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🇨🇳 HSK 2

HSK 2 reading practice: easy Chinese stories

HSK 2 is where reading starts to pay off. With about 300 words you can follow a simple narrative: someone goes somewhere, something happens, someone reacts. What you need now is volume — lots of easy text that recycles the same words until you read them as fast as English.

Good fits at this level are the middle of Journey to the West, where the Monkey King learns his powers, and The Twelve Zodiac Animals (HSK 1–2), the story of the Jade Emperor's race. Stories of Afanti and The Legend of the White Snake start at HSK 2 when you want a step up. Journey to the West is free: you can read its first chapters — in fact all 50 — in your browser, tapping any word for pinyin and an English meaning, or any sentence for a translation. All of ReadNative's Chinese books have read-along audio.

HSK 2 brings the total to about 300 words under the HSK 2.0 standard, adding common verbs and adjectives, comparisons with 比, the aspect markers 了 and 过, and everyday words for time, travel and shopping.

HSK 2 stories you can read now

HSK 2 · Stories of Afanti 第一章：阿凡提和他的毛驴 Chapter 1: Effendi and His Donkey 很久以前，有一个人叫阿凡提。 他住在一个小地方。 A long time ago, there was a man called Effendi. He lived in a small place. HSK 2 · The Legend of the White Snake 第一章：山里的白蛇 Chapter 1: The White Snake in the Mountains 很久很久以前，有一座大山。 山很高，山上有很多云。 A long, long time ago, there was a great mountain. The mountain was tall, and clouds lived on its peak. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第十八章：地府 Chapter 18: The Land of the Dead 悟空回家，很高兴，睡觉了。 晚上，两个鬼来了。 Wukong goes home, very happy, and falls asleep. At night, two ghosts come. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第十九章：弼马温 Chapter 19: Groom of the Horses 龙王和地府的王都很生气。 他们去天上，找玉帝。 The Dragon King and the kings of the underworld are all very angry. They go to heaven to find the Jade Emperor. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十章：齐天大圣 Chapter 20: Great Sage Equal to Heaven 孙悟空每天在马房工作。 他给马吃的，给马喝的，很认真。 Sun Wukong works in the stable every day. He gives the horses food and water, very diligently. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十一章：天兵 Chapter 21: Heavenly Soldiers 玉帝看见旗子，很生气。 他说：“这只猴子太坏了！” The Jade Emperor sees the flag, and is very angry. He says: "This monkey is too much!" HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十二章：蟠桃园 Chapter 22: The Peach Garden 齐天大圣在天上没有工作。 他每天很无聊。 The Great Sage Equal to Heaven has no job in heaven. Every day he is very bored. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十三章：偷桃 Chapter 23: Stealing Peaches 悟空住在蟠桃园里。 蟠桃三千年才熟。 Wukong lives in the peach garden. The peaches ripen only once every three thousand years. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十四章：大闹蟠桃会 Chapter 24: Havoc at the Peach Banquet 悟空用筋斗云，去了蟠桃会。 客人们还没有来，大厅里没有人。 Wukong uses the cloud somersault, and goes to the peach banquet. The guests haven't arrived yet; there is no one in the hall. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十五章：逃 Chapter 25: Fleeing 悟空跑到花果山，酒也醒了。 他坐在石头上，很不安。 Wukong runs to Flower-Fruit Mountain, and the wine wears off too. He sits on a stone, feeling very uneasy. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十六章：二郎神 Chapter 26: Erlang 二郎神来到花果山。 他看见悟空，很生气。 Erlang arrives at Flower-Fruit Mountain. He sees Wukong, and is very angry. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十七章：被抓 Chapter 27: Captured 孙悟空和二郎神还在打。 老君也在天上看。 Sun Wukong and Erlang are still fighting. Laozi is also watching from the sky. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十八章：火眼金睛 Chapter 28: Fiery Eyes, Golden Pupils 四十九天到了。 炉子忽然破了。 The forty-ninth day arrives. The furnace suddenly bursts open. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第二十九章：如来的手 Chapter 29: The Buddha's Hand 如来对孙悟空说：“我们打赌。” “如果你跳出我的手心，天就是你的。” The Buddha says to Sun Wukong: "Let's make a bet." "If you jump out of my palm, heaven will be yours." HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第三十章：五行山 Chapter 30: Five Elements Mountain 大山压住孙悟空。 他被压着，不能动。 The great mountain presses down and holds Sun Wukong. He is pinned down, unable to move. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第三十一章：唐僧 Chapter 31: Tang Sanzang 长安是一座大城。 城里有很多人。 Chang'an is a great city. In the city there are many people. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第三十二章：放我出来！ Chapter 32: Let Me Out! 玄奘离开长安，往西走。 他走了很多天，看见一座很高的山。 Xuanzang leaves Chang'an, and heads west. He walks for many days, and sees a very tall mountain. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第三十三章：紧箍咒 Chapter 33: The Tightening Spell 悟空杀了强盗，玄奘很不高兴。 他心里想：“我们是去取经的，不是去杀人的。” Wukong killed the bandits, and Xuanzang is very unhappy. In his heart he thinks: "We are going to fetch scriptures, not to kill people. HSK 2 · Journey to the West 第三十四章：白龙马 Chapter 34: The White Dragon Horse 他们走了很多天，来到一条河边。 河很宽，水很深。 They walk for many days, and arrive at a riverside. The river is very wide, and the water very deep.

Books that cover HSK 2

Stories of Afanti cover阿凡提的故事阿凡提的故事Stories of Afanti · HSK 2–3 · ProThe Legend of the White Snake cover白蛇传白蛇传The Legend of the White Snake · HSK 2–3 · ProThe Twelve Zodiac Animals cover十二生肖十二生肖The Twelve Zodiac Animals · HSK 1–2 · ProJourney to the West cover西游记西游记Journey to the West · HSK 1–3 · Free

HSK 1 reading · HSK 3 reading · HSK 4 reading · HSK 5 reading · Most common Chinese words · Best Chinese graded readers

Questions

What should I read at HSK 2?

Graded stories where you know almost every word. Journey to the West and The Twelve Zodiac Animals both cover HSK 2 territory.

How much should I read each day?

Little and often: one short chapter a day is a good habit, and rereading earlier chapters is just as valuable.

Does this follow HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?

The word counts here follow the HSK 2.0 standard (HSK 1–6), which most textbooks and graded readers still use. HSK 3.0, introduced in 2021, has nine bands and larger word lists, so treat levels as approximate.