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Chinese Level Self-Test (A1-C1 Guide)

Updated 26 Oct 2026 2 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: Start Chinese self-test — find your level from A1 to C1, with sample greetings: 你好 (nǐ hǎo), 谢谢 (xièxie), 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma), 很高兴 (hěn gāoxìng)
Short answer

This free self-test uses the CEFR can-do scale (A1 to C1) to help you find your Chinese level and choose the right lesson to start with — no sign-up, just honest self-assessment.

On this page7 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01How to use this self-test
  2. 02Can-do checklist: A1 to C1
  3. 03Try it: can you follow these?
  4. 04Where to begin
  5. 05Start now
  6. 06Practice: place yourself
  7. 07Quiz

Level: HSK 1 and up — this self-test covers A1 to C1. You don’t need an account or a score to start learning Chinese. This page helps you place yourself honestly so you open the right lesson first, instead of guessing.

How to use this self-test

Work through the can-do checklist below from the top. For each level, ask: could I really do this, right now, without preparing? Your level is the highest band where you can say “yes” to most statements. When you are unsure between two levels, choose the lower one — it is quicker to move up than to rebuild shaky foundations.

Can-do checklist: A1 to C1

Read each level’s statement and tick it only if you can do it comfortably, in real situations — not just recognise the words. Your level is the highest one where you can honestly say “yes” to most of it. These descriptors follow the Council of Europe’s CEFR global scale.

Level You can…
A1 (beginner) understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases; introduce yourself, and ask and answer simple questions about personal details.
A2 (elementary) understand frequently used expressions (shopping, local area, work); handle short, routine exchanges on familiar topics.
B1 (intermediate) deal with most situations while travelling; produce simple connected text on familiar topics; describe experiences and give brief reasons.
B2 (upper-intermediate) understand the main ideas of complex text; interact with some fluency and spontaneity; write clear, detailed text on a range of subjects.
C1 (advanced) understand demanding, longer texts and implicit meaning; express yourself fluently without obvious searching; use the language flexibly for work and study.

Try it: can you follow these?

Listen and read these graded samples. If the first feels easy and the later ones are a stretch, that gap is roughly your level. Each Chinese line has pinyin after it.

  1. 你好，我叫安娜。
    Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Ānnà.
    A1 — greetings and introductions
  2. 我想要一杯咖啡。
    Wǒ xiǎng yào yì bēi kāfēi.
    A2 — simple everyday requests
  3. 请问，火车站怎么走？
    Qǐngwèn, huǒchēzhàn zěnme zǒu?
    B1 — polite, connected questions

Where to begin

  • New or near-new (A1): start with the grammar backbone in order. Your first lesson is Basic Word Order (Subject-Verb-Object).
  • Some Chinese, want accuracy (A2-B1): go straight to the grammar points you are unsure of, and fill vocabulary gaps alongside.
  • Confident (B2-C1): use the lessons to tidy up specific weak spots, and practise with real Chinese material (news, podcasts, books) for the rest.

Start now

Practice: place yourself

Practice

Find your level

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Match each ability to its CEFR level.

  • Introduce yourself with basic phrases
  • Handle routine shopping and travel talk
  • Describe experiences and give reasons
  • Follow the main ideas of complex texts
Show answer
  • Introduce yourself with basic phrases → A1
  • Handle routine shopping and travel talk → A2
  • Describe experiences and give reasons → B1
  • Follow the main ideas of complex texts → B2

A1 basics, A2 routine exchanges, B1 connected description, B2 complex texts.

2 You can order food, ask simple directions and chat about your day, but long articles are hard. You are roughly…
Show answer

A2-B1 — Coping with everyday situations but not complex text is around A2-B1.

3 Between two levels, which should you pick?
Show answer

the lower one, to keep foundations solid — Choose the lower band; it is easier to move up than to patch gaps.

Show answer

gate — Levels orient you; they don't lock the order.

Cheat-sheet card: CEFR levels A1 to B2 with a one-line ability for each

Where the CEFR levels sit at a glance.

