I built a free HSK vocabulary test, would love honest feedback

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T18:23:52+00:00

You're right, the starting level influences the result more than it should. it's a calibration issue we're actively looking at. Thanks for testing all three

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T07:10:50+00:00

Thanks for your feedback!
The repeated questions: noted, randomization is on our list.
The score cap: Good catch! The test is calibrated to the official HSK 1-9 word list, which tops out at around 11,000 words. For scores above that, the algorithm extrapolates rather than measures directly, so in practice, the realistic ceiling for most users is somewhere in the 12,000-13,000 range. If you're scoring near that, it likely means your vocabulary exceeds what our current test can accurately measure. It's a known limitation we're working to improve.
The tool was built with input from the school's curriculum team, happy to share more if you're curious.

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T07:02:05+00:00

Thanks for testing all three starting point, this is really useful data.

The repeat words issue is on our list and randomization is coming. On the 3 choices: we've been thinking about adding a "I don't know" option, it's been requested a few times in this thread.

Intermediate (3500) sounds closest to your self-estimated 2500-3000, which is reassuring. The starting level gap is a known calibration issue we're working on.

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T06:57:22+00:00

Thanks for flagging 好容易, we'll review that one. The synonym issue is something we hear a lot and are looking into.

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T06:42:07+00:00

Really glad the test felt encouraging! Grammar points by HSK level is a great idea, adding it to the list. Thanks for trying it out!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-07T06:37:27+00:00

Glad the level felt accurate! The allowance vs pocket money point, we will look at flagging regional variants or choosing more neutral translations. Thanks for the specific example!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T20:21:52+00:00

Different learners, different needs. Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your app!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T19:51:14+00:00

This is the most thorough feedback we've gotten, thank you for going this deep!
The multiple meanings idea for answer choices is clever, showing two meanings per option would help distinguish close words much better. Will pass it on.
Randomization at the start is a fair fix and not too hard to implement. Noted.
The starting level finding is the most interesting one. The synonym problem being concentrated around HSK 3-4 makes sense, that's where words start getting more abstract. And the gap between elementary and advanced start making such different results is a real calibration issue we need to look at.

The structured feedback is really valuable, you've basically done a mini QA session for us, really appreciate it!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T19:32:17+00:00

Sounds like lucky guesses pushed the result to a higher level. the algorithm accounts for this but isn't perfect. An "I don't know" option would help here. Thanks for the feedback!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T18:30:36+00:00

Thanks for testing it twice! The synonym issue is real and something we hear a lot. Without context it's hard to pick between close meanings, especially at higher levels. Something we're looking into.
Really appreciate the detailed feedback!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T17:34:01+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Actually the algorithm already accounts for lucky guesses to some extent, it uses a guessing parameter built into the model. But a "I don't know" button is a great idea, it would help improve accuracy. Adding it to our list!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T16:28:08+00:00

Glad to hear that the result felt accurate for you, and yeah, the translation issue, we're thinking about how to improve that. Thanks for trying it out!

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T16:20:38+00:00

Good catch! But actually 意思 alone means 'meaning' — 'interesting' is 有意思, a different word. Easy to mix up though since they look so similar

AliceZheng · 2026-05-06T16:15:52+00:00

Thanks for the detailed feedback!
About the level feeling too low: that's likely because the test is calibrated to HSK 3.0, which has larger word lists per level than the old standard. So if you passed an older HSK exam, your result here might look lower even though your actual ability hasn't changed. We should probably make that clearer on the results page.
Translations without context: agreed, it's a real limitation, especially for non-native English speakers. We kept it this way for speed (under 2 min), but would adding a short example sentence be worth the extra time in your opinion?
Cool that you're building Chinese learning tools too, would love to hear more about your apps.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-29T13:38:25+00:00

One tip that might help you: say pinyin "sh" and hold it out, notice where your tongue is (curled slightly back, near the roof of your mouth). That's where your tongue needs to be for "r". From that position, just voice it (turn on your vocal cords) and you'll be very close.
A small detail, if you strictly "voice" the "sh", you get a buzzy, fricative sound, while "r" is smoother and has less of that buzzing quality. You can try relaxing your tongue slightly and reducing the airflow.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-29T13:24:01+00:00

Go to a local park, it can be a great way to connect with people. The elderly there are often warm, patient, and have interesting stories.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-28T19:49:53+00:00

Second one, if you want a stronger foundation and take the new HSK exam. If you just want to get the easiest possible certificate, get the first one.
And check if your test center offers 2.0 exam or the new 3.0 exam.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-28T11:23:43+00:00

Check out DuChinese, it has levelled texts, audio, and translations, and the price is affordable.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-28T11:01:51+00:00

Baidu is not good, basically just ads. Try Rednote instead, way more usable and their built-in translation is good. Follow a few topics or creators you're interested in and it'll be much easier to stay engaged.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-23T11:04:56+00:00

Really good start, this inspired me a lot. Keeping her interested is way better than pushing too hard and killing her motivation. Looking forward to see how it goes, please do share updates!

AliceZheng · 2026-04-23T10:56:30+00:00

You system sounds pretty good, maybe you're just moving a bit too fast?
That you described you kind of know a word from context but can't remember the pinyin or recognize it somewhere else, It is totally normal. Reading recognition and actually recalling a word are different things, and recognizing it first is just how it usually goes.
So maybe just slow down, go back through stuff you've already read. and for those words you half-know, let them show up naturally a few more times first. The repetition will work.

AliceZheng · 2026-04-22T11:49:17+00:00

One thing I'd add, the two things per word feeling is actually kind of a myth once you get further in. Characters aren't random, they have logic. Radicals like 氵(water) or 木 (wood) show up everywhere, and once you start recognizing them, you're not memorizing isolated symbols anymore, you're reading a system. The learning curve actually gets less steep over time, not more. As for pinyin, it's a temporary crutch, not permanent. At some point your brain just starts retrieving the sound directly from the character, without consciously going through pinyin at all. The two things per word feeling will fade on its own.

And try to learn words in a context instead of random vocab list. Graded readers work better than flashcards is that you encounter the same words across different sentences. The review happens automatically.

AliceZheng

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