Subject 1 (Small Car C1/C2) study guide
Subject 1 (Small Car C1/C2) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Subject 1 (科目一) is the computer-based theory examination that sits at the start of the Chinese driving-licence pathway for small cars, covering the C1 manual and C2 automatic categories. You sit it before any practical training counts toward a test, so it functions as a gate: pass it and you move on to the driving school phase and the later road tests. The Subject 1 (Small Car C1/C2) study guide has 7 sections and about 3,450 words.
01Road Traffic Laws, Regulations and Rules
The law domain carries a large share of Subject 1 and tests three things: which document governs a situation, what a C1 or C2 licence actually permits, and how the demerit cycle runs. Most items are small scenarios - a licence date, a vehicle class, a road layout - so the legal vocabulary must be exact.
450 words, about 2 min02Traffic Signals, Markings and Signs
Signal questions look like pure recognition, but they are really about priority: when a police officer, a light, a sign and a line say different things, you must know which one you obey. Expect at least one item that stacks two of these against each other.
469 words, about 2 min03Safe and Civilised Driving Practices
This domain is the one most often answered by instinct instead of by rule, which is exactly why marks are lost. The exam wants the specific number or the specific action, not the option that merely sounds cautious.
504 words, about 3 min04Motor Vehicle Operation and Driving Fundamentals
Operation questions test the order of an action and the reason behind it: which pedal first, when the indicator goes on, how much of the mirror your own car should fill. Answers that feel safe but break the sequence are the standard distractors.
510 words, about 3 min05Vehicle Structure, Maintenance and Inspection
Vehicle questions test whether you can read a warning and know a limit. You are not expected to repair anything; you are expected to recognise a fault, know the service threshold, and know when to stop driving.
475 words, about 2 min06Emergency Response and Accident Handling
Emergency items are marked on sequence: what you do first, whom you protect first, and which situations forbid moving the vehicle. Answer with the safest legal order, not the most helpful-sounding gesture.
537 words, about 3 min07Penalties, Demerit Points and Legal Liability
Penalty questions are arithmetic plus vocabulary. You need the points value, the fine range, the licence consequence and the re-application waiting period - and you must keep 饮酒 (drinking) separate from 醉酒 (drunk).
505 words, about 3 min