汉语水平考试（简称HSK）为测试母语非汉语者（包括外国人、华侨和中国少数民族考生）的汉语水平而设立的一项国际汉语能力准化考试。

HSK由北京语言大学汉语水平考试中心设计研制，包括基础汉语水平考试〔简写为HSK（基础）〕，初、中等汉语水平考试〔简写为HSK（初、中等）和高等汉语水平考试〔简写为HSK（高等）〕。

HSK每年定期在中国国内和海外举办，凡考试成绩达到规定标准者，可获得相应等级的《汉语水平证书》。中国教育部设立国家汉语水平考试委员会，该委员会全权领导汉语水平考试，并颁发汉语水平证书。

截止2014年，全球共有汉语水平考试考点860个，其中海外考点530个，分布于112个国家，中国国内考点330个，分布于71个城市。

国内考场

HSK官方报考中心是由中华人民共和国授权考试，报名。主要城市包括：上海、北京、广州、郑州、西安、南京、深圳、青岛等一线城市以及主要的二线城市。国家汉办在2005年之后将HSK考点进行了整合分配，使得考试资源更为集中化，合理化。

海外考场

亚 洲

日本（东京、大阪、京都、名古屋、福冈、金泽、札幌、神户、广岛）、韩国（首尔、大邱、大田、釜山、光州）、新加坡（新加坡）、菲律宾 （马尼拉）、马来西亚（吉隆坡）、泰国（曼谷、喃邦）、越南（胡志明、河内）、缅甸（仰光）、印度尼西亚（雅加达、泗水、万隆、棉兰）

大洋州

澳大利亚（悉尼、墨尔本）、新西兰（奥克兰、惠灵顿、基督城）

美洲

美国（怀恩多特、休斯顿、纽约）、加拿大（温哥华、 埃德蒙顿、蒙特利尔、伦敦市、多伦多）

欧洲

法国（巴黎、波尔多、马塞、雷恩）、意大利（米兰、威尼斯）、德国（汉诺威）、英国（伦敦）、俄罗斯（莫斯科、符拉迪沃斯托克）、芬兰（于维斯屈来）、奥地利（维也纳）、瑞典（隆德）、丹麦（奥尔胡斯）、比利时（根特）、匈牙利（布达佩斯）

考试结构

新HSK是一项国际汉语能力标准化考试，重点考查汉语非第一语言的考生在生活、学习和工作中运用汉语进行交际的能力。HSK包括HSK（一级）、HSK（二级）、HSK（三级）、HSK（四级）、HSK（五级）和HSK（六级）。

作为外国留学生进入中国院校学习的汉语能力的证明，HSK成绩有效期为两年（从考试当日算起）

                                                   Practice Using the Four Mandarin Tones

Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, which means that different tones can change the meaning of a word, even if the pronunciation and spelling are otherwise the same. It is essential to learn the different tones if you wish to speak Mandarin Chinese correctly. Mandarin Chinese has four main tones, as follows:

• The first tone is a high, flat tone. Your voice stays flat, with no rise or dip in the way it sounds. Using the word "ma" as an example, the first tone is indicated using the symbol above the letter a: "mā".

• The second tone is a rising tone. Your voice rises from a low to middle pitch, as if you were asking someone to repeat something by saying "huh?" or "what?" The second tone is indicated using the symbol "má".

• The third tone is a dipping tone.The pitch goes from middle to low to high, like when you say the letter "B". When two third tone syllables are near each other, the second one retains its third tone sound while the first takes the sound of the second tone. The third tone is indicated using the symbol "mǎ".

• The fourth tone is a lowering tone. The pitch goes rapidly from high to low, as if giving a command e.g. stop! Or as if you're reading a book and have come across something new and interesting and are saying "huh". The fourth tone is indicated using the symbol "mà".

• Easy enough? If not, don't fret. It's definitely recommended to hear the tones demonstrated by a native speaker, since it's hard to get an idea of what they sound like purely through text.

Napoleon Hill wrote in his bestselling book Think and Grow Rich, “There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.”

Do you say to yourself, “I am too old/young/fat/skinny/rich/poor/educated/uneducated/white/black/gay/straight/hairy/hairless/sheep/goat to be learning a new language [or insert any formidable-sounding thing].”

Realize this kind of negative talk is self-defeating and that you are your own worst enemy.

There doesn't need to be a huge practical reason why you need to learn a language

Spoken language itself is made to be an active communicative dialogue between two or more persons. People don't speak to each other solely because it's the hot language of the month, it's a business advantage that one needs to have, it's the only way to stand out in the piles of university applications, and so forth.

