MyHSK1 is a practice platform for beginner Mandarin Chinese learners preparing for the HSK 1 exam under the HSK 3.0 standard. It offers interactive drills and quizzes covering all 300 Level 1 vocabulary words, pinyin, grammar, listening, and speaking.

Is MyHSK1 only for HSK 1 beginners?

MyHSK1 covers the full HSK 3.0 Level 1 standard - 300 essential words, basic grammar, and foundational listening and speaking skills. It's ideal for anyone starting to learn Mandarin Chinese.

How long are the daily drills?

Most drills and quizzes take 5 to 10 minutes. You can practice pinyin tones, vocabulary flashcards, grammar exercises, listening comprehension, or speaking dialogs in short focused sessions.

Can I practice speaking and listening?

Yes. MyHSK1 includes listening comprehension exercises with native audio, video lessons, and interactive speaking dialog practice with pronunciation feedback.

Do I need a teacher to use MyHSK1?

No. MyHSK1 is designed for self-study with instant feedback on every drill and quiz. Teachers can also use it to assign exercises to students.

HSK 3.0 is the updated Chinese proficiency standard taking effect in July 2026. It replaces the old HSK 2.0 system. Level 1 now covers 300 vocabulary words (up from 150), with expanded topics like daily routines, transportation, and food. MyHSK1 is fully aligned with the HSK 3.0 Level 1 standard.

Where can I take HSK 3.0 practice tests online?

MyHSK1 offers 14 full-length HSK 3.0 Level 1 mock exams with 40 questions each, matching the official exam format. Each test includes listening and reading sections, timed at 40 minutes, with a pass score of 120 out of 200 points. All tests use the updated 300-word HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

How is HSK 3.0 different from HSK 2.0?

HSK 3.0 Level 1 doubles the vocabulary from 150 to 300 words, adds practical topics like shopping, meals, and daily routines, and moves adverbs like 真 (really) and 再 (again) into Level 1. The exam format stays the same: 40 questions, 200 points, 40 minutes.

Is this lesson plan aligned to HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?

HSK 3.0 - the new standard that takes effect for the official exam in July 2026. It covers all 300 HSK 1 vocabulary words and the expanded grammar surface. If you are teaching toward an exam before July 2026, the plan still works: the older 150-word list is a proper subset of the 300, so you can compress weeks 7 to 11 if needed.

How many hours per week does this plan assume?

Roughly 3 to 4 hours of student contact: one 45 to 60 minute in-class lesson, two 20 to 30 minute homework drills, and a short end-of-week quiz. Most classroom teachers run two contact hours plus assigned drills; private tutors often compress the in-class portion and rely more on assigned homework drills.

Do I have to use MyHSK1 to follow this plan?

No - the curriculum sequence is generic and works with any textbook organized around the HSK 1 / HSK 3.0 vocabulary. The drill links throughout the post go to MyHSK1 because that is where you can assign each topic to your class with a single code, but you can substitute equivalent activities from any source.

What if my term is 8 weeks or 16 weeks, not 12?

Use the curriculum-at-a-glance table as a master sequence and adjust week boundaries. For 8 weeks, merge weeks 1 to 2 (greetings + pronouns), 3 to 4 (family + numbers), 7 to 8 (food + home), and 10 to 11 (school + adjectives). For 16 weeks, give weeks 6 (daily actions) and 11 (adjectives + 和) two weeks each, and add a dedicated mock-exam practice week before the final.

How do I track student progress?

Assigning drills is free on MyHSK1 - every assignment generates a 6-character code your students enter at /join. To see who completed each drill, their scores, and attempt history, you upgrade to Pro ($5.99/month). The plan works without Pro; tracking just becomes manual.

When should I give a mock exam?

Two checkpoints: a half-term mock at the end of week 6 (covers everything through daily actions, food, and basic grammar) and a full mock at the end of week 12 as the final assessment. The week 6 mock is diagnostic - its purpose is to surface which sub-skills need reinforcement, not to grade.

