HSK 5
7 min
Correction with 纠正 and 改正
Correct pronunciation, reports, misunderstandings, and habits with precise HSK 5 wording.
HSK 3.0
HSK 5 grammar
All 67 grammar points introduced at HSK 5 (HSK 3.0), each with example sentences and a short practice drill.
Learn HSK 5 words for good
HSK 5
7 min
Emphasis with 不只是...更是
Use 不只是...更是 to make advanced Chinese explanations sound layered and persuasive.
HSK 5
7 min
Trigger Conditions with 一旦...就
Use 一旦...就 for policies, risks, and actions that start after a trigger.
HSK 5
7 min
Contrast with 反而 and 却
Practice advanced contrast sentences with 反而, 却, and expectation shifts.
HSK 5
7 min
Result with 从而
Use 从而 to build written HSK 5 cause-and-result sentences.
HSK 5
7 min
Development with 随着
Use 随着 for advanced trend, time, and development sentences.
HSK 5
7 min
Standpoint with 从...角度看
Use 从...角度看 to make advanced opinions precise and fair.
HSK 5
7 min
Formal Topic Phrasing with 就...来说
Use 就...来说 to make formal comments about a topic, group, or case.
HSK 5
7 min
Treating Something As with 把...当作
Use 把...当作 and 把...看作 for advanced categorization sentences.
HSK 5
7 min
Advanced Result Complements
Use advanced result complements to say whether an action became clear, complete, or successful.
HSK 5
7 min
Advanced Potential Complements
Practice 做得到, 来不及, 受不了, and other potential-complement chunks.
HSK 5
7 min
Advanced Degree Complements
Use degree complements like 得不得了, 得多, and 得要命 without overusing 很.
HSK 5
7 min
了 in Complex Clauses
Review how 了 behaves when advanced sentences have more than one clause.
HSK 5
7 min
Even Emphasis with 连...都
Use 连...都 to make advanced emphasis sentences precise and natural.
HSK 5
8 min
Conclusion with 由此可见
Use 由此可见 to make formal written conclusions clear.
HSK 5
6 min
The Noun Suffix 头 in 木头, 里头 and 看头
Recognise and use the neutral-tone suffix 头 in everyday nouns (木头), place words (里头) and “worth doing” nouns (没什么看头).
HSK 5
6 min
Formal Pronouns 彼此, 如此 and 本
Use 彼此 for “each other”, 如此 for “like this, so” and 本 for “this (our own)” in more formal Chinese, and know their everyday equivalents.
HSK 5
8 min
Measure Words 朵, 颗, 根, 群, 架 and More
Pick the right measure word for flowers, stars, pens, crowds, planes, glasses, episodes and more with the 15 noun measure words of HSK 5.
HSK 5
7 min
Degree Adverbs 过于, 相当, 极其, 格外, 较 and 可
Say “too”, “quite”, “extremely”, “especially” and “really” with the right register using 过于, 相当, 极其, 格外, 较 and spoken 可…了.
HSK 5
7 min
Time Adverbs 曾经, 早已, 时刻, 立刻, 连忙 and 急忙
Talk about what you once did with 曾经, what happened long ago with 早已, what you always keep in mind with 时刻, and how fast someone acts with 立刻, 连忙 and 急忙.
HSK 5
7 min
Time Adverbs 始终, 渐渐, 即将, 尽快 and 早晚
Describe something that stays the same all along with 始终, a slow change with 渐渐, and what is coming with 即将, 尽快 and 早晚.
HSK 5
6 min
Manner Adverbs 尽量 and 亲自
Say “try to, as much as possible” with 尽量 and “in person” with 亲自, and tell 亲自 apart from 自己.
HSK 5
6 min
Modal Adverbs 似乎 and 仿佛
Make a careful guess with 似乎 (“it seems”) and describe what something feels like with 仿佛 (“as if”), and know when plain 好像 is better.
HSK 5
8 min
Mood Adverbs 毕竟, 居然, 果然, 的确, 简直, 反而
Show your attitude in one word: 毕竟 for “after all”, 居然 for surprise, 果然 for “sure enough”, 的确 for “indeed”, 简直 for exaggeration and 反而 for “instead”.