If you feel like learning Mandarin, let your heart feel it, embrace it, then do it.

Let's break down learning Mandarin, shall we?

Here are the 5 ways to get you started saying, “Ni hao ma?” instead of the usual, “Sup dawg. I'm feelin' some bao zi and bubble tea now, wanna hit up Chinatown?” Though that, of course, is also useful, naturally.

1. Tones are not limiting. You are.

Mandarin, a stress-timed language, has 4 tones whereas Cantonese, a syllable-timed language, has 6. Vietnamese has 6 tones in the North, and depending on other regions, it could have just 5. The Jul-hoan language of Africa has some 30 click consonants. There are many, many more tonal languages in the world.

So in all honesty, tones are not the real problem here. Have some faith in yourself!

Even if you completely mess up on asking where the bathroom is, the locals will probably be able to decipher bits and pieces of your jumbled Mandarin, enough to point you to the hole in the ground (squat toilets) before you pee your pants and look like a fool.

The 4 tones in Mandarin are:

Tone 1: Level Tone (ping) –> —
Tone 2: Rising Tone (shang) –> /
Tone 3: Departing Tone (qu) –> V
Tone 4: Entering/Stop-Final Tone (ru) –>

So, if I write a sentence in pinyin (the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet) to say, ‘Hi, my name is Benny. You're very pretty.' I would write it as, ‘Ni3 hao3, wo3 jiao4 Benling. Ni3 hen3 piao4 liang4.' Which, by the by, you are. Don't you just love how that worked out?

Now, what this means for you is tones matter when learning how to speak Mandarin. One word in Chinese can mean completely different things when you change the tones.

For instance, a friend of mine for her first oral examination at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), wanted to tell her teacher that she went to Wangfujing Night Market and ate fried scorpions. Verdict: try it sometime. Not as scary/creepy/disgusting as you think!

Scorpion in Mandarin is xie1 zi. But she said xie2 zi, which means shoe.

After she was done with her little conversation, she noticed her teacher had a funny look on her face. She asked, “So you went to Wangfujing and ate fried shoe?”

Oops!

Tones matter. But don't be limited by them. Have a good sense of humour and take it easy on yourself when you do mess up.

2. Know your best and favourite learning medium. Then use it and be in it.

My favourite way to learn a language, and as a result, the culture itself, is to be immersed in the country where the language originates.

Mandarin is primarily spoken in mainland China as well as Taiwan (R.O.C.). You will also notice at your city's Chinatown (if you have one) that the owners and workers there will speak either Mandarin or Cantonese, usually.

What is your favourite learning medium?

Are you a classroom-textbook-contextual-teacher-student learner? Perhaps signing up for Mandarin classes at your local community college is a good option.

Are you a one-on-one private learner? Perhaps finding a tutor to speak Mandarin with is a viable option.

Are you a drop-me-on-the-Great-Wall-from-a-helicopter-and-see-if-I-survive type of person? Aka deep and immediate immersion? Then perhaps living in China (or Taiwan) is a preferred option.

You know yourself best. You also know how you learn new languages the best.

And even if you don't, try out all the various learning methods out there. See what works. It's never too late to start learning a new language in whatever medium you prefer. Never.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Like with any challenges in life, it takes time and habitual practice in order to overcome immersion challenges and thrive on your success over it.

The practice of speaking Mandarin does not need to be like pulling teeth.

You can practice speaking by:

a. Hanging out with your Chinese friends and asking them to speak Chinese with you. Even a 5-minute conversation with simple greetings is better than nothing. A good friend who doesn't mind speaking with you is all you really need. Treat him/her to a simple meal or bubble tea, chat it up for a while, and if you do that enough times, you may start to realize you can speak more than you thought you could.

b. Going to Chinatown and eating at the local restaurants there. You know the ones. It's the places with menus all in Chinese and nothing is in English. Most of the patrons are Chinese folks too. These places are usually good options and have tastier, more authentic foods. Go there.

c. Watching Chinese movies or TV shows. Though I don't watch TV, this is one of the best ways to continually hear Chinese being spoken. You need to hear it, hear the proper tones, hear it in context to the storyline and in relation to the human connections being made, in order to really encompass more of the language as a whole. Just reading about Chinese won't make you start speaking it like a native. You need to hear it too.

