HSK 2 tests 300 words: the 150 you already know from HSK 1 plus 150 new ones. The new words are not random — they extend the same everyday topics, so the fastest way to learn them is in thematic groups. Below are the groups that cover most of the new list, with example sentences for each.
More people and family
哥哥 (older brother), 姐姐 (older sister), 弟弟 (younger brother), 妹妹 (younger sister), 丈夫 (husband), 妻子 (wife), 孩子 (child), 大家 (everyone), 您 (you, polite), 姓 (to be surnamed), 男 (male), 女 (female). Chinese distinguishes older and younger siblings — a favorite exam detail.
我姐姐是医生。My older sister is a doctor.
Time and frequency
早上 (early morning), 晚上 (evening), 小时 (hour), 去年 (last year), 生日 (birthday), 时间 (time), 已经 (already), 正在 (in the middle of), 每 (every), 最 (most), 第一 (first), 次 (time, occurrence), 再 (again), 还 (still, also), 就 (then, right away).
我每天早上七点起床。I get up at seven every morning.
Places, travel and directions
宾馆 (hotel), 机场 (airport), 教室 (classroom), 房间 (room), 公共汽车 (bus), 左边 (left side), 右边 (right side), 旁边 (next to), 外 (outside), 门 (door), 路 (road), 离 (away from), 往 (toward), 从 (from), 旅游 (to travel).
你家离火车站远吗？Is your home far from the train station?
Daily-life verbs
起床 (to get up), 上班 (to go to work), 休息 (to rest), 洗 (to wash), 穿 (to wear), 找 (to look for), 送 (to give, to deliver), 告诉 (to tell), 介绍 (to introduce), 准备 (to prepare), 帮助 (to help), 开始 (to start), 玩 (to play, to have fun), 完 (to finish).
妈妈给我买了一件新衣服。Mom bought me a new piece of clothing.
Sports, body and health
打篮球 (to play basketball), 踢足球 (to play soccer), 跑步 (to run), 游泳 (to swim), 运动 (sports, exercise), 唱歌 (to sing), 跳舞 (to dance), 身体 (body, health), 生病 (to get sick), 药 (medicine), 眼睛 (eyes), 累 (tired).
他踢足球踢得非常好。He plays soccer extremely well.
Food, drink and shopping
好吃 (tasty), 便宜 (cheap), 贵 (expensive), 咖啡 (coffee), 牛奶 (milk), 西瓜 (watermelon), 羊肉 (lamb), 鸡蛋 (egg), 面条 (noodles), 卖 (to sell), 千 (thousand), 百 (hundred), 两 (two, before measure words), 件 (measure word for clothing).
这个西瓜很便宜，也很好吃。This watermelon is cheap, and tasty too.
Weather and colors
晴 (sunny), 阴 (overcast), 雪 (snow), 红 (red), 白 (white), 黑 (black), 颜色 (color). Weather words combine with the HSK 1 word 天气; colors often appear with 穿 in picture questions.
她喜欢穿白色的衣服。She likes to wear white clothes.
School and work
考试 (exam), 课 (class, lesson), 题 (question, problem), 问题 (question, problem), 问 (to ask), 对 (correct), 错 (wrong), 报纸 (newspaper), 铅笔 (pencil), 公司 (company), 事情 (thing, matter), 手机 (mobile phone), 手表 (watch), 服务员 (waiter, attendant).
今天的考试你考得怎么样？How did you do on today's exam?
Connectors and grammar words
因为 (because), 所以 (so), 虽然 (although), 但是 (but), 为什么 (why), 可以 (may, can), 可能 (maybe, possible), 得 (degree complement), 着 (continuous aspect), 过 (experiential aspect), 吧 (suggestion particle), 别 (don't), 让 (to let, to make), 给 (to give, for), 比(comparison marker). These small words carry most of the reading section's logic — learn them inside sentences, not alone.
因为下雨，所以我不去跑步。Because it is raining, I am not going running.
她比我高。She is taller than me.
Feelings and opinions
快乐 (happy), 觉得 (to feel, to think), 希望 (to hope), 意思 (meaning), 懂 (to understand), 知道 (to know), 真 (really), 非常 (extremely), 笑 (to laugh, to smile), 新 (new), 快 (fast), 慢 (slow), 高 (tall, high), 长 (long), 远 (far), 近 (near), 忙 (busy), 它 (it).
请告诉我，这是什么意思？Please tell me, what does this mean?
How to learn the 150 new words
Attach every new word to an HSK 1 word you already know: 去年 next to 今天, 公共汽车 next to 出租车, 卖 next to 买. Then drill the listening discrimination traps: 买/卖, 四/十, 早上/晚上. Finally, read the example sentences above out loud until they feel automatic — HSK 2 reading has no pinyin, so speed comes from recognizing whole phrases, not single characters.