How many words does each TOCFL level need?
These are the counts in SC-TOP’s September 2024 list. The cumulative column is what you need to know by the end of each level.
| Level | Band | CEFR | New words | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novice 1 | Novice | below A1 | 160 | 160 |
| Novice 2 | Novice | below A1 | 234 | 394 |
| Level 1 | Band A | A1 | 347 | 741 |
| Level 2 | Band A | A2 | 485 | 1,226 |
| Level 3 | Band B | B1 | 1,173 | 2,399 |
| Level 4 | Band B | B2 | 2,342 | 4,741 |
| Level 5 | Band C | C1 | 2,776 | 7,517 |
SC-TOP also states rounder targets elsewhere (500 words for Level 1, 1,000 for Level 2, 2,500 for Level 3, 5,000 for Level 4); the table above is what the downloadable list actually contains. See TOCFL levels explained for how the levels and score scales fit together.
Where to download the official list
SC-TOP publishes the list free on its download page at tocfl.edu.tw (direct ZIP, September 2024 edition). The ZIP holds one spreadsheet with a sheet per level, plus fonts for printing Zhuyin. It also includes a sheet of words that differ between Taiwan and mainland usage.
A list you can study from today
The official list tells you what to learn, not how. CiaoSpeak teaches Taiwan Chinese through structured lessons with Taiwan-accent audio, and our Taiwan Chinese word list shows the words we teach with real example sentences. Every lesson in the app is free.
Common questions
How many words are on the official TOCFL vocabulary list?
SC-TOP’s official TOCFL vocabulary list, the 華語八千詞表 (8,000 Word List), contains 7,517 words in its September 2024 edition: 160 at Novice 1 rising to 7,517 cumulatively at Level 5.
Where can I download the official TOCFL vocabulary list?
SC-TOP publishes it free at tocfl.edu.tw as a spreadsheet split by level, in a ZIP that also contains Zhuyin fonts. This page reproduces it with credit and links to the original.
Can I use an HSK word list to study for TOCFL?
Only partly. The two lists overlap heavily in basic words, but TOCFL uses Traditional characters, Taiwan pronunciation and Taiwan vocabulary (計程車 rather than 出租車, for example), so an HSK list will teach some words and readings the TOCFL does not use.