d. Listening to Chinese songs. I listen to some of my favourite Chinese/Taiwanese artists because I think Chinese is really beautiful. You can learn a lot by listening to popular Chinese songs. On top of that, try karaoke! Don't let embarrassment of messing up or your frog-like voice prevent you from a fun evening out with a small group of friends at the local Chinese karaoke bar. It's truly entertaining and a great way to learn the language.

e. Teaching English while living in China or Taiwan. Many foreigners enjoy teaching English in these places, where they are supported by the organization or school they are teaching for, as well as taking Chinese classes all the while. This is a great way to combine immersion in the country while still supporting yourself. Various programs abound, depending on the city/province/country you want to teach at. Google ‘Teach English in China' or ‘Teach English in Taiwan' and start your research from there. On top of that, ask your friends who've done it for their opinions, experiences, thoughts about it. But don't let their views solely determine your decision to apply and go. Do it only if you want to do it.

f. Visiting and travelling throughout China or Taiwan. Absolutely fun and a wonderful way to experience the country itself, backpacking through China or Taiwan will leave you wanting more. Besides being forced to speak Mandarin (most locals do not speak English and even if they did, it can be quite broken and minimal), realize that simply by being in the local element, you are already learning, every single minute, every single day.

It's a process, not a destination. You're not aiming to speak perfect Mandarin so you can be an interpreter for the United Nations or a secret agent for the CIA (unless you really are trying for that, in which case, cool!). You're aiming to experience Chinese in all its majestic beauty, language, food, people, culture and all.

4. Never, EVER stop learning.

The moment you stop learning is the moment you start dying.

People mistake learning for what they did while in formal education. This is a short-sighted viewpoint, for learning is a daily process, a daily activity, a daily habit, a daily exploration and discovery.

Your thirst for knowledge is only secondary to what the knowledge contains. And that is, the potential POWER it has to transform your life, your world.

Learning Mandarin is no exception.

There is always room for improvement, sure. But is that all we aim for? To have absolute perfect tone, pitch, accent? Or is it to feel at one with the language? To feel comfortable speaking it, conversing with the locals?

Learn by doing. Learn by trying. Learn by making mistakes but not letting those mistakes stop you from continuing on.

Once you believe you can't do something, can't speak Mandarin without sounding like a bumbling tone-deaf idiot, once you believe in this defeating self-failure, you won't ever be able to grow, you won't ever be able to learn.

5. Empty Your Head. I Am Ready to Pour.

I am reminded of a beautiful Zen tale which I want to share with you here:

Once upon a time, there lived a Zen master named Nansen.

There also lived a professor of philosophy and he was walking wearily in his travels and came across Nansen's cottage.

Nansen invited the professor into his home and said, “Wait a little.”

The professor looked to be in a hurry, but Nansen said, “I will prepare tea for you. You look tired. Wait a little, rest a little and have a cup of tea. And then we can discuss.”

Nansen started boiling the water and at the same time looked over to the professor. While the water was boiling, he saw the professor was boiling within, too.

Not only was the teakettle making sounds as the water boiled, the professor was making more sounds within, chattering and continuously talking. The professor was preparing himself — what to ask, how to ask and from where to begin.

Nansen smiled to himself while watching the professor and thought, “This man is too full, so much so that nothing can enter him. The answer cannot be given because there is no one to receive it. The guest cannot enter into the house — there is no room.”

Out of compassion, Nansen wanted to become a guest in this professor. He knocks from everywhere but there is no door. And even if he breaks down a door, there is no room. The professor was so full, he cannot even enter within himself. He sits outside of his own being, just on the steps, unable to enter.

Nansen poured the tea into the cup. The professor became uneasy as Nansen continuously poured the tea into the cup. It was overflowing; soon, it would be spilling onto the floor.

The professor then said, “Stop! What are you doing? This cup cannot hold any more tea, not even a single drop. Are you mad? What are you doing?”

Nansen smiled at the professor and replied, “The same is the case with you. You are so alert to observe and become aware that the cup is full and cannot hold any more, why are you not so aware about your own self? You are overflowing with opinions, philosophies, doctrines, scriptures. You know too much already; I cannot give you anything. You have travelled in vain. Before coming to me you should have emptied your cup, then I could pour something into it.”

What Nansen was saying to the professor was, “Empty your head. I am ready to pour.”

Do not assume you know everything. Do not assume you know anything until you've tried things out yourself.

You learn through trial and error, through experiments, through experiencing, through self-exploration. Empty your head with preconceived notions of what learning Mandarin ought to be, so that you can fully receive.

Leave all judgments at the door. Leave all criticisms where you found them. Take up nothing from your past so that you are ready to receive in full in the present.

