HSK 5 · 270/300
The Resource Directory
45 resources annotated with exactly how I used each one. No gatekeeping — these are the same free and paid materials I used to pass HSK5 as a full-time CS student.
“I found these free, so you should too.”
Showing 11 resources for 阅读 Reading
- 01
Du Chinese
Same inline lookup and audio features as Free Chinese Reading Practice, and the content library is well-graded. The ability to slow the audio down and follow along makes it a realistic bridge between controlled study and native-speed material. Worth paying for if you're at the upper HSK levels and need graded content that doesn't feel patronising.
★★★★★阅读 Reading - 02
Fiction / Non-Fiction Books
This is where in-context and subject-specific vocabulary actually gets absorbed rather than memorised. I found idioms here that I later used in my HSK5 essays because I'd seen them in a real sentence first, not a flashcard. More on specific apps in the reading section, but the point is: reading real content is irreplaceable at the upper levels.
★★★★★词汇 Vocab阅读 Reading - 03
Free Chinese Reading Practice
One of the apps that lets you hold on a character to get the pinyin and meaning inline, which removes the friction of looking things up externally. The audio narration option with adjustable speed is useful for using the same content for both reading and listening practice. I found it especially good for getting reading speed up without losing comprehension.
★★★★★阅读 Reading - 04
HSK Workbooks (Reading Sections)
The reading content is the strongest part of the workbooks in my view. Once you're at a level where comprehension isn't the bottleneck, start timing yourself — that's when you actually improve words-per-minute. Note down every unknown word even if you're skimming; you can build flashcards from them later.
★★★★★阅读 Reading - 05
微信读书 (WeChat Reading)
Access to a huge library of Chinese-language books with good reading UX on mobile. At HSK4–5 level this is where you start reading things you'd actually choose to read, not just study materials. Easily findable on any app store.
★★★★★阅读 Reading - 06
Audiobooks
Great for building listening endurance, especially for longer stretches where you're tracking a narrative rather than isolated sentences. The main downside is that unknown vocabulary flies by and you have to make an active effort to pause and note things down — easy to get lazy with. More detail in the reading section.
★★★★☆听力 Listening阅读 Reading - 07
HSK (1-6) Workbooks (Level 4/5)
The reading sections are dense with new vocabulary, and the fact that translations aren't always given forces you to work harder — which, annoyingly, makes the words stick. I'd write down unknown words and anchor each one to the sentence I found it in, which made review much faster later. Don't just scroll through the texts; that's how you waste the best part of the resource.
★★★★☆词汇 Vocab阅读 Reading - 08
腾讯新闻 (Tencent News)
News reading is good for keeping vocabulary current and encountering formal written Chinese. The topics vary enough that you'll consistently hit new domain-specific words. More passive than structured study, but useful for reading speed and breadth.
★★★★☆阅读 Reading - 09
Chinese Tales with Xiao Lin (YouTube)
Story-format content — good for listening practice with narrative context, which helps with retention of new vocabulary.
Unrated听力 Listening阅读 Reading - 10
Comprehensible Mandarin (YouTube)
Comprehensible input content pitched at learners — the immersion approach without throwing you in the deep end. Good for building reading-speed intuition and listening to natural speech at a manageable pace.
Unrated听力 Listening阅读 Reading - 11
My Chinese Short Stories (YouTube)
Short story format at a learner-accessible pace. Good for reading comprehension practice that doesn't require a full book commitment.
Unrated听力 Listening阅读 Reading