For Teachers

HSK 1 Lesson Plan: A 12-Week Template for Teachers (HSK 3.0 Aligned)

May 20, 202610 min read

This HSK 1 lesson plan is a 12-week template for teachers - designed for a single class meeting per week of 45-60 minutes, plus two short homework drills and a weekly quiz. The curriculum follows the new HSK 3.0 standard (effective July 2026) and covers all 300 HSK 1 vocabulary words, every HSK 1 grammar pattern, listening comprehension, and a half-term and final mock exam.

It is a template, not a script. Treat each weekly entry as a checklist of what students should be able to do by the end of that week, then map the activities into whatever schedule your school actually uses (5-day intensive, twice-a-week tutoring, weekend program, etc.). The adapting-the-plan section at the bottom shows how to compress to 8 weeks or stretch to 16.

Curriculum at a Glance

The whole 12-week sequence. Print this and pin it above your desk.

Week	Theme	Vocabulary focus	Grammar focus
1	Pinyin & Greetings	Social phrases, hello/goodbye	是 (to be), pinyin tones
2	People & Pronouns	I/you/he/she/we/they	Possessive 的 (de)
3	Family	Family members + relatives	Question words: 谁 (who)
4	Numbers & Age	Numbers 0-100, age	Measure words (个, 岁, 本…)
5	Time & Days	Days, months, today/yesterday	Time phrases and word order
6	Daily Actions	Common verbs, daily routines	Negation with 不 / 没
6½	Half-term mock	Diagnostic; flags weak sections	-
7	Food & Drink	Food, drinks, restaurant words	想 / 要 (want / would like)
8	Home & Places	Rooms, furniture, common places	有 / 在 (have / be located at)
9	Transport & Travel	Bus, train, plane, taxi	Location and direction
10	School & Work	Classroom, jobs, study verbs	这 / 那 (this / that)
11	Weather & Adjectives	Hot, cold, big, small, weather	Descriptions; 和 (and)
12	Review & Final Exam	Full 300-word recall	Verb-not-verb questions; review

Weekly Structure (the same rhythm every week)

The strongest predictor of exam-readiness for HSK 1 is consistent weekly cadence, not lesson length. Every week follows the same five-beat structure:

Vocabulary introduction (15 min in class) - present the new word set with pinyin and characters. Speak each item; have students echo.
Grammar example + drill (15 min in class) - work through 2-3 example sentences, then run a short drill together using interactive grammar drills.
Listening / speaking moment (10 min in class) - play a short clip from listening comprehension or do a paired speaking phrase exercise.
Assigned homework (20-30 min, out of class) - flashcard deck for the week's vocabulary + one grammar drill, both assigned with codes.
End-of-week quiz (10 min, in class or async) - 10 questions, mixed listening and reading, drawn from the week's material.

Stick to the rhythm. Skipping the homework drill for a week is the most common reason students fall behind by week 6.

The strongest predictor of exam-readiness is weekly consistency, not lesson length.

Weeks 1-4: Foundations

Week 1 - Pinyin & Greetings

Goal: students can pronounce all four tones plus the neutral tone, exchange basic greetings (你好, 再见, 谢谢, 对不起), and introduce themselves using 是.

Assign: pinyin rules reference + pinyin drill + grammar drill on 是 (to be).
Speaking moment: paired self-introduction (我是…, 你好). See speaking phrase practice for reference dialogues.
Quiz: 5 pinyin tone identification + 5 greeting recognition items.

Week 2 - People & Pronouns

Goal: students recognize all six personal pronouns (我, 你, 他, 她, 我们, 你们, 他们) and form possessives with 的 (我的, 你的, 老师的).

Assign: pronouns flashcards + grammar drill on possessive 的.
In-class activity: "Whose phone is this?" pair practice.
Quiz: 10 mixed pronoun + 的 sentences.

Week 3 - Family

Goal: students can name immediate family members (爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟, 妹妹) and ask "who is this?" using 谁.

Assign: family flashcards + grammar drill on 谁 (who).
Speaking moment: students bring a family photo (real or stock) and describe it in pairs.
Quiz: family-member identification + 谁 question formation.