This is how you learn. This is how Mandarin is actually easy, rather than difficult. This is why you can and WILL do it.

I believe in you. Do you?

学习汉语益处很多，这似乎是公认的。初学汉语时，除了遇到羡慕的目光、称许的点头，我还总是听到同样的话语：“你做得对。”学习世界上13亿人使用的语言，其用处显而易见，然而，学习汉语的本质何在？我又如何有权称之为“有用”呢？

我住在约翰内斯堡，上学的地方离家很远。回家的时候，我总喜欢看看这个城市在我外出求学时所发生的变化。有一天，我正在开车，突然发现路边一栋17层高的大楼拔地而起，顶上写着“中钢广场”。这栋建筑说明中国的机构已经近在咫尺。

头脑里映现出中国这个迅速发展的亚洲国家。我一边驶过数家大银行的总部大楼，一边开始思索。当时，中国工商银行以360亿兰特收购南非标准银行股份的消息风起云涌，接二连三地又从斯泰伦博斯的中国研究中心传来消息，详述中非关系，强调重大的跨国交易。这些消息有力地证实了关于中国经济繁荣的种种猜测。一时间，所有关于中国的传闻更为真实了。我想到了自己学习汉语的下一目标：当时，我已掌握了一些简单会话，或许该深入钻研一些商用汉语了。到家时，我还在苦苦思索。坐在沙发上，打开电脑，发现这个闪烁的机器背后的不起眼处有个标签：“Made in China”。

不过，经济繁荣绝非我踏上纷繁复杂的汉语学习之旅的主因。中国及其语言另有奥妙，那种奥妙难以言表。我觉得我的选择可以更多地归因于与中国的缘分。像很多西方人一样，我对汉语的兴趣源于对东方莫名的向往。

在学习汉语的课程中，我最感兴趣的是书法。书法中，汉字笔画错综精致，语句优美，堪称艺术佳作（后来，我从《华尔街日报》上得知，练习书法有助于提高认知能力和记忆力）。解读汉语更无异于阅读成百上千个小故事，因为汉语的意思潜藏在单个汉字里（这些汉字都是一些表意符号）。举例来说，汉字中的“好”是个象形文字，表示母亲和孩子相依相偎。中国人认为，母亲的慈爱所营造的和谐即是他们理想的“好”。这就是汉字背后的故事。汉语吸引我的还有口语的练习，其中包括学到的第一个词、连缀起来的第一句话以及背诵的第一个段落。

生活中有了汉语，是一件很好玩儿的事情。每个夜晚我都练习说汉语，一练就是好几个小时。握笔在手，奋笔疾书，这门拥有3000多年历史的文字跃然纸上。每当此刻，我就意识到，我不是在背一个词，而是在保存一种文化。

如今中国在世界经济上排名第二，人口第一，而其历史十分悠久。这样一个国家的语言是独一无二的。学习汉语是走进历史，也是学习一门艺术；是一个战略举措，也是一场无法言说的热恋；是认识上的历练，也是获取环球视野的必由之路。作为一名敏锐的观察家、热心的记者和激情澎湃的辩手，我从很多角度亲身感受了中国和中国语言。对我而言，学习汉语是所有的一切，但最重要的，它是一趟旅行。

以前只知道英语有四。六级考试，从来不知道有普通话考试，来到这个学校才知道，毕业还必须通过普通话考试才可以拿到毕业证，学习普通话的心得体会。是呀，身为一名教师，就必须用标准的普通话教书育人。

通过学习感受颇多，学习普通话不是一件容易的事情，对于方言较重的人来说，由于舌头已经习惯了方言的发音，前鼻音和后鼻音不分，舌前音和舌后音不分，俗读音与普通话读音更不一致。我在实践中总结出几点心得体会，在这里拿出来同朋友们共享，心得体会。

首先多听、多说、多问，勤听普通话广播和收看新闻类节目，这类节目一般都是使用标准的普通话，通过经常性的收听和收看，对学习普通话有很大的帮助，这是一种拓展的学习方法。平日里我们不要错过机会。

然后就是勤查字典。有些字，摸棱两可就需要查查字典，（别嫌费事），把它的拼音弄清楚，尤其要注意一些字的多音与多义，这样才能发音准确。

最后一个比较深刻的体会就是坚持用普通话进行日常会话。有人说：语言取决于环境。在一个大家都说普通话的环境中，耳濡目染，近朱必赤。即使你方音浓重，逐渐你也会受其感染。