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Beginning, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Chinese categories are based on the 甲乙丙丁 categories as set forth in the Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì (Chinese Proficiency Test). Materials produced by the HSK committee are believed to be in the public domain under Article 5 of the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China
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Source : http://www.unige.ch/lettres/meslo/chinois/general/HSK.html The total number of words on the HSK committee list is 8840. If a word falls outside that list, it will not be classified as beginning, elementary, intermediate or advanced.
[edit] Advanced Mandarin