Chinese course / HSK3 / Characters
HSK3: character recognition
Begin with the gentle character starter if these shapes are new. This page is the official HSK 3.0 study list, with links to words containing each character. Use five to ten targets alongside words you already understand.
Look at a character inside a familiar word. Cover the word's reading and meaning, recall them, then open its example to check. Recognising a component alone does not tell you the meaning of every word containing it.
284 characters · Batch 16 of 29. Showing the selected level's list.
满
Learn inside a word
满意 · mǎnyì
be satisfied with; pleased with
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 13 strokes · write 满
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
毛
Learn inside a word
毛 · máo
máo; a conversational monetary unit equal to one tenth of a yuan
羽毛球 · yǔmáoqiú
badminton; a shuttlecock, depending on context
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 毛
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
冒
Learn inside a word
感冒 · gǎnmào
have a cold; catch a cold
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 冒
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
末
Learn inside a word
周末 · zhōumò
weekend
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 末
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
目
Learn inside a word
An upright enclosure contains two inner horizontal lines. Compare with 日, which has only one inner line, and find the narrowed 目 on the left of 眼.
题目 · tí mù
question; exercise question, in the selected use
This supporting character is taught here because its shape appears in characters such as 眼 and 睛. It is listed for standalone recognition at a later syllabus level.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
节目 · jiémù
programme; an item in a performance
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 目
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
南
Learn inside a word
南 · nán
south
东南 · dōngnán
southeast
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 南
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
难
Learn inside a word
难 · nán
difficult
难过 · nánguò
sad; upset
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 10 strokes · write 难
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
努
Learn inside a word
努力 · nǔlì
make an effort; work hard
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 努
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
爬
Learn inside a word
爬 · pá
climb; crawl, depending on context
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 爬
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
怕
Learn inside a word
怕 · pà
be afraid of
害怕 · hàipà
be afraid of
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 怕
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
Source and coverage
Character lists come from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus. Recognition and handwriting lists remain separate. All listed characters have local stroke models; the guided prose teaches selected characters. This inventory, model practice and word links do not constitute complete character instruction or exam readiness.
Stroke models: Hanzi Writer Data, derived from Make Me a Hanzi. Copyright © 1999 Arphic Technology Co., Ltd. Data is provided without warranty and may be redistributed under the Arphic Public License. The renderer uses the MIT license.