As someone who speaks the language and has a goal of general reading/writing, I,e newspaper, lyrics, subtitles, is progressing through HSK 1-6 the best course of action, or is it better to use other frequency lists?
Should I aim to complete 1-6 or should I go midway and jump to another list? Or maybe forgo HSK entirely?
I do a mixture of both. Iâm using the HSK lists, but I also have several custom lists, where I add words, that I think will be useful, as I encounter them. If I have many items in my custom list i pause the HSK list and concentrate on my own lists. This way I learn the words that I want to learn right now, and if there is nothing in my own lists I fall back on the HSK words I havenât learned yet.
I think HSK lists will be good for you. You already have an understanding of the vocabulary and its usage, so the lists are all about connecting meaning/pronunciation and form. Study often for a few months, add new stuff aggressively, and it shouldnât be too hard to blast through the first couple lists relatively quickly.
As you progress, I would recommend that you ban things quite liberally. Once you feel confident with some of the HSK 1 stuff (ćďźćŻďźä˝ ďźä¸ďźäşďźä¸ďźetc.) just ban it. Youâll see them in everything youâre reading, and it isnât worth the time to review it. Youâll naturally engrain them in your memory and you would much rather be spending time getting other characters to that same level, right! 
At some point, you might even consider removing the list from your study queue entirely. You donât need the SRS system clogged up with tons of things you really know how to write. It just means more reviews/day and, actually, decreased efficiency.
I would recommend expanding out to other types of lists on Skritter once youâve got a few hundred words/characters under your belt
Studying HSK lists is SUPER boring. Itâs a grind.
Start picking some songs you like, short stories, literally anything that you have interest in and make some custom lists. We have a huge database of words already created on Skritter and it makes list creation super easy.
Here are some posts about reading comprehension and level appropriate materials you might find useful.
Improve your Chinese reading comprehension < Skritter Blog
Finding Suitable Reading Material for Your Level < Skritter Blog
We also have tons of graded reader list on Skritter for most of the China Breeze and Mandarin Companion books. Weâre also going to be working with @SkritterOlle to get Word Swing on Skritter shortly.
Chinese Breeze Lists
Mandarin Companion Lists
The point of me posting all this stuff is that you should be turning your attention toward language in context as soon as you can. HSK lists are great for building the foundation, so I do recommend using them, but once youâre comfortable, it is time to start reading for real!
Also, youâll enjoy it more, and youâll absorb a lot more about the language in its written form. Based on your questions, I think you already get that, and I wish you the best success along the way. Not sure if youâre taking classes, but I do think that being a part of a study community is a good way to keep you motivated and on track toward your goals.
Hacking Chinese has some cool challenges that you might wanna consider participating in. And, it is an excellent resource for pretty much everything Chinese related. Youâll find tons of songs, and texts on the site.
And, let us know how things go! We love to hear progress updates, and I think these kinds of topics are really inspiring to others with similar goals. Good luck and ĺ 沚ďź
-Jake (éŤĺĽ)
HSK isnât exciting but I think itâs vital up to 5. 6 was indeed a grind. But if youâre not grinding, youâre doing it wrong. XD