Quiz

Check yourself

Placing your Chinese level

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered
  1. 1What does this self-test measure?
    Show answer

    your rough CEFR can-do level — It places you on the A1-C1 can-do scale, not a precise score.

  2. 2Your level is…
    Show answer

    the highest band where you can do most things — Pick the highest band you can honestly act on, not just recognise.

  3. 3Which is an A1 ability?
    Show answer

    introduce yourself and ask simple personal questions — A1 is familiar everyday phrases and simple personal questions.

  4. 4Which is closest to B1?
    Show answer

    deal with most travel situations and describe experiences — B1 handles most travel situations and simple connected description.

  5. 5If a lesson feels far too easy, you should…
    Show answer

    move up to a higher point — Too-easy material means you can place yourself higher.

  6. 6For an official certificate, you should…
    Show answer

    sit the HSK exam — Formal proof comes from the official exam, not a self-test.

  7. 7How often is it worth re-checking your level?
    Show answer

    every few weeks as you progress — Re-test every few weeks; your fitting level rises as you learn.

  8. Show answer

    study — Grammar backbone plus general study, run together.

Your Chinese course

All Chinese study topics

Vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, practice and exam help, ordered by level. Pick a topic and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.

Study topics

163 topics 2 ready now
Start here 6 topics · 2 ready
  1. 01 Start Learning Chinese Here
  2. 02 Chinese Level Self-Test (A1-C1 Guide) You are here
  3. 03 How to Use Flashcards for Chinese Coming soon
  4. 04 Spaced Repetition Explained Coming soon
  5. 05 Top Mistakes Chinese Learners Make Coming soon
  6. 06 Building a Daily Chinese Habit Coming soon
Lessons 54 topics See the lessons page →
  1. 07 Chinese: Greetings & Introductions Coming soon
  2. 08 Chinese: Numbers 0 to 100 Coming soon
  3. 09 Chinese: Introducing Yourself Coming soon
  4. 10 Chinese: Days, Months & Dates Coming soon
  5. 11 Chinese: Telling the Time Coming soon
  6. 12 Chinese: Giving Personal Information Coming soon
  7. 13 Chinese: Family Members Coming soon
  8. 14 Chinese: Describing People Coming soon
  9. 15 Chinese: Colours & Shapes Coming soon
  10. 16 Chinese: Food & Drink Basics Coming soon
  11. 17 Chinese: Ordering at a Cafe Coming soon
  12. 18 Chinese: Shopping & Prices Coming soon
  13. 19 Chinese: Clothing & Sizes Coming soon
  14. 20 Chinese: Asking for Directions Coming soon
  15. 21 Chinese: Using Public Transport Coming soon
  16. 22 Chinese: At the Hotel Coming soon
  17. 23 Chinese: Weather & Seasons Coming soon
  18. 24 Chinese: Hobbies & Free Time Coming soon
  19. 25 Chinese: Daily Routine Coming soon
  20. 26 Chinese: Housing & Rooms Coming soon
  21. 27 Chinese: Household Chores Coming soon
  22. 28 Chinese: At the Doctor Coming soon
  23. 29 Chinese: Parts of the Body Coming soon
  24. 30 Chinese: Emotions & Feelings Coming soon
  25. 31 Chinese: Making Appointments Coming soon
  26. 32 Chinese: Making Plans & Invitations Coming soon
  27. 33 Chinese: Phone & Messaging Coming soon
  28. 34 Chinese: Expressing Opinions Coming soon
  29. 35 Chinese: Talking About Past Experiences Coming soon
  30. 36 Chinese: Future Plans & Goals Coming soon
  31. 37 Chinese: School & Education Coming soon
  32. 38 Chinese: Jobs & Professions Coming soon
