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Mandarin HSK 3 — Core Words, Part 1 flashcards

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100 words for HSK 3 under HSK 3.0, the HSK exam syllabus of November 2025: relatives and people, measure words, everyday verbs and adjectives, city places, clothing, health and the linking words of longer sentences, with tone-marked pinyin and original examples.

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Learn deck · part of HSK 1–3 (Mandarin) · written against: Every word of HSK 1–3 under HSK 3.0, the HSK exam syllabus published in November 2025 (988 words, levels 1–3), with grammar patterns and in-context cloze; headword levels checked against its word list. Updated 2026-10-10.

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  1. 阿姨 (āyí) (n.)
    王阿姨，您好！ (Wáng āyí, nín hǎo!)
    auntie (friendly title for a woman of your parents' age)

    Hello, Auntie Wang!

    Note: In mainland China, also a word for a nanny or a housekeeper.
    People & Pronouns
  2. 万 (萬) (wàn) (num.)
    这辆车十万块。 (Zhè liàng chē shí wàn kuài.)
    ten thousand

    This car costs 100,000 yuan.

    Note: Large numbers are counted in 万: 100,000 is 十万; a million is 一百万 (yībǎi wàn).
    Numbers & Measure Words
  3. 周末 (週末) (zhōumò) (n.)
    这个周末我要去朋友家吃饭。 (Zhège zhōumò wǒ yào qù péngyou jiā chī fàn.)
    weekend

    This weekend I'm going to a friend's place for dinner.
    Time
  4. 安静 (安靜) (ānjìng) (adj.)
    图书馆里很安静。 (Túshūguǎn li hěn ānjìng.)
    quiet; calm

    It's quiet in the library.

    Note: 请安静！ (Qǐng ānjìng!) — quiet, please!
    Adjectives
  5. 超市 (chāoshì) (n.)
    今天超市里的鸡蛋特别便宜。 (Jīntiān chāoshì li de jīdàn tèbié piányi.)
    supermarket

    Measure word: 家 (jiā): 一家超市

    Eggs are especially cheap at the supermarket today.
    Places & Directions
  6. 蛋糕 (dàngāo) (n.)
    这块蛋糕给你，那块给爸爸。 (Zhè kuài dàngāo gěi nǐ, nà kuài gěi bàba.)
    cake

    Measure word: 块 (kuài), slice: 一块蛋糕

    This slice of cake is for you, and that one's for Dad.
    Food & Drink
  7. 衬衫 (襯衫) (chènshān) (n.)
    这件衬衫有点儿大。 (Zhè jiàn chènshān yǒudiǎnr dà.)
    shirt

    Measure word: 件 (jiàn): 一件衬衫

    This shirt is a bit big.
    Things & Objects
  8. 除了 (chúle) (prep.)
    除了数学，别的课我都喜欢。 (Chúle shùxué, biéde kè wǒ dōu xǐhuan.)
    except; besides

    I like every subject except maths.

    Note: 除了…以外，还… means 'besides … also …'.
    Prepositions & Conjunctions
  9. 头发 (頭髮) (tóufa) (n.)
    爷爷已经没有头发了。 (Yéye yǐjīng méiyǒu tóufa le.)
    hair (on the head)

    Grandpa has no hair left.
    Body & Health
  10. 机会 (機會) (jīhuì) (n.)
    这是一个很好的机会。 (Zhè shì yī ge hěn hǎo de jīhuì.)
    opportunity; chance

    This is a great opportunity.
    Ideas & Activities

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More HSK 1–3 (Mandarin) decks

Core Words, Part 1Core Words, Part 2Core Words, Part 3Core Words, Part 1Core Words, Part 2Core Words, Part 3In Context: Core WordsCore Words, Part 2Core Words, Part 3Core Words, Part 4Core Words, Part 5Core Words, Part 6Grammar PatternsIn Context: Core Words, Part 1In Context: Core Words, Part 2Practice Questions

← All HSK 1–3 (Mandarin) decks, with the study guide and topic outline.

About these cards

Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.

Checked against:

  • Pinyin, tones, measure words and meanings checked against CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the Taiwan Ministry of Education's dictionaries (the Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary and the Cross-Strait Dictionary 兩岸常用詞典, via moedict.tw) (reference only). Levels follow HSK 3.0: the HSK examination syllabus (HSK 考试大纲) published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation in November 2025, a separate document from the 2021 standard GF 0025-2021, which it cites among its references. Of the 100 headwords, 83 are level 3 and 15 are level 1–2 words the HSK 1 and 2 decks leave out; 帽子 and 鼻子 are level 4, as their cards note. Headword levels checked against two transcriptions of the syllabus word list (harukicoder/hsk30, drkameleon/complete-hsk-vocabulary). All example sentences are original.

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