Chinese Stories for Every HSK Level

10 stories

1. 新朋友Xīn péngyouA new friend3 min
2. 一张照片Yì zhāng zhàopiànA photo3 min
3. 在饭店Zài fàndiànAt the restaurant3 min
4. 买苹果Mǎi píngguǒBuying apples3 min
5. 小月的一天Xiǎoyuè de yì tiānXiaoyue's day3 min
6. 第一天上学Dì-yī tiān shàngxuéThe first day at school4 min
7. 不是我的包Bú shì wǒ de bāoNot my bag4 min
8. 坐出租车Zuò chūzūchēTaking a taxi4 min
9. “年”的故事"Nián" de gùshiThe story of Nian4 min
10. 生日快乐Shēngrì kuàilèHappy birthday4 min

About the HSK 1 level

10 stories

1. 在机场Zài jīchǎngAt the airport4 min
2. 下个星期五Xià gè xīngqīwǔNext Friday6 min
3. 冰西瓜Bīng xīguāIce-cold watermelon6 min
4. 每天多跑一点儿Měitiān duō pǎo yìdiǎnrA little more every day6 min
5. 书店怎么走Shūdiàn zěnme zǒuHow do I get to the bookshop?6 min
6. 回爷爷奶奶家过年Huí yéye nǎinai jiā guòniánNew Year at Grandma and Grandpa's6 min
7. 手机在哪儿？Shǒujī zài nǎr?Where's my phone?6 min
8. 包饺子Bāo jiǎoziMaking dumplings6 min
9. 小龙和大雨Xiǎo lóng hé dà yǔThe little dragon and the rain6 min
10. 第一次见面Dì-yī cì jiànmiànThe first date6 min

About the HSK 2 level

10 stories

1. 去西安的高铁Qù Xī'ān de gāotiěThe train to Xi'an7 min
2. 便宜的房间Piányi de fángjiānThe cheap room7 min
3. 一句真话Yí jù zhēnhuàThe honest answer7 min
4. 小鲤鱼的决定Xiǎo lǐyú de juédìngThe little carp's decision7 min
5. 楼上的声音Lóushàng de shēngyīnThe noise upstairs7 min
6. 没带伞Méi dài sǎnNo umbrella7 min
7. 夫妻肺片Fūqī fèipiàn"Husband and wife lung slices"7 min
8. 画蛇添足Huà shé tiān zúDrawing legs on a snake7 min
9. 最后那首曲子Zuìhòu nà shǒu qǔziThat last piece7 min
10. 嫦娥奔月Cháng'é bēnyuèChang'e flies to the moon7 min

About the HSK 3 level

10 stories

1. 三个圈Sān gè quānThree circles8 min
2. 引体向上Yǐntǐ xiàngshàngPull-ups8 min
3. 麒麟QílínThe qilin8 min
4. 不要辣Búyào làNo chilli, please8 min
5. 一模一样的箱子Yìmú-yíyàng de xiāngziThe identical suitcase8 min
6. 田螺姑娘Tiánluó gūniangThe river-snail girl8 min
7. 九十九块的沙发Jiǔshíjiǔ kuài de shāfāThe ninety-nine-yuan sofa8 min
8. 守株待兔Shǒu zhū dài tùWaiting by the tree stump8 min
9. 十二个小时的距离Shí'èr gè xiǎoshí de jùlíTwelve hours apart8 min
10. 半夜的钢琴声Bànyè de gāngqín shēngThe piano at midnight8 min

About the HSK 4 level

10 stories

1. 灶王爷的糖Zàowángyé de tángSweets for the Kitchen God9 min
2. 操场上的英语课Cāochǎng shàng de Yīngyǔ kèEnglish on the basketball court9 min
3. 还书箱里的花Huánshūxiāng lǐ de huāFlowers in the book return9 min
4. 三层蛋糕Sān céng dàngāoThe three-tier cake9 min
5. 劈山救母Pī shān jiù mǔSplitting the mountain to save his mother9 min
6. 五十张纸Wǔshí zhāng zhǐFifty sheets of paper9 min
7. 亡羊补牢Wáng yáng bǔ láoMending the fold after the sheep is lost9 min
8. 第二次机会Dì-èr cì jīhuìA second chance9 min
9. 画里的姑娘Huà lǐ de gūniangThe girl in the painting9 min
10. 汉堡的龙舟Hànbǎo de lóngzhōuDragon boats in Hamburg9 min