HSK 5
7 min
Mood Adverbs 反正, 根本, 绝对, 白, 刚好 and 可
Say “anyway” with 反正, “not at all” with 根本, “absolutely” with 绝对, “for nothing” with 白, “just right” with 刚好, and add emphasis with 可.
HSK 5
6 min
Prepositions 自从, 朝 and 沿着
Say “ever since” a past event with 自从, “toward” someone or somewhere with 朝, and “along” a road or river with 沿着.
HSK 5
6 min
Basis Prepositions 凭, 据 and 依据
Say what something is based on: 凭 for “relying on” what you have, 据 for “according to” a source, and 依据 for “on the basis of” rules and facts.
HSK 5
7 min
Connectors 可见, 总之, 假如 and 从而
Link ideas like a fluent writer: draw a conclusion with 可见, sum up with 总之, imagine with 假如, and state a result with 从而.
HSK 5
6 min
像……似的 for “As If” and “Like”
Use 像……似的 to say what something looks or seems like, as in 像没听见似的 “as if he hadn’t heard”.
HSK 5
6 min
A来A去 for Doing Something Over and Over
Use A来A去, as in 想来想去 and 跑来跑去, to describe an action repeated back and forth, often before saying how it turned out.
HSK 5
6 min
A着A着 for “While Doing…, Suddenly…”
Use A着A着, as in 走着走着 and 说着说着, to say that something unexpected happened while an action was going on.
HSK 5
6 min
没A没B Set Phrases like 没完没了
Understand and use set phrases like 没完没了, 没日没夜 and 没大没小, and tell them apart from 不A不B phrases like 不大不小.
HSK 5
5 min
说A就A for Acting Without Hesitation
Use 说A就A, as in 说走就走 and 说变就变, to say someone acts the moment they decide, or that something happens in an instant.
HSK 5
5 min
用不着 for “There’s No Need”
Use 用不着 to say there is no need to do something or no use for something, and 用得着……吗 to ask if it is really necessary.
HSK 5
7 min
(自)……以来 for “Since” and 由……组成 for “Made Up Of”
Use (自从)……以来 to talk about a period from a past point until now, and 由……组成 to say what something is made up of.
HSK 5
5 min
A的A，B的B for “Some Do This, Some Do That”
Use 走的走，留的留 to paint a lively picture of a group splitting up, with some people doing one thing and others doing another.
HSK 5
5 min
不X白不X for “Silly Not To”
Use 不吃白不吃 and 不看白不看 to say a free chance would be wasted if you didn’t take it.
HSK 5
5 min
不管怎样说 for “Whatever Else Is True”
Use 不管怎样说 to set other details aside and come back to the point that matters most.
HSK 5
6 min
没有...就没有... for “Without A, There Would Be No B”
Use 没有...就没有... to say that one thing is what makes another possible.
HSK 5
6 min
万一...（就）... for “In Case” and “What If”
Use 万一 for an unlikely, usually unwanted possibility and what to do if it happens.
HSK 5
5 min
X什么X and 什么X不X的 for Brushing Things Off
Use 吵什么吵 and 什么钱不钱的 to tell someone to stop fussing, or to wave away money and thanks between friends.
HSK 5
5 min
X是它，Y也是它 for “It’s Behind Both”
Use 让我开心的是它，让我着急的也是它 to say that one thing is behind two very different results.
HSK 5
5 min
X也不是，Y也不是 for “Stuck Either Way”
Use 坐也不是，站也不是 and 进也进不得，退也退不得 to describe feeling stuck when no choice works.
HSK 5
5 min
X着也是X着 for “Might as Well”
Use 闲着也是闲着 to say a situation is going nowhere anyway, so you might as well do something useful.
HSK 5
5 min
真有你的 for “You’re Really Something!”
Use 真有你的 to admire someone’s skill, or to tease them for doing something surprising.
HSK 5
6 min
把...一 + Verb and 把 + Object + Verb + Object
把 + object + 一 + verb shows a quick action that leads to something else, and 把 + object 1 + verb + object 2 adds a second object that is part of or attached to the first.
HSK 5
6 min
不...不... for “If Not …, Then Not …”
In condensed sentences, 不 A 不 B means “if not A, then not B”: 不见不散, 不去不行, 雨不停我们不出发.
