Read Chinese Stories — Free, Graded by HSK Level
From absolute beginner (HSK 1) to fluent (HSK 6). Pinyin over every character, a full translation on every page. No login, no paywall.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesThere Is a Door Here - 这里有一扇门
While exploring a dark empty cave, Ming discovers a mysterious glowing door that is burning hot to the touch.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesThe Monster Comes Out in Spring - 春天妖怪出来了
A very hungry monster wakes up in spring and follows a delicious smell down the mountain to find food.
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesThe Dog Walks and Sniffs at the Same Time - 狗狗边走边闻
When Mantou the Shiba Inu reaches her favourite lamppost, a big fierce dog is blocking the way.
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesThe City Mouse and the Mountain Mouse - 城里的老鼠和山里的老鼠
A chubby city mouse visits his mountain cousin, but their debate about which home is better gets dangerously interrupted.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesThe First Time Seeing Snow - 第一次见雪
A young student from southern China races into a midnight blizzard, desperate to touch real snow before winter disappears forever.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesEat In or Eat Out? - 在家吃还是在外面吃？
Mingming and Xiaoyu are starving, but deciding where to eat turns into a bigger challenge than expected.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesIs the Weather Good or Not? - 天气好不好？
A drone cinematographer checks the forecast for a long-delayed mountain shoot, but the gloomy skies leave him unsure whether to go.
HSK 3 · Intermediate6 pagesGetting Worse and Worse - 越来越严重了
A sick French teacher in Beijing needs stronger medicine, but strict pharmacy rules stand between her and relief before tomorrow's classes.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesJust Borrow One Book - 就借一本书
A girl visits the library to find the very best book, but with so many amazing choices, how will she ever decide?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesWhen Is the Doctor Free? - 医生几点有空？
Six-year-old Xiao Ming is sick and cold, but finding a doctor with an open slot proves harder than expected.
HSK 4 · Advanced13 pagesThe Goldfish Who Remembers Last Year - 记得去年的金鱼
Xiaokang's new goldfish won't stop comparing everything to a mysterious lake from last year — until he asks one unexpected question.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesWas It You? - 是你吗？
Every Friday a mysterious paper crane appears on Laura's bicycle in Chengdu, and she desperately wants to know who left it.
HSK 3 · Intermediate8 pagesCycling to Deliver - 骑车送包裹
With minutes to spare and traffic at a standstill, Xiao Ma must find a way to deliver a contract-saving package before noon.
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesChasing the Light - 追光的人
Lan races her bike up a Yunnan mountain to capture a legendary sunset, but a flat tire with no tools stops her cold.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesHow Did It Get Bigger? - 怎么变大了？
When Lin Mei's seedling mysteriously shoots up overnight, she stays awake to finally catch the surprising truth.
HSK 4 · Advanced13 pagesThe Noodle Shop Before Dawn - 天还没亮的拉面馆
Before dawn in Lanzhou, a master noodle chef races to serve his once-a-day broth before the long line runs out of luck.
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesPacking for a Trip - 打包行李
Late at night, Li Wei must pack everything she needs into one tiny suitcase before her first solo business trip.
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesThe Guide Who Never Stops Talking - 导游从不停下来
A chatty tour guide meets his most distracted tourist yet along the stunning banks of China's Li River.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesThe Most Beautiful View - 最好看的风景
Wei Jianming climbs a big mountain searching for the most beautiful view, but will he ever find it?
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesWhere to Go This Summer - 暑假去哪儿
Two college friends clash over where to spend summer vacation, and neither one is willing to back down.
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesThe Mailman Who Climbed the Mountain - 爬山的邮差
A reporter climbs a remote mountain trail hoping to write a hero's story about the aging mailman she's following.
HSK 4 · Advanced15 pagesThe Contest at the Table - 桌边的较量
Three boys compete for one squad spot, but the old coach is searching for a quality none of them expect.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesMy Morning - 我的早上
Xiao Ming's cheerful morning routine. He enjoys breakfast and happily heads to school to meet a friend. A simple, happy start to the day.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesFridays Are the Best - 星期五最开心
My name is Xiao Mei.
No stories match these filters.
Start at your level
Every story is graded against the official HSK scale. Pick the band you are working on — each level has its own page with the full story list, study tips and an FAQ.
Free Chinese stories, graded from HSK 1 to HSK 6
Every story on this page is a real short story written for learners, not a textbook dialogue chopped into lines. Each one is graded against the official HSK scale, illustrated, and carries pinyin over every character plus a full English translation on every page.
That combination is the whole point. Reading Chinese fails for most learners at the same place: you hit a character you do not know, you stop, you look it up, you lose the sentence. With pinyin and translation one tap away, you never stop — and reading volume, not lookup count, is what actually moves you up the HSK ladder.
The library is free and needs no account. Start at the level you are studying, read two or three stories, and drop a band if you are checking the translation on every page.
How to read a Chinese story (and actually remember it)
- Read the page in Chinese first. All of it, without looking down. Word-by-word decoding feels productive and builds the wrong habit.
- Then check the translation. Once per page, not once per sentence. It is a check on what you understood, not a running subtitle.
- Read the page out loud. Tones live in your mouth, not on the screen. Silent reading quietly drops them.
- Re-read the story a day later. The second pass is where vocabulary sticks — and it takes a third of the time.
- Turn the pinyin off when you can. As soon as you recognise most characters on the page, hide the pinyin and only reveal it where you stall.
Keep going
Guides that pair well with the stories on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Are these Chinese stories really free?
Yes. Every story on this page is free to read in your browser, with no account and no paywall. The Coco Chinese app adds audio, saved progress and the full library, but nothing here is locked.
Do the stories show pinyin?
Yes — pinyin sits above every character, and you can toggle it off when you want to test yourself. Every page also has a full translation.
Are the stories simplified or traditional characters?
Simplified, which is the standard in mainland China and what the HSK exam uses.
What HSK level should I start at?
Start one band below where you think you are. If you read a story and check the translation more than twice a page, you are too high — the level below will teach you more per minute.
Can I use these stories to prepare for the HSK exam?
For the reading section, yes: the vocabulary is graded to the official bands and reading speed is where most candidates lose points. You will still want listening practice and timed mock papers.
How often are new stories added?
The web library grows as stories are published from the Coco Chinese app. Levels with no story yet will fill in — the level pages stay up and update automatically.
Read more in the Coco Chinese app
The app carries the full library with audio, tap-to-translate, saved progress and a story a day at your level. Free to download.