| Week | Lessons | Focus | |------|---------|-------| | 1 | 1–4 | Pronunciation (pinyin + tones), greetings, numbers, family | | 2 | 5–7 | Daily verbs, time, dates, basic questions | | 3 | 8–10 | Locations, verbs to go/have, modal verb 能 | | 4 | 11–13 | Money, shopping, invitations | | 5 | 14–15 | Past & future (了, 要), review | | 6 | – | Mock exams + error correction |
Daily time: 30–45 minutes (30 min study + 15 min workbook).
Before Lesson 1, the course dedicates pages to Pinyin initials (b, p, m, f), finals (a, o, e), and the four tones:
Without mastering tones, a beginner will say "I want to sleep" (shuì jiào - 睡觉) and accidentally say "I want to die" (sǐ jiào - 死觉). The HSK 1 Standard Course drills these relentlessly. HSK 1 Standard Course
By the end of the HSK 1 Standard Course, you will be able to:
Think of it as "survival Chinese." You won’t discuss politics, but you can order noodles, ask for directions, and say "I don't understand."
The HSK 1 Standard Course is surprisingly slim and unintimidating. It contains 15 lessons, each built around a practical, everyday topic. | Week | Lessons | Focus | |------|---------|-------|
Key features:
Yes, but with conditions.
If you are teaching yourself Chinese, the HSK Standard Course is the safest bet because it provides a clear roadmap. You aren't left wondering "what should I learn next?" Without mastering tones, a beginner will say "I
However, self-learners must be disciplined. You need to download the audio files and listen to them repeatedly. You also need to supplement the book with apps like Pleco (for dictionary lookup) or HelloChinese/LingoDeer (for interactive practice) to fully grasp the grammar that the book summarizes quickly.
Every lesson begins with a warm-up section introducing key words through pictures. This is followed by the core text (dialogues). Unlike older textbooks that used lengthy paragraphs, the HSK Standard Course uses short, punchy dialogues relevant to daily life (greetings, shopping, asking for directions).
Published by Beijing Language and Culture University Press, the HSK Standard Course is designed to align perfectly with the Hanban (now CLEC) HSK curriculum. It was written by Jiang Liping, a professor with extensive experience in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language.
The Level 1 book is designed for absolute beginners. It aims to take a student from zero knowledge to a proficiency level where they can pass the HSK 1 exam, covering 150 vocabulary words and the most basic grammar structures.
By the end of the HSK 1 Standard Course, you will be able to understand and use very simple Chinese phrases to satisfy basic needs. Here is the breakdown: