Chengyu in HSK exams

What to Expect by Level (practical guide, not an official list)

• HSK 1–3: Rare or none; focus on plain synonyms. If a chengyu appears, it’s usually very common in short readings (e.g., 一举两得, 一清二楚).
• HSK 4: Recognition of high-frequency, semantically clear items in context: 有条不紊、循序渐进、名副其实、稳扎稳打. Tasks: choose the best sentence completion or spot an ill-fitting option.
• HSK 5–6: Wider range + register control: 画蛇添足、纸上谈兵、亡羊补牢、欲速则不达、同舟共济. Tasks: cloze with linkers, paraphrase, sentence ordering, short writing where a chengyu fits the tone.
• Advanced bands (7–9, where offered): Literary/abstract items appear in reading and essay prompts; pay attention to tone/polarity and placement (e.g., 居安思危、柳暗花明、差强人意、无可厚非).

Common HSK Question Types Involving Chengyu

• Reading multiple choice (context meaning): Pick the option that matches the chengyu’s function (praise/critique/warning/method).
• Cloze (gap-fill): Choose the idiom that fits the grammar slot and connector logic (因果/转折/让步/递进).
• Error correction: Replace a misused idiom (wrong tone or slot) with a natural one.
• Paraphrase/summary: Restate the sentence without the idiom, keeping the stance.
• Short writing: Insert one appropriate chengyu to sharpen a claim; overuse is penalized.

High-Value Chengyu for Exams (meaning you should know cold)

• Method/process: 循序渐进、稳扎稳打、统筹兼顾 — stepwise, steady, balanced.
• Praise/result: 名副其实、水到渠成、一清二楚 — truly deserving, natural success, clear.
• Critique/warning: 画蛇添足、纸上谈兵、欲速则不达 — overdo/armchair/rushing backfires.
• Risk/attitude: 未雨绸缪、居安思危、因地制宜 — prepare early/vigilance/adapt locally.
• Ambiguity traps: 无可厚非（acceptable, not praise）, 差强人意（barely acceptable）, 炙手可热（so ‘hot’ it’s untouchable; often caution）.

Scoring Traps (avoid these)

• Tone mismatch: Using 无可厚非 as strong praise, or 差强人意 as “quite satisfying.”
• Grammar mismatch: Treating a stative idiom as a verb; fix by using it as predicate (方案一清二楚) or modifier (一清二楚的 说明).
• Over-stacking: Two idioms in one clause reads unnatural; use one and add a fact.
• Register mismatch: Lofty idioms in casual contexts or vice versa; mirror the passage’s style.

Micro-Strategies for Each Task Type

• Reading (meaning-in-context): Ask “Is the author praising, warning, or criticizing?” Then map quickly:
  praise → 名副其实 / clarity → 一清二楚 / caution → 欲速则不达 / critique → 画蛇添足/纸上谈兵.
• Cloze: Check the connector first.
  因此/所以 → cause→effect pairs (未雨绸缪 → 水到渠成).
  而/却 → contrast (居安思危 ↔ 得过且过).
  虽然…但是 → concession (有条不紊 often fits the “still orderly” effect).
• Error correction: Replace rare/poetic with high-frequency natural picks; ensure idiom matches predicate/adverbial/modifier role.
• Writing: Add one idiom + one metric or action: “我们循序渐进 推出三步计划（试点→扩展→优化）。”

Mini Drills (HSK-style)

1. 选择最恰当的一项填空：

为了避免返工，我们先（＿＿＿＿）制定方案，再上线。
Answer: 未雨绸缪 / 循序渐进 (both can fit; pick based on surrounding cause–effect vs. sequence cues).

2. 判断对错：

这次交付无可厚非，大家都达到了世界顶尖水平。
Fix: Remove exaggeration or swap idiom: 表现可圈可点 / “acceptable under constraints,” not top-tier praise.

3. 改病句：

团队水到渠成地 完成了项目。
Fix: Use as predicate/result, not adverbial: “条件成熟，交付水到渠成。”

One-Week HSK Prep Plan (30–35 min/day)

• Mon–Wed: 15 min reading (collect 3 idioms/day) + 10 min cloze/error drills + 5 min speaking lines.
• Thu–Fri: 2 reading sets with paraphrase; write 3 sentences using one idiom each.
• Sat: Mock set (reading/cloze). Review ambiguous items (e.g., 无可厚非/差强人意).
• Sun: Light review + 10 new flashcards (pinyin + one example). Use spaced repetition.

Quick Reference: Placement that Examiners Like

• Predicate: “结构一清二楚。”
• Adverbial: “我们稳扎稳打 推进。”（no 地 also natural）
• Modifier: “有条不紊的 流程。”
• Initial framing: “未雨绸缪，本周完成演练。”

Checklist Before You Submit

• Did you match tone (praise/critique/warning)?
• Is the idiom in the right grammar slot?
• Is the register aligned with the passage/task?
• Did you avoid ambiguous traps (无可厚非/差强人意/炙手可热)?
• Did you keep it to one idiom per sentence?

Takeaway: HSK rewards clear, common, correctly placed chengyu. Prioritize high-frequency items, watch tone and connectors, and prove mastery by pairing each idiom with a concrete fact or action in your answer.