  33. 39 Chinese: At the Office Coming soon
  34. 40 Chinese: The Job Interview Coming soon
  35. 41 Chinese: Formal Writing & Emails Coming soon
  36. 42 Chinese: Money & Banking Coming soon
  37. 43 Chinese: Restaurant & Dining Out Coming soon
  38. 44 Chinese: Supermarket & Groceries Coming soon
  39. 45 Chinese: Travel & the Airport Coming soon
  40. 46 Chinese: Sightseeing & Tourism Coming soon
  41. 47 Chinese: Emergencies & Safety Coming soon
  42. 48 Chinese: Technology & the Internet Coming soon
  43. 49 Chinese: News & Current Affairs Coming soon
  44. 50 Chinese: Environment & Nature Coming soon
  45. 51 Chinese: Health & Lifestyle Coming soon
  46. 52 Chinese: Culture & Traditions Coming soon
  47. 53 Chinese: Describing Trends & Data Coming soon
  48. 54 Chinese: Debating & Argumentation Coming soon
  49. 55 Chinese: Idioms & Colloquialisms Coming soon
  50. 56 Chinese: Formal vs Informal Register Coming soon
  51. 57 Chinese: Storytelling & Narration Coming soon
  52. 58 Chinese: Complaints & Solving Problems Coming soon
  53. 59 Chinese: Giving a Short Presentation Coming soon
  54. 60 Chinese: Small Talk & Networking Coming soon
Vocabulary 43 topics See the vocabulary page →
  1. 61 100 Most Common Chinese Words Coming soon
  2. 62 Chinese Words 101-250 (Frequency) Coming soon
  3. 63 Chinese Words 251-500 (Frequency) Coming soon
  4. 64 Chinese Words 501-1000 (Frequency) Coming soon
  5. 65 Chinese Words 1001-1500 (Frequency) Coming soon
  6. 66 Chinese Words 1501-2000 (Frequency) Coming soon
  7. 67 Chinese Words 2001-3000 (Frequency) Coming soon
  8. 68 100 Essential Chinese Verbs Coming soon
  9. 69 Common Chinese Adjectives Coming soon
  10. 70 Everyday Chinese Adverbs Coming soon
  11. 71 Chinese Connectors & Linking Words Coming soon
  12. 72 Chinese Question Words & Phrases Coming soon
  13. 73 Chinese Time Expressions Coming soon
  14. 74 Chinese Food & Cooking Vocabulary Coming soon
  15. 75 Chinese Animals Vocabulary Coming soon
  16. 76 Chinese Body & Health Vocabulary Coming soon
  17. 77 Chinese Clothing Vocabulary Coming soon
  18. 78 Chinese House & Furniture Vocabulary Coming soon
  19. 79 Chinese Kitchen & Tableware Vocabulary Coming soon
  20. 80 Chinese Transport & Travel Vocabulary Coming soon
  21. 81 Chinese Places in Town Vocabulary Coming soon
  22. 82 Chinese Nature & Geography Vocabulary Coming soon
  23. 83 Chinese Weather Vocabulary Coming soon
  24. 84 Chinese Jobs & Professions Vocabulary Coming soon
  25. 85 Chinese Technology & Internet Vocabulary Coming soon
  26. 86 Chinese Money & Shopping Vocabulary Coming soon
  27. 87 Chinese Emotions & Feelings Vocabulary Coming soon
  28. 88 Chinese Sports & Exercise Vocabulary Coming soon
  29. 89 Chinese Education & School Vocabulary Coming soon
  30. 90 Chinese Business & Work Vocabulary Coming soon
  31. 91 Chinese Family & Relationships Vocabulary Coming soon
  32. 92 Chinese Colours Vocabulary Coming soon
  33. 93 Chinese Verbs of Motion Coming soon
  34. 94 Chinese Opinion & Attitude Vocabulary Coming soon
  35. 95 Chinese Academic Vocabulary Coming soon
  36. 96 Chinese Medical & Pharmacy Vocabulary Coming soon
  37. 97 Chinese Admin & Paperwork Vocabulary Coming soon
  38. 98 Chinese Environment & Climate Vocabulary Coming soon
  39. 99 Chinese Arts, Music & Film Vocabulary Coming soon
  40. 100 Chinese Measure Words Reference Coming soon
  41. 101 Chinese Idioms (Chengyu) Intro Coming soon
  42. 102 Chinese Numbers, Dates & Money Coming soon
