Chinese graded readers by HSK level
Quick answer
Which Chinese graded reader is right for my HSK level?
For an absolute beginner, an entry-level series like Mandarin Companion Breakthrough or a Starter word-graded reader (about 150 words) is the gentlest start, roughly HSK 1. Around HSK 3 to 4, longer word-graded series and short-story anthologies fit. Match your own coverage on a sample chapter, not just the label.
Once the analyzer tells you your level, the next question is what to read. This is a neutral, sourced map of common graded-reader series to the approximate HSK level and vocabulary each one suits. Filter by your level or a format you want, sort by starting vocabulary, then open a series for its full level breakdown.
Showing all 12 series.
| Series | Format | Levels | Vocabulary range | HSK range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin Companion Adapted classic novels (Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, Journey to the West and original stories) published across three levels, so the reading stays roughly within a learner's current stage. Sold per title in paperback, ebook and audiobook, in both Simplified and Traditional editions. | Print, E-book, Audio | 3 | Graded without a fixed list | Not mapped |
| Du Chinese 读中文 App and web graded reader with a large library of original stories and adapted classics across six levels, each defined by a stated character vocabulary, with built-in audio, pinyin toggle and tap-to-look-up. Free lessons plus a premium subscription for the full library. | App, Web | 6 | 150 to 2,500 characters | HSK 1 to 9 (3.0) |
| Chinese Breeze 汉语风 A long-running print novella series (mysteries, romances, everyday-life stories) graded by a base-word budget across four levels, with an audio recording of each book. Published by Peking University Press. | Print, Audio | 4 | 300 to 1,100 words | HSK 2 to 4 (2.0) |
| Sinolingua Rainbow Bridge Graded Chinese Reader 彩虹桥·汉语分级读物 A large print graded-reader series (folk tales, everyday life, culture and abridged stories) explicitly graded to the HSK vocabulary levels, with a stated word count on each volume. Published by Sinolingua and sold per title. | Print, E-book | 7 | HSK-leveled word lists | HSK 1 to 6 (3.0) |
| Sinolingua Graded Chinese Reader (word-count series) 汉语分级阅读 A print anthology series of short stories and abridged fiction whose volumes are banded by an explicit base-word budget (named in each title, from around a thousand words upward). Published by Sinolingua and sold per volume. | 3 | 1,000 to 3,000 words | HSK 3 to 6 (2.0) | |
| Panda Chinese Graded Reading 熊猫分级阅读 Sinolingua's digital graded-reading platform, with an accompanying print line and a teacher edition, levelling stories and non-fiction to the HSK vocabulary syllabus. Read in-platform with reading support. | App, Web, Print | 1 | HSK-leveled word lists | HSK 1 to 6 (3.0) |
| Imagin8 Press An imprint of retold Chinese stories (Journey to the West, dynasty histories, folk heroes) written with a controlled word count, most titles built on the HSK 3 vocabulary. Sold per title in paperback and ebook, with free audiobooks. | Print, E-book, Audio | 3 | 69 to 2,238 words | HSK 1 to 5 (2.0) |
| The Chairman's Bao A news-based graded reader (app and web) that rewrites current-affairs and culture stories across six ascending difficulty levels, each with human audio, a pop-up dictionary and grammar notes. Free sample lessons plus a paid subscription. | App, Web | 6 | Graded without a fixed list | Not mapped |
| Mandarin Bean A free web graded reader whose lessons are each labelled by HSK level (1 to 6 and above) and grouped into Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, with audio, a pinyin toggle and pop-up definitions. No account or payment required to read. | Web | 3 | HSK-leveled word lists | HSK 1 to 6 (3.0) |
| Little Fox Chinese An animated-story reading and listening library for Chinese learners, graded across five levels from tones and pinyin up to connected narrative, with subtitles, audio and vocabulary tools. Subscription access on web and app. | Web, App | 5 | Graded without a fixed list | HSK 1 to 5 (3.0) |
| Readibu A mobile reading app that opens freely available Chinese web novels with a difficulty score, tap-for-dictionary, pinyin or zhuyin, text-to-speech and word tracking, so a learner can read native fiction with scaffolding. Free to read public content, with a premium tier. | App | 1 | Graded without a fixed list | Not mapped |
| maayot A daily short-story service: one bite-sized graded Chinese story a day with native audio, tap-to-define, pinyin and a quiz, adapting to the reader's level over time. Delivered by email and app, free daily story with a paid tier. | Email, App, Web | 1 | Graded without a fixed list | Not mapped |
No series match those filters. Try widening the HSK level or choosing any format.
HSK ranges are approximate: they line up each series' own stated bands against HSK vocabulary sizes, given as ranges rather than false-precision single levels, because a reader's comfort depends on their own vocabulary, not the label on the cover. Character and word counts are the publishers' figures. The honest next step is to grab a sample chapter, paste it into the analyzer, and read your own coverage before you buy.
How to use this list
- Character-graded vs word-graded. Some series cap unique characters; most cap words (headwords). A 300-character series and a 300-word series are not the same difficulty, so compare within a unit, then check a sample.
- Start below where you think you are. Reading is easy and enjoyable when coverage is high. If a level feels effortless, that is the point; move up when a sample clears roughly 98 percent on the analyzer.
- Open a series for the full ladder. Each row links to a detail page with every level, its vocabulary size, HSK fit, and what to read before and after it.
How the mapping is made
Each series states its own difficulty bands. Those are lined up against the same word-coverage math the coverage matrix uses, so the level labels are comparable across series rather than each publisher's private scale. Where a series does not publish a word list (an app graded editorially, for instance), that is stated and a range is given, not a false-precision single number. Full per-series sourcing is on each detail page.
No hidden endorsements
This page names real products for reference only. HanziCoverage has no affiliate relationship with any series listed and earns nothing if you buy one. We do not present a paid placement as a neutral recommendation. The only app we publish and disclose is covered on the recommended app page.