Hanja Proficiency Test Pass Score Calculator

Overview

The Hanja Proficiency Test Pass Score Calculator compares your self-scored result on Korea's national Hanja Proficiency Test (전국한자능력검정시험), administered by the Korean Language Society (한국어문회), against the official cutoff for your level. Each question is worth exactly one point, so the maximum score equals the number of questions and the pass decision is made on raw correct answers rather than a converted percentage. Enter your level and the number of questions you answered correctly to see your score rate, whether you passed, and how many questions separate you from the cutoff.

Formula

Hanja Proficiency Test pass standard (Korean Language Society)

Score = number of correct answers (1 point per question; maximum = number of questions)
Score rate (%) = correct answers ÷ total questions × 100
Pass = correct answers ≥ required correct answers for the level
Questions short = required correct answers − correct answers

[Required accuracy] Special, Special II and Level 1: 80% or higher / Levels 2 to 8: 70% or higher

[Questions / required correct answers by level]
Special 200 / 160
Special II 200 / 160
Level 1 200 / 160
Level 2 150 / 105
Level 3 150 / 105
Level 3-II 150 / 105
Level 4 100 / 70
Level 4-II 100 / 70
Level 5 100 / 70
Level 5-II 100 / 70
Level 6 90 / 63
Level 6-II 80 / 56
Level 7 70 / 49
Level 7-II 60 / 42
Level 8 50 / 35

Example: 112 correct at Level 3 → 112 ÷ 150 = 74.7%, clearing the 105-question cutoff by 7 questions

How to Use

1. 1Select the level you sat, from Special down to Level 8. The total number of questions and the required correct answers appear with each option.
2. 2Enter how many questions you answered correctly. Since every question is worth one point, this number is also your score.
3. 3The pass or fail result and your score rate are calculated automatically.
4. 4If you fell short, check how many more questions you needed; if you passed, check your margin above the cutoff.
5. 5Use the level comparison table to see the question counts and assigned character counts for higher levels when planning your next attempt.

Examples

Background

The national Hanja Proficiency Test is organized by the Korean Language Society and administered by the Korea Hanja Proficiency Examination Association across fifteen levels, from Level 8 up through Level 1 and the two Special levels. The ladder is built on assigned character counts: 50 characters at Level 8, 300 at Level 6, 1,000 at Level 4, 1,817 at Level 3, 2,355 at Level 2, 3,500 at Level 1 and 5,978 at Special, with each level fully containing the characters below it. Time limits scale with the level as well — 50 minutes for Level 4 and below, 60 minutes for Levels 2 through 3-II, 90 minutes for Level 1 and 100 minutes for the Special levels. Scoring is a plain sum of one point per question with no percentile conversion or curve, which means the pass decision depends only on how many questions you answered correctly, regardless of how difficult a particular sitting turned out to be.

Tips

• ✔Because levels differ in length, the same accuracy threshold means different question counts: 70% is 105 of 150 questions at Level 2 but 63 of 90 at Level 6.
• ✔Only Special, Special II and Level 1 use the 80% threshold. At Level 1 you may miss no more than 40 of the 200 questions.
• ✔Special through Level 3-II are state-recognized qualifications, while Levels 4 to 8 are classified as educational (private) levels. Aim for Level 3-II or above if you need the credential for admissions or hiring.
• ✔Higher levels fully contain the characters assigned to lower levels. After Level 3 (1,817 reading characters), Level 2 adds only 538 more, so consecutive attempts are efficient.
• ✔Writing-assigned characters usually fall one or two levels below the reading list. If you are hovering near the cutoff, shifting study time to writing usually pays off fastest.
• ✔Levels 7, 7-II and 8 include no writing questions, so beginners can focus on reading. Level 8 (35 of 50 questions) is the usual starting point for young learners.

FAQ