  43. 103 Chinese Connectors & Sentence Patterns Coming soon
Pronunciation & writing 17 topics See the pronunciation & writing page →
  1. 104 Chinese Pronunciation Overview Coming soon
  2. 105 Pinyin: The Romanisation System Coming soon
  3. 106 Pinyin Initials (Consonants) Coming soon
  4. 107 Pinyin Finals (Vowels & Endings) Coming soon
  5. 108 The Four Tones (and Neutral Tone) Coming soon
  6. 109 Tone Change Rules (Tone Sandhi) Coming soon
  7. 110 Introduction to Chinese Characters (Hanzi) Coming soon
  8. 111 Character Strokes & Stroke Order Coming soon
  9. 112 Character Radicals (Bushou) Coming soon
  10. 113 Phonetic & Semantic Components Coming soon
  11. 114 Essential HSK 1 Characters Coming soon
  12. 115 How to Type Chinese (Pinyin Input) Coming soon
  13. 116 Measure Words (Classifiers) Intro Coming soon
  14. 117 Chinese Radicals Reference (214 Kangxi) Coming soon
  15. 118 Essential HSK 2 Characters Coming soon
  16. 119 Essential HSK 3 Characters Coming soon
  17. 120 Simplified vs Traditional Characters Coming soon
Practice 11 topics See the practice page →
  1. 121 Shadowing to Improve Chinese Speaking Coming soon
  2. 122 How to Practise Chinese Listening Coming soon
  3. 123 Chinese Reading Practice: Beginner Coming soon
  4. 124 Chinese Reading Practice: Elementary Coming soon
  5. 125 Chinese Reading Practice: Intermediate Coming soon
  6. 126 Chinese Reading Practice: Upper-Intermediate Coming soon
  7. 127 How to Practise Chinese Writing Coming soon
  8. 128 Tone Pairs Practice Coming soon
  9. 129 The 把 (bǎ) Construction Practice Coming soon
  10. 130 Resultative Complements Practice Coming soon
  11. 131 The Particle 了 (le) Practice Coming soon
Phrases 20 topics See the phrases page →
  1. 132 50 Chinese Survival Phrases Coming soon
  2. 133 Chinese Greetings & Goodbyes Coming soon
  3. 134 Chinese Politeness & Please/Thank-You Coming soon
  4. 135 Chinese Travel Phrases Coming soon
  5. 136 Chinese Restaurant Phrases Coming soon
  6. 137 Chinese Hotel Phrases Coming soon
  7. 138 Chinese Shopping Phrases Coming soon
  8. 139 Chinese Asking Directions Phrases Coming soon
  9. 140 Chinese Emergency Phrases Coming soon
  10. 141 Chinese Small Talk Phrases Coming soon
  11. 142 Chinese Phone & Call Phrases Coming soon
  12. 143 Chinese Business Meeting Phrases Coming soon
  13. 144 Chinese Social & Making-Friends Phrases Coming soon
  14. 145 Chinese Airport Phrases Coming soon
  15. 146 Chinese Doctor & Pharmacy Phrases Coming soon
  16. 147 Chinese Opinion & Discussion Phrases Coming soon
  17. 148 Chinese Agreeing & Disagreeing Phrases Coming soon
  18. 149 Chinese Texting & Chat Phrases Coming soon
  19. 150 Chinese Classroom Phrases Coming soon
  20. 151 Chinese Complaint & Problem Phrases Coming soon
Exams 12 topics See the exams page →
  1. 152 Chinese Exams: Which One & How to Prepare Coming soon
  2. 153 HSK Overview: Levels 1-6 & Scoring Coming soon
  3. 154 HSK 1: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  4. 155 HSK 2: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  5. 156 HSK 3: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  6. 157 HSK 4: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  7. 158 HSK 5: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  8. 159 HSK 6: What You Need to Know Coming soon
  9. 160 HSKK: The Spoken Chinese Test Coming soon
  10. 161 HSK Reading Strategies Coming soon
  11. 162 HSK Listening Strategies Coming soon
  12. 163 HSK Vocabulary Prep by Level Coming soon