Assessment Of Idioms In The New HSK Level Six And The Survey About International Students’ Learning Situation Of Chinese Idioms

Idiom is one of the significant parts in Chinese vocabulary. It is a set of phrase with an independent meaning. As most of the idioms coming down from ancient China are conventionalized, it is one of the most representative language components showing the connotation and feature of Chinese culture. However, due to its multiple nature,idiom has become one of the key points as well as difficulties for overseas students who are of the intermediate level in Chinese learning. At present, only 115 idioms are on the list of the 5000 lexical syllabus for the new HSK. Is that really enough for them to pass the new HSK? What is the real situation of the interest and need which foreign students have towards idioms learning.According to the situation above, this essay will perform the statistics of idioms’ number and distribution which are showed in HSK lexical syllabus, sample paper and old exam, it follows the examination effort which HSK has made towards idioms.Meanwhile, via the way of survey, it will analyze the interests, needs and strategies of foreign students’ idioms learning who have already passed the New HSK and are of high level. So that we can get reposition of idioms in Chinese vocabulary learning, as well as offering references to teaching Chinese as a foreign language and idioms acquisition.Based on frequency of idioms’ occurrence in HSK exams, 56.5 idioms in average appear in every exam, and 70% of them are not included in the outlines. Reading is the most difficult section as said by candidates which checks most of the idioms. This represents that candidates should pay high attention to the idiom study before the exam. Through the result of the survey, it is found that candidates have made preparation for the HSK by memorizing idioms, doing sample questions, and reading extra materials, and during the exam, they often answer questions by analyzing the context to guess the meaning of idioms.Last but not least, the author raises some advice about for teaching Chinese as a second language in light of the feedback of the survey, such as the teaching classification of idioms, teaching resource increment, providing extracurricular study environment and atmosphere and so on.