Week 4 - Numbers & Age

Goal: students count 0-100, ask and state age (你几岁? / 我二十岁), and use the most common measure words: 个, 岁, 本, 块, 块钱.

Assign: numbers flashcards + measure-words drill.
In-class activity: classroom inventory ("we have 三个老师, 二十五个学生").
Quiz: 10 number-dictation + 5 measure-word selection items.

Weeks 5-8: Daily Life

Week 5 - Time & Days

Goal: students tell time, name days of the week, and use 今天 / 明天 / 昨天 correctly in word order (time-phrase before verb).

Assign: time flashcards + time-phrases drill.
In-class activity: schedule-building ("明天我去学校, 后天我看朋友").
Quiz: 10 time-phrase placement items + 5 listening items with day/time.

Week 6 - Daily Actions

Goal: students use the 12 most common HSK 1 verbs (吃, 喝, 看, 说, 写, 听, 来, 去, 做, 买, 睡觉, 起床) and negate sentences with 不 vs 没.

Assign: actions flashcards + daily-actions drill + negation drill.
Speaking moment: "yesterday I did / today I will" using time phrases from week 5.
Half-term mock exam: take a full HSK 1 mock exam - 40 questions, 40 minutes, timed. Use the score breakdown by section to flag where to spend more time in weeks 7-12.

Week 7 - Food & Drink

Goal: students order food and drink, express preference with 想 / 要, and recognize the difference (想 = want, mental wish; 要 = will / want, more definite).

Assign: food flashcards + grammar drill on 想 / 要 (want / can).
In-class activity: mock restaurant dialogue with realia (menu printout, play money).
Quiz: 想 / 要 selection + food vocabulary recall.

Week 8 - Home & Places

Goal: students describe their home and locate things using 有 (have / there is) and 在 (is located at). This is where many HSK 1 learners first feel real Chinese sentence rhythm - give it time.

Assign: home flashcards + grammar drill on 有 / 在 (have / be located at).
Speaking moment: "在我家有…" - students describe rooms in pairs.
Quiz: 10 有/在 selection items + 5 vocabulary-recall items.

Weeks 9-12: Expansion & Exam

Week 9 - Transport & Travel

Goal: students describe how they go places (我坐公共汽车去学校) and use location words (上, 下, 里, 外, 前, 后).

Assign: transport flashcards + location drill.
In-class activity: city map exercise - students give directions to a classmate.
Quiz: transport + location combined.

Week 10 - School & Work

Goal: students name objects in the classroom, talk about jobs (老师, 学生, 医生), and use demonstratives 这 / 那 + measure word.

Assign: school flashcards + grammar drill on 这 / 那 (this / that).
Speaking moment: "这是…, 那是…" using objects around the classroom.
Quiz: 10 这/那 + measure word + noun items.

Week 11 - Weather & Adjectives

Goal: students describe weather and use the core HSK 1 adjective set (大, 小, 好, 多, 少, 热, 冷, 高兴) - without 是 in adjectival predicates (今天热, not 今天是热).

Assign: weather flashcards + adjectives flashcards + descriptions drill + 和 (and) drill.
In-class activity: weekly weather report - students pick a city and describe it.
Quiz: adjective-predicate formation + weather vocabulary.

Week 12 - Review & Final Mock Exam

Goal: students take a full timed mock exam under exam conditions and score at or above 60% (the HSK 1 pass mark).

First half of class: rapid-fire review - pull 5 weak items from each prior week based on the week-6 mock results.
Second half: full timed mock exam (40 minutes, no breaks, no devices).
Review session next week: walk through every missed item, with emphasis on verb-not-verb question forms which often appear last and surprise students.

Assessment Strategy

The plan has three layers of assessment, each with a different purpose:

End-of-week quiz (formative, 10 questions) - checks comprehension of the week's material. Use these scores to identify students who need pull-aside help, not to grade.
Half-term mock exam at week 6½ (diagnostic, 40 questions) - surfaces which sub-skills need reinforcement in the second half. Score below 50% on listening? Plan to add a listening warm-up to weeks 7-11.
Final mock exam at week 12 (summative, 40 questions) - replicates exam conditions. Students at or above 60% are ready to register for the official HSK 1.