HSK 5
6 min
不但不/没有...，反而... for “Not Only Not …, But Instead …”
不但不 / 不但没有……，反而…… says the expected thing didn’t happen and the opposite happened instead: 雨不但没停，反而越下越大了.
HSK 5
6 min
得不得了 and 不得了 for “Extremely” and “Oh No!”
Use adjective + 得不得了 for “extremely,” 真不得了 for “amazing,” and 不得了了 as an alarmed “Oh no!”
HSK 5
5 min
不是...，还/还是... for “Not Just …, But Also …”
不是……，还…… says the first idea is too little and adds more: 他不是一个人来的，还带了两个朋友.
HSK 5
6 min
从...来看 for “Judging from …”
Use 从……来看 (or 从……看来) to name the evidence or point of view behind a judgment, as in 从这件事来看，他是个很负责的人.
HSK 5
6 min
A 大 B 三岁 for “Three Years Older Than”
With a few short adjectives like 大, 小, 高, 早 and 晚, Chinese can compare without 比: 我哥哥大我三岁 means my brother is three years older than me.
HSK 5
6 min
Verb/Adjective + 得 + Phrase or Clause for “So … That …”
After 得, Chinese can add a whole verb phrase, a small clause or a set phrase to show the result: 高兴得跳了起来, 说得大家都笑了, 忘得一干二净.
HSK 5
5 min
或是...，或是... for “Either … Or …”
或是……，或是…… lists two or more possibilities in a statement, like 或者 but a little more formal.
HSK 5
6 min
假如...，（就）... for “Suppose” and “If”
假如 means “if, suppose” and is a little more formal than 如果; it is good for imagined situations like 假如你是校长.
HSK 5
5 min
Verb + 一眼 for “Take a Glance”
Use 眼 after a looking verb to count glances: 看了他一眼, 多看两眼, 一眼就认出来.
HSK 5
6 min
老是, 通常 and 时常 for “Always,” “Usually” and “Often”
老是 complains that something keeps happening, 通常 states the normal routine, and 时常 means “often” in a slightly written tone.
HSK 5
6 min
Multiple Adverbials for “Yesterday, Already, With the Teacher”
When several adverbials come before one verb, Chinese puts time first, then adverbs like 都 and 已经, then descriptions and preposition phrases, with the verb last.
HSK 5
6 min
哪怕...也... and 就算...也... for “Even If”
哪怕 and 就算 introduce an “even if” situation, and 也 in the second clause says the result stays the same.
HSK 5
6 min
Serial Verbs for Cause, Contrast and Condition
Two verb phrases side by side can mean “so” (我有事不能去), “but” (他拿着书不看) or “if” (你有问题可以问老师), without any linking word.
HSK 5
6 min
替, 同 and 较 for “For,” “With” and “Compared With”
替 means doing something for someone or in their place, 同 means “with” like 跟, and 较 means “compared with” in written Chinese.
HSK 5
5 min
Verb + 什么（就）是什么 for “Whatever It Is, That’s It”
Use verb + 什么（就）是什么 to accept whatever comes without choosing: 你点什么就是什么, 他说什么就是什么.
HSK 5
6 min
Verb + 得/不得 for “Can” and “Must Not”
Verb + 不得 means something must not or should not be done (急不得, 关不得), and verb + 得 says it is fine to do.
HSK 5
5 min
……，为的是... for “All in Order To”
Put 为的是 in the second clause to explain the purpose of an action you have just described: 他每天六点起床，为的是多读一会儿书.
HSK 5
5 min
X来X去，都是/就是... for “Over and Over, Still the Same”
Use verb + 来 + verb + 去 for doing something again and again, then 都是 or 就是 for the same result every time.
HSK 5
6 min
……，因而... for “And So” in Written Chinese
因而 introduces a result in written Chinese, like 所以 but more formal, and it can come after the subject of the result clause.
HSK 5
6 min
有着 and Verb + 有 for Formal “Has” and “Bears”
有着 is a formal “has” for abstract things like history and dreams, and verb + 有 (写有, 印有, 刻有) says what is written, printed or fitted on something.
Make HSK 5 stick
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