HSK 5 needs about 2,500 words, HSK 6 about 5,000 - roughly "read newspapers and magazines" and "near-native comprehension and expression". The hard currency for study, work and graduate school.
Structure: HSK 5 has 45 listening + 45 reading + 10 writing items, about 125 minutes; HSK 6 has 50 listening + 50 reading + 1 summary writing (~400 characters), about 140 minutes. Both score 300 (pass at 180).
Vocabulary: levels 5-6 teem with idioms, formal language and near-synonyms (zhujian/zhujian/riyi for "gradually"). Use dictionary apps, keep synonym-difference notes, learn 30-50 new words daily.
Reading speed: long passages and dense logic - practise "read questions first, then scan" positioning; read one news article closely daily, finishing each piece in 6-7 minutes.
High-score writing: the summary task - quickly map the source (timeline or cause-effect), rebuild with connectors (shouxian, qici, yinci, zongzhi), and stay inside the word limit.
Timeline: 6-12 months, with past papers, close reading and corrected writing in parallel; simulate the full timed exam at least three times before test day.