All three live in the mock exam library; teachers running multiple sections can assign different test IDs to prevent answer-sharing.

Adapting the Plan (8-Week and 16-Week Variants)

8-week intensive (summer / immersion)

Merge week 1+2 (greetings + pronouns), week 3+4 (family + numbers), week 7+8 (food + home), and week 10+11 (school + adjectives). Each merged week becomes 90-120 minutes of in-class time with twice the homework load. Keep the mock exam at the new week 4½ (formerly week 6½) and the final at week 8.

16-week extended (academic semester)

Give week 6 (daily actions) and week 11 (adjectives + 和) two weeks each - these are the densest grammar points. Add a dedicated review week before the final and a buffer week mid-term for catch-up. Use the extra time for project-style assignments: students record a short self-introduction video, plan a mock restaurant order, or write 10 sentences about their family.

Private tutoring (1-on-1, 1 hour / week)

Compress the in-class portion to 20-25 minutes of new material; rely heavily on assigned homework drills between sessions. The 12-week sequence stretches to 14-16 weeks in practice because one-on-one pacing surfaces more questions per minute than group classes.

Customizing With Your Own Drills

The drills linked throughout this plan are our built-in HSK 1 content, but you are not limited to them. With a Pro subscription you can author your own drills and slot them into any week - handy when your textbook introduces a word or pattern in a different order, or when a class needs extra practice on one sticking point.

Vocabulary flashcards - build a deck from the exact words your lesson introduced. Use the “Create your own” card on the HSK 1 Vocabulary hub.
Grammar multiple-choice drills - write your own questions for a pattern your class is struggling with, from the “Create your own” card on the HSK 1 Grammar hub.

Type the hanzi, generate pinyin in one click, then assign your drill with the same access-code flow and watch results land on your dashboard - exactly like the built-in drills. See For Teachers for the full overview.

Assign drills to your class with a code

Free to assign. Pro ($5.99/mo) unlocks the tracking dashboard - scores, attempts, who completed what.

See How Teacher Mode Works

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this lesson plan aligned to HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?: HSK 3.0 - the new standard that takes effect for the official exam in July 2026. It covers all 300 HSK 1 vocabulary words and the expanded grammar surface. If you are teaching toward an exam before July 2026, the plan still works: the older 150-word list is a proper subset of the 300, so you can compress weeks 7 to 11 if needed.
How many hours per week does this plan assume?: Roughly 3 to 4 hours of student contact: one 45 to 60 minute in-class lesson, two 20 to 30 minute homework drills, and a short end-of-week quiz. Most classroom teachers run two contact hours plus assigned drills; private tutors often compress the in-class portion and rely more on assigned homework drills.
Do I have to use MyHSK1 to follow this plan?: No - the curriculum sequence is generic and works with any textbook organized around the HSK 1 / HSK 3.0 vocabulary. The drill links throughout the post go to MyHSK1 because that is where you can assign each topic to your class with a single code, but you can substitute equivalent activities from any source.
What if my term is 8 weeks or 16 weeks, not 12?: Use the curriculum-at-a-glance table as a master sequence and adjust week boundaries. For 8 weeks, merge weeks 1 to 2 (greetings + pronouns), 3 to 4 (family + numbers), 7 to 8 (food + home), and 10 to 11 (school + adjectives). For 16 weeks, give weeks 6 (daily actions) and 11 (adjectives + 和) two weeks each, and add a dedicated mock-exam practice week before the final.
How do I track student progress?: Assigning drills is free on MyHSK1 - every assignment generates a 6-character code your students enter at /join. To see who completed each drill, their scores, and attempt history, you upgrade to Pro ($5.99/month). The plan works without Pro; tracking just becomes manual.
When should I give a mock exam?: Two checkpoints: a half-term mock at the end of week 6 (covers everything through daily actions, food, and basic grammar) and a full mock at the end of week 12 as the final assessment. The week 6 mock is diagnostic - its purpose is to surface which sub-skills need reinforcement, not to grade.