HSK 2 Reading Practice: Free Texts with Pinyin and Answers

At HSK 2 you know about 500 words and 371 characters, enough to read short stories about everyday life in the past tense, not just single sentences. This page has two free HSK 2 texts with pinyin, English, vocabulary and questions.

What you can read at HSK 2

Under the new HSK 3.0, level 2 covers 500 words and 371 characters to recognise. The jump from HSK 1 is less about more words and more about longer sentences. At this level you can handle:

• Short stories about shopping, work, food and travel
• Past events with 了 and 过
• Reasons and links between ideas: 因为…所以, 但是, 就
• Time and amount: 半个小时, 两本书, 有点儿

New to this? Start with HSK 1 reading practice first.

HSK 2 reading practice: text 1

昨天下午，我和朋友去商店买东西。商店里人很多。
我买了一件白色的衣服，朋友买了两本书。
我们走了半个小时，有点儿累，就去咖啡店喝了咖啡。
朋友说：“今天真高兴，下次我们再来。”
我说：“好，下个星期六怎么样？”

Pinyin:
Zuótiān xiàwǔ, wǒ hé péngyou qù shāngdiàn mǎi dōngxi. Shāngdiàn lǐ rén hěn duō.
Wǒ mǎi le yí jiàn báisè de yīfu, péngyou mǎi le liǎng běn shū.
Wǒmen zǒu le bàn ge xiǎoshí, yǒudiǎnr lèi, jiù qù kāfēidiàn hē le kāfēi.
Péngyou shuō: “Jīntiān zhēn gāoxìng, xiàcì wǒmen zài lái.”
Wǒ shuō: “Hǎo, xià ge xīngqīliù zěnmeyàng?”

English:
Yesterday afternoon, a friend and I went shopping. The shop was busy.
I bought a white top, and my friend bought two books.
We walked around for half an hour and got a bit tired, so we went to a café for coffee.
My friend said, “Today was really fun. Let’s come again next time.”
I said, “Sure. How about next Saturday?”

Vocabulary

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
昨天	zuótiān	yesterday
商店	shāngdiàn	shop
买东西	mǎi dōngxi	to go shopping
件	jiàn	measure word for clothes
衣服	yīfu	clothes
有点儿	yǒudiǎnr	a bit (negative feeling)
累	lèi	tired
就	jiù	so, then
下次	xiàcì	next time
怎么样	zěnmeyàng	how about…?

Questions

1. 他们昨天去哪儿了？
2. “我”买了什么？
3. 他们为什么去咖啡店？

Answers: 1. 去商店买东西。 2. 一件白色的衣服。 3. 因为走了半个小时，有点儿累。

HSK 2 reading practice: text 2 (a phone call)

A：喂，你在哪儿？
B：我在公司，今天要工作到六点。
A：那我们几点吃饭？
B：七点可以吗？我们去你上次说的那家饭馆。
A：好的。那家饭馆的鱼很好吃，也不太贵。
B：太好了，一会儿见。

Pinyin:
A: Wèi, nǐ zài nǎr?
B: Wǒ zài gōngsī, jīntiān yào gōngzuò dào liù diǎn.
A: Nà wǒmen jǐ diǎn chīfàn?
B: Qī diǎn kěyǐ ma? Wǒmen qù nǐ shàngcì shuō de nà jiā fànguǎn.
A: Hǎo de. Nà jiā fànguǎn de yú hěn hǎochī, yě bú tài guì.
B: Tài hǎo le, yíhuìr jiàn.

English:
A: Hello, where are you?
B: I’m at the office. I have to work until six today.
A: So what time are we eating?
B: Is seven OK? Let’s go to that restaurant you mentioned last time.
A: Sure. The fish there is really good, and it isn’t too expensive.
B: Great, see you soon.

Vocabulary

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
喂	wèi	hello (on the phone)
公司	gōngsī	company, office
工作	gōngzuò	to work
可以	kěyǐ	can, OK
上次	shàngcì	last time
饭馆	fànguǎn	restaurant
鱼	yú	fish
好吃	hǎochī	tasty
贵	guì	expensive
一会儿见	yíhuìr jiàn	see you soon

Questions

1. B今天工作到几点？
2. 他们几点吃饭？
3. 那家饭馆怎么样？

Answers: 1. 六点。 2. 七点。 3. 鱼很好吃，也不太贵。

How to use these texts

1. Read once without stopping. Don’t look anything up yet.
2. Read again with the pinyin, out loud.
3. Answer the questions without looking back.
4. Mark the words you missed, but learn them in the sentence, not as a list.
5. Re-read tomorrow. Fast on day two is the goal, not perfect on day one.

More on the method: Chinese reading practice for beginners.

HSK 2 reading FAQ

How many words do I need for HSK 2?
500 words and 371 characters under the new HSK 3.0, counting everything from HSK 1.

How long does it take to get from HSK 1 to HSK 2?
Usually 2–4 months with short daily practice.

Is HSK 2 enough to travel in China?
For basics like ordering food, shopping and asking directions, yes, as long as people speak slowly. Reading menus and signs starts around HSK 3.

What grammar should I know at HSK 2?
了 for completed actions, 过 for experiences, 因为…所以, 但是, 就, and comparisons with 比.

Related: HSK 1 reading practice · HSK 3 reading practice · HSK levels explained