Measuring Chinese Proficiency
Published Jun 30, 2021
The CEFR Framework
In order to measure language proficiency, there needed to be a language-agnostic framework which declared what classified a beginner, intermediate, or advanced speaker of any language. This framework ended up being the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CEFR as I will now refer to it. CEFR is broken into three “level groups”, each with two levels. The lowest of these level groups is A1, whilst the highest is C2. Decomposing CEFR further we can see that the three level groups, A, B, and C correspond to the language levels of beginner, intermediate, and advanced respectively. Then, next to the level group is either a 1 or a 2, with a 1 representing a lower level of proficiency, and a 2 representing a higher level of proficiency.
This gives us the following common reference levels:
| CEFR | Common Reference Levels |
|---|---|
| A1 | Beginner |
| A2 | Elementary |
| B1 | Intermediate |
| B2 | Upper Intermediate |
| C1 | Advanced |
| C2 | Proficient |
The New HSK Exam
For learners of simplified Chinese there is the HSK Exam (汉语水平考试), which is intended to measure one's level of proficiency in Chinese. The exam is created by Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU | 北京语言大学), a very prestigious university for studying Chinese language. At the time of writing the HSK exam is currently undergoing a transition, from 6 levels to 9, in order to better reflect the CEFR framework. It may sound strange that the test is being broken down into more levels than there are in CEFR, but truly within each level and level group combination of CEFR there is a spectrum, particularly at the higher levels. For instance, “Upper Intermediate” could be slightly above intermediate, or just below advanced. Such a wide range allows for more test levels in the HSK than CEFR levels.
Personally, I'm very excited for this new HSK Exam, and I believe Chinese learners should be too. This gives a clear path with each level being a roughly equal amount of work. As new information comes out about these levels, I will update this page accordingly. This new HSK exam goes into effect July 1st, 2023.
Here are the planned levels for the new HSK, with the number of words, characters, and grammar points for each:
| CEFR Level | HSK Level | Total Vocab | New Vocab | Total Characters | New Characters | New Characters Grammar Points | New Grammar Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | HSK1 | 500 | 500 | 300 | 300 | 48 | 48 |
| A | HSK2 | 1272 | 772 | 600 | 300 | 129 | 81 |
| A | HSK3 | 2245 | 973 | 900 | 300 | 210 | 81 |
| B | HSK4 | 3245 | 1000 | 1200 | 300 | 286 | 76 |
| B | HSK5 | 4316 | 1071 | 1500 | 300 | 357 | 71 |
| B | HSK6 | 5456 | 1140 | 1800 | 300 | 424 | 67 |
| C | HSK7-9 | 11092 | 5636 | 3000 | 1200 | 572 | 148 |
Currently the HSK exam only tests three functional areas: writing, listening, and reading. Oral exams, called HSKK, are currently available in three levels: Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced. The primary level is meant to represent CEFR level group A, the intermediate exam is meant to represent CEFR level group B, and the advanced exam is meant to represent CEFR level group C. News about the new HSK's HSKK portion has not yet been released. Once more information is released, this page will be updated.
Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL)
To learners of traditional Chinese characters, there is another option available other than the HSK. This exam is called the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language and it is administered in far fewer countries than the HSK exam. This test has four “proficiency bands” with two levels each: novice, A, B, and C. With the A, B, and C meant to correlate with the CEFR framework's level groups.
The breakdown of the TOCFL levels is as follows:
| CEFR Level | TOCFL Level | Total Vocab | New Vocab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-A | Novice 1 & 2 | 300 | 300 |
| A1 | Level 1 | 500 | 200 |
| A2 | Level 2 | 1000 | 500 |
| B1 | Level 3 | 2500 | 1500 |
| B2 | Level 4 | 5000 | 2500 |
| C1 & C2 | Levels 5 & 6 | 8000 | 3000 |
Please note that in TOCFL the tests are broken into different sections, while the HSK has the HSKK to serve as a seperate oral exam, the TOCFL is broken down into three seperate exams: listening and reading, speaking, and writing. Separate testing times are available for each band as well, the link provided further below will give more information about the up-to-date information regarding the current or upcoming exam offerings.
For more information on the TOCFL exam, please view the following page from the Steering Committee for the Test of Proficiency-Huayu: https://www.sc-top.org.tw/english/download.php. Here you can find links for all sorts of information, including an overview of TOCFL, up-to-date guidelines for TOCFL, and reference materials. Furthermore, this webpage gives more information about who to reach out to in order to schedule your exam when the time comes.
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