About the HSK 5 level

10 stories

1. 大禹治水Dà Yǔ zhìshuǐYu the Great tames the flood10 min
2. 没有完美的答案Méiyǒu wánměi de dá'ànNo perfect answer10 min
3. 干的地板Gān de dìbǎnThe dry floor10 min
4. 张骞出使西域Zhāng Qiān chūshǐ XīyùZhang Qian's mission to the West10 min
5. 街角的老杜Jiējiǎo de lǎo DùOld Du on the corner10 min
6. 吃不完的宴会Chī bù wán de yànhuìThe banquet that never ended10 min
7. 一只旧镯子Yì zhī jiù zhuóziAn old bracelet10 min
8. 塞翁失马Sài wēng shī mǎThe old man who lost his horse10 min
9. 舅公的木箱Jiùgōng de mùxiāngGreat-uncle's wooden box10 min
10. 三打白骨精Sān Dǎ BáigǔjīngMonkey strikes the White Bone Demon three times10 min

About the HSK 6 level

10 stories

Part of the official HSK 7–9 band, which is assessed as one advanced level. This track is a Mythic Mandarin learning step, not a separate exam.

1. 盘古开天地Pángǔ kāi tiān dìPangu separates heaven and earth12 min
2. 女娲补天Nǚwā bǔ tiānNüwa mends the sky12 min
3. 敲钟的那天Qiāo zhōng de nà tiānThe day he rang the bell12 min
4. 一分钟的沉默Yì fēnzhōng de chénmòA minute of silence12 min
5. 米汤写的字Mǐtāng xiě de zìWords written in rice water12 min
6. 泾河龙王Jīng Hé LóngwángThe Dragon King of the Jing River12 min
7. 两个家Liǎng gè jiāTwo homes12 min
8. 杯弓蛇影Bēi gōng shé yǐngThe bow's reflection in the cup12 min
9. 乌盆记Wūpén jìThe tale of the black basin12 min
10. 寒食与清明Hánshí yǔ qīngmíngCold Food Day and Qingming12 min

About the HSK 7–9 band

10 stories

Part of the official HSK 7–9 band, which is assessed as one advanced level. This track is a Mythic Mandarin learning step, not a separate exam.

1. 哪吒闹海Nézhā nào hǎiNezha stirs up the sea14 min
2. 早市听证会Zǎoshì tīngzhènghuìThe market hearing14 min
3. 雷雨中的歌Léiyǔ zhōng de gēThe song in the thunderstorm14 min
4. 嫘祖与蚕丝Léizǔ yǔ cánsīLeizu and the silkworm14 min
5. 不存在的风浪Bù cúnzài de fēnglàngThe storm that never was14 min
6. 精卫填海Jīngwèi tián hǎiJingwei fills the sea14 min
7. 拉面也是健身Lāmiàn yě shì jiànshēnPulling noodles is a workout too14 min
8. 纸上谈兵ZhǐshàngtánbīngFighting battles on paper14 min
9. 梁山伯与祝英台Liáng Shānbó yǔ Zhù YīngtáiThe Butterfly Lovers14 min
10. 鱼的快乐Yú de kuàilèThe happiness of fish14 min

10 stories

Part of the official HSK 7–9 band, which is assessed as one advanced level. This track is a Mythic Mandarin learning step, not a separate exam.

1. 夸父逐日KuāfùzhúrìKuafu chases the sun16 min
2. 四小时的气球Sì xiǎoshí de qìqiúThe four-hour balloon16 min
3. 锔碗Jū wǎnMending the bowl16 min
4. 叶公好龙YègōnghàolóngLord Ye loves dragons16 min
5. 苍蝇破案Cāngying pò'ànThe flies that solved the case16 min
6. 也无风雨也无晴Yě wú fēngyǔ yě wú qíngNeither wind and rain nor sunshine16 min
7. 离山顶两百米Lí shāndǐng liǎngbǎi mǐTwo hundred metres from the summit16 min
8. 墙头的柿子树Qiángtóu de shìzishùThe persimmon tree over the wall16 min
9. 白蛇传Báishé ZhuànThe Legend of the White Snake16 min
10. 龙门与凡鱼Lóngmén yǔ fán yúThe Dragon Gate and the ordinary fish16 min