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 3 · Intermediate9 pagesWhere to Go This Summer - 暑假去哪儿
Wei Jing plans everything—until her best friend wants Zhangjiajie, not the Great Wall. Can two stubborn travelers find a way to go together?
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesThe Most Beautiful View - 最好看的风景
Wei Jianming climbs, chasing the most beautiful view. Each summit promises more—but will the top finally satisfy him?
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesThe Guide Who Never Stops Talking - 导游从不停下来
Guilin's finest guide meets a tourist who won't look up. Can silence say what stories can't?
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesThe Mailman Who Climbed the Mountain - 爬山的邮差
A reporter climbs a mountain to profile a heroic mailman. But Lao Zhang never wanted this job—so why has he walked this path for decades?
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesPacking for a Trip - 打包行李
The night before her first solo business trip, Li Wei must fit everything into one suitcase. Can she close it in time?
HSK 4 · Advanced13 pagesThe Noodle Shop Before Dawn - 天还没亮的拉面馆
In Lanzhou before dawn, a noodle master pulls noodles from one pot of broth. When it runs out, the line is still long.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesHow Did It Get Bigger? - 怎么变大了？
Librarian Lin Mei's seedling grows taller every night. Determined to catch it, she stays awake—and discovers a secret visitor.
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesChasing the Light - 追光的人
A photographer races to catch a mountain sunset, but a burst tire may cost her the shot.
HSK 3 · Intermediate8 pagesCycling to Deliver - 骑车送包裹
A contract hinges on one package, one deadline, and a city gridlocked. Can Xiao Ma improvise before noon?
HSK 4 · Advanced15 pagesThe Contest at the Table - 桌边的较量
Three boys compete for one spot on the team. The coach praises speed and sharp eyes—then asks what they've overlooked.
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesWas It You? - 是你吗？
Every Friday, a paper crane appears on Laura's bicycle. She asks everyone she knows in Chinese—but who keeps leaving them?
HSK 4 · Advanced13 pagesThe Goldfish Who Always Talks About Last Year - 总说去年的金鱼
A talking goldfish mourns a lake it barely remembers. Xiaokang starts to wonder what last year was really like.
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesFridays Are the Best - 星期五最开心
Eight-year-old Xiao Mei lives for Fridays: no tests, swimming with Xiao Hong, and pizza for dinner. But can one perfect day last?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesWhat Time Is There a Doctor? - 几点有医生？
Six-year-old Xiao Ming is freezing, but the hospital keeps turning his mother away. Will anyone be free to see him?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesMy Morning - 我的早上
Xiao Ming wakes to a brand-new morning. Water, rice, a giant backpack—but will school bring the friend he's hoping to greet?
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesJust Borrow One Book - 就借一本书
Xiaomei wants to borrow the best book in the library. But with so many wonderful choices, how will she ever pick just one?
HSK 3 · Intermediate6 pagesGetting Worse and Worse - 越来越严重了
Sick and worsening, French teacher Sophie needs stronger medicine—but China's rules demand a prescription she doesn't have. Can she find a doctor in time?
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesIs the Weather Good or Not? - 天气好不好？
A drone photographer has rescheduled this mountain shoot three times. When the forecast says rain but the sky says otherwise, he must decide: trust the weather, or go see for himself?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesEat In or Eat Out? - 在家吃还是在外面吃？
Hungry and with nothing at home, Mingming and Xiaoyu head out to eat. But where's the money?
HSK 2 · Beginner5 pagesThe First Time Seeing Snow - 第一次见雪
A southern student longs to see real snow before winter ends. When it finally falls at 3 a.m., she steps outside—and finds she isn't alone.
HSK 4 · Advanced14 pagesThe City Mouse and the Mountain Mouse - 城里的老鼠和山里的老鼠
A city mouse visits his mountain friend, but their quarrel over which life is better is cut short when a hungry cat slips through the door.
HSK 3 · Intermediate9 pagesThe Dog Walks and Sniffs at the Same Time - 狗狗边走边闻
Mantou the Shiba's morning sniff patrol hits a snag: a fierce dog guards her favorite lamppost. Can she finish her rounds?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesThe Monster Comes Out in Spring - 春天妖怪出来了
A hungry monster wakes from hibernation and descends to the market, searching for apples and noodles. But with no money, how will he ever eat?
HSK 1 · Starter5 pagesThere Is a Door Here - 这里有一扇门
Deep in a lightless cave, Xiaoming finds an ancient door—hot to the touch. What lies beyond it?
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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.