Quick Links

Past HKLO problems     ||     What is HKLO?     ||     [語奧探知] at Wen Hui Bao     ||     About Us

2024-2025

The Regulations for HKLO (updated: August 2024 for 2024-2025) can be found HERE.

Upcoming events:

• September 22^nd, 2024 -- Deadline for signing up to the HKLO Training;
• September 29^th, 2024 -- Beginning of the HKLO Training;
• January 19^th, 2025 -- HKLO Mock Test
• February 16^th, 2025 -- 7^th Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad
• April 20^th, 2025 -- 7^th Asia-Pacific Linguistics Olympiad
• July-August 2025 -- 22^nd International Linguistics Olympiad (Taipei)

 

HKLO Training:

• This year’s training will consist of 14 sessions. Each session will last 3 hours;
• Some sessions will host, in parallel, Beginner and Advanced tracks. Both tracks will cover the same topics:
  • The Beginner track is designed for who wish to gain foundational knowledge on the linguistic topic explored that day. The content and pace will be suitable for students new to the subject matter or those looking to build a solid understanding of linguistic theory;
  • The Beginner track also features a final test, which aims to provide new learners with additional practice;
  • The Advanced track is tailored for advanced/more experienced participants and is meant as an intensive training in preparation for the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL);
  • Participants can choose whichever track to join that day, and freely interchange between tracks throughout the Training programme;
• The training will be held face-to-face at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and will take place on Sundays, from 2pm to 5pm;
• The registration fee is HKD 600, and it will cover the full participation in the training, the printouts, as well as the participation in the Mock Test (January 19^th, 2025);
• The detailed schedule of the training can be found HERE. Please notice that the schedule may be subject to change.
• In order to sign up to the training, please fill in the following Google Forms before September 22^nd, 2024.

 

HKLO Mock Test

• A mock test will be held on January 19^th, 2025;
• The registration fee is HKD 150. Students who have signed up for the HKLO Training are exempted this fee;
• The mock test will follow the exact structure of the HKLO competition (4 problems in 4 hours);
• The registration link and further details will be posted on the website in December 2024.

 

7^th HKLO:

• Participation is free of charge;
• The test consists of 4 problems, to be solved within 4 hours;
• The registration link and further details will be posted on the website before February 1^st, 2025;
• More details regarding the competition may be found in the HKLO Regulations;
• This represents the first selection stage for the HKSAR team in the International Linguistics Olympiads;
• The first 10% of the students (or the first 20 students, whichever is higher) will qualify to the next round, given that their score in the competition is higher than the average score of the contestants.

 

2023-2024

One team of 4 students has represented Hong Kong in the 21st International Linguistics Olympiad which took place between the 23rd and 31st of July 2024 in Brasília, Brazil. The Hong Kong team has achieved the one Silver medal (Henry Wong), two Bronze medals (Maxwell Ji and Choi John Nathaniel), one Honourable mention (Lin Cheuk Hang), as well as an Honourable mention in the Team Contest!

Hong Kong representatives to IOL 2024
From left to right: Ian Tam (Observer), Maxwell Ji (Chinese International School), Lin Cheuk Hang (Queen's College), Henry Wong (Diocesan Boys' School), Choi John Nathaniel (St. Joseph's College), Vlad A. Neacșu (Team Leader).

2022-2023

One team of 4 students has represented Hong Kong in the 20th International Linguistics Olympiad which took place between the 21st and 29th of July 2023 in Bansko, Bulgaria. The Hong Kong team has achieved the absolute Gold medal (Tam Lok Hang, highest score achieved, 96.5 p), two Silver medals (Zhang Yixuan and Henry Wong), three Best Solution awards (Tam Lok Hang - problems 2, 3, and 5), as well as an Honourable mentionin the Team Contest! 

Hong Kong representatives to IOL 2023
From left to right: Vlad A. Neacșu (Team Leader), Henry Wong (Diocesan Boys' School), Ian Tam (La Salle College), Ryan Lo (Diocesan Boys’ School), Zhang Yixuan (Hong Kong International School).

2021-2022

One team of 4 students has represented Hong Kong in the 19th International Linguistics Olympiad which took place between the 24th and 30th of July 2022 in Castletown, Isle of Man. The Hong Kong team has achieved one Silver medal (Tam Lok Hang), one Bronze medal (Henry Wong), two Best Solution awards (Tam Lok Hang - problem 4 and Henry Wong - problem 5), as well as an Honourable mention in the Team Contest! 

Hong Kong representatives to IOL 2022
From left to right: Samantha Yung (Pui Ching Middle School), Henry Wong (Diocesan Boys' School), Vlad A. Neacșu (Team Leader), Ian Tam (La Salle College), Ryan Lo (Diocesan Boys’ School).

2020-2021

One team of 4 students has represented Hong Kong in the 18th International Linguistics Olympiad which took place online between the 19th and 24th of July 2021. All four students have been awarded a medal! (Xie Lingrui – Gold medal, Ian Tam – Silver medal, Ip Tsz Oi – Silver medal, Ng Truman Toby – Bronze medal). Moreover, Hong Kong team earned the Gold Trophy for the highest average team score at the individual contest.

Hong Kong representatives to IOL 2021
From left to right: Xie Lingrui (La Salle College), Ip Tsz Oi (Diocesan Girls' School), Ian Tam (La Salle College), Ng Truman Toby (St. Paul's College).

2019-2020

The International Linguistics Olympiad was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

2018-2019

Hong Kong took part for the first time in the International Linguistics Olympiad with two teams.

• HKLO2024:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results
• HKLO2023:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results
• HKLO2022:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results
• HKLO2021:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results
• HKLO2020:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results
• HKLO2019:   Problems   ||   Solutions   ||   Results

Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad is the accredited competition to allow pre-university students to participate in the international linguistics competitions (International Linguistics Olympiad and Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad). The linguistics Olympiad consists of solving linguistic puzzles which require only logical ability, patient work and the willingness to accept challenges. No prior knowledge of linguistics or second languages is required. Students can learn more about the knowledge of world languages and improve their abilities of observation, logic and awareness of