "field/garden" of activity (e

A person counted as one within a group or official body; Member, staff, employee, player, participant — anyone filling a specified role

to be willing; to want; to wish

Exceeding or crossing over a boundary or limit; The more

the moon

sports meeting; athletic meet; games

athlete; sportsman; player

we; us (inclusive of the listener)

Covered with dirt, grime, or stains on the body or clothing; Filthy, unclean, polluted

what to do; how to handle it

how; in what way; what kind of

To rise and remain upright on one's own feet; To stop, halt, or remain in place

To draw a bow back, stretching it taut before releasing the arrow; To open, spread, or expand

To grow and lengthen, as hair sprouting and extending from the head; To develop, increase, or mature

anxious; worried; in a hurry

To cast radiant light onto what is below, like the sun (日) burning with fire (灬); To shine or illuminate

to take care of; to look after

photo; picture; photograph

to take a photo; to take a picture

to continue until; to last until

A sheet formed from matted plant fibers, used for writing and wrapping; Paper, documents, letters, newspapers, or disposable tissue

can only; to have no choice but to

merely; just; but; however

as long as; provided that

only if; only when

middle; center; between

finally; at last; eventually

A grain seed at the center of a plant — the root from which each distinct variety grows; Counting kinds, types, sorts, and species — from concrete goods to abstract concepts

important; significant

weekend

main; primary; principal

to pay attention to; to take notice of

to be hospitalized; to stay in hospital

dictionary (for characters)

bicycle; bike

noun suffix

always; overall; invariably

always; consistently

mouth

final; last; finally

to be a guest; to visit

homework; school assignment