Terms of Use

By using Mandarin Steps you agree to these terms. They are written in plain language and describe what this site is, what it is not, and the limits of what you can rely on it for.

Educational content, not professional advice

Mandarin Steps is a study and reference resource for people learning Chinese vocabulary and finding their HSK level. It is provided for general educational purposes only and is not professional, academic, or test-registration advice. Nothing here creates a professional relationship or guarantees any test result. A placement estimate on this site is a study aid, not an official HSK score.

Accuracy and dated facts

The HSK exam is mid-transition between the six-level 2.0 standard and the nine-level 3.0 standard, and rollout details change. We check word counts, level structures, and rollout status against primary sources and stamp each with the date it was last verified. A figure that was correct on its verified-on date may be updated afterward, and where a number is a heuristic (a rough level mapping or a study-time estimate) we label it as such. Always confirm current test details with an official source before you rely on them.

Not affiliated with any HSK body

Mandarin Steps is an independent publisher. We are not Hanban, Chinese Testing International, or any official HSK body, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or administered by them. HSK is a registered testing program; we describe it for accuracy only and never imply a partnership.

Intellectual property

The text, guides, placement logic, and graphics on this site are original works created by Mandarin Steps and Urban Algorithm LLC. Word lists combine the public HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 outlines (which are facts, not copyrightable) with pinyin and glosses from CC-CEDICT, used under its license; the surrounding writing, tools, and arrangement are ours. Illustrations are original SVG or AI-generated artwork; we use no licensed stock photography. You may read, link to, and share our pages for personal study. You may not copy, scrape, republish, or resell our content or tools without written permission.

Our app, disclosed

Urban Algorithm LLC, our publisher, also makes Wordbrush, an iOS vocabulary app that we recommend and clearly label as our own. Recommending it is disclosed, never a gate on the free tools, and links to it lead to the Apple App Store, whose terms we do not control. We are not responsible for the content or practices of any third-party site.

Limitation of liability

Mandarin Steps is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, or uninterrupted availability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Urban Algorithm LLC and Mandarin Steps are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential loss arising from your use of, or reliance on, this site, including any test result or study decision. Your use of the site is at your own risk.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date above. Continuing to use the site after a change means you accept the updated terms.

Contact

Questions about these terms? Reach the publisher through the Urban Algorithm contact page. Mandarin Steps is a project of Urban Algorithm LLC.