Studying in China with HSK 4/5

[zhongguoren93]

Hello everyone!

I am thinking of studying Mandarin in China. I am between HSK 4 and HSK 5. Is it worth going to China or it is too early and I wouldn't understand and learn anything because level of my Chinese is too low? Maybe it is better to wait until I am about HSK 6?

[ZhangKaiRong]

HSK 4/5 is a decent level, and it is enough to get yourself understood in China. (Anyway, HSK6 is an over-mystified, crappy exam and has no real added value to your daily Chinese). I don't know how is your 口语, but based on my experience, the first one month in China is quite shocking regardless your HSK level, because the crystal clear putonghua you learnt and the actual Chinese the native speakers speak is way different. But it shouldn't discourage you, go and discover China, your language skills should be fine and it will be better and better every day. Good luck!

[Shelley]

Hello and welcome to the forum, I don't think it is too early, HSK4/5 is good enough I think for you to manage in China and also you can learn more.

 

IMHO it is never too early to go to China to learn Chinese, it is probably the best way and the most enjoyable way to learn another language by being in the country.

 

I hope you go and have a good time.

[zhongguoren93]

Thanks!

But if you had an opportunity to choose to go now or year later, what would you choose?

[Shelley]

Personally I would go as soon as I could, but you may have good reasons to wait, so it is hard to say what you should do.

 

You need to decide for yourself.

 

Why would you wait? Why not go now? Only you know the answers to these questions.

[ZhangKaiRong]

 

 

But if you had an opportunity to choose to go now or year later, what would you choose?

 

IMHO one year is not enough to leap the gap between HSK4/5 and HSK6 in terms of actual language knowledge. In theory, you can learn a lot of words/characters, but your brain will simply don't have enough time to handle this mass amount of information (and as I stated before, HSK6 simply doesn't worth the time). It is not efficient.

 

If you can go now, then go. If you have your other reasons not to go, then go next year. But language knowledge shouldn't be an issue. I prefer "the earlier the merrier" approach.

[zhongguoren93]

Once again thanks for your replies. My HSK level is now between 4 and 5. I can go next September (I suppose I will be about HSK 5) or September 2016. In the first case I lose one year at my university because they don't count that year spent in China like regular university year (haha, I hope you can understand me, my English is poor, maybe I am better in Mandarin). But if I go in September 2016 i will already be graduated student and I could study master degree there.
The second reason is that this would cost me a lot and now my situation is not very good. 

So if it is much better to go next year I would go, otherwise I wouldn't.

[Shelley]

Sounds to me like 2016 is best because you will have finished one thing and then can start another.

 

Study masters in china seems like a good idea.

 

But still you have to decide for yourself.

[PaulSav]

As ZhangKaiRong hinted at earlier, I would say it's less about your HSK level than about your 口语 and 听力. I just came back from two weeks in Beijing speaking only Chinese (besides the non-Chinese conference I went to), and was able to do just fine (I'll be taking HSK 4 this November). However I practice my speaking/listening skills much more regularly than my reading/grammar.

 

If you haven't gone before then it's very important to get the correct mindset; a mindset of using this as a learning experience, and not as a "test." It's easy to get discouraged when you don't understand something and feel like all your study time was wasted. Instead just remember that classroom time and real-world time are different, and think of this as a chance for growth. Have fun!

[simplet]

I'm going to take the opposite view on this and tell you to wait. If you can stay in China as long as you want then by all means start as soon as possible, if you only have a choice between one year now and one year later, then I'd go later. Having a better chinese level will help you in all kinds of way, from avoiding the expat bubbles to winning language battles. In my opinion "immersion" is way overrated until you're at least at a (real) upper-intermediate level.

 

And if on top of that you have financial and academic reasons to go later, then it's just a no-brainer I think. You can even try to get a chinese scholarship if you prepare for it sufficiently in advance.

[langxia]

If you can graduate before you go, then graduate before you go.

I went to china before I graduated, in the beginning my plan was to go for one semester but in the end I stayed for 5 semesters and at one point I realized I HAD to go back and graduate and that was rather stressful.

Your Chinese will improve much faster in China than outside of China, but if I could redo my way, I would first graduate and then go to China.

[zhongguoren93]

Thank you very much. I think I will wait until I graduate.

[jobm]

We are on the same boat. 

 

I just tried my luck if I would be awarded with the scholarship and fortunately I did! I came here to China with a level of HSK 4 but I really think my skills are highly bookish. So, being here in China is a great opportunity for me because I could use my China in REAL situations. I could say, you could survive here. But, I tell you, there is a big ocean right there that will overwhelm you. Just in the airport alone, you will be using your Chinese and you will realize how big still you do now know about Chinese. 

 

I am also now attending classes very much higher than my level. It is so difficult. But just like you, I would like to learn Chinese as exhaustive as I could here in China.

Just like you, I have not graduated yet. 

 

I really suggest polish first your basics there back home before you go here. Make sure you know how to count, (with the gestures), how to ask directions (oh, really, prepositions are my waterloo), and read about the lifestyle here in China so that you won't be that shock if you come here. I also tell you to graduate first. I really did not know I would go to China while still in college so if I could go back again in time, I would like to finish my degree first and then come here. Because I think, two semesters of Chinese are not that enough. I hope I could stay longer here in China because I would like to experience more, learn more, and explore more. I could not extend my stay here because I have promised my university that I would be back after one year. On top of that, I would like to graduate as soon as possible!

 

I also suggest you to take the HSK before coming here. Having an HSK certification is definitely an advantage.

[Guest Sayuri]

That is so funny someone could have doubts if his hsk4 is enough for coming to China.

I moved here with zero proficiency in mandarin.

Be more confident and avanturistic, dude.

Step out of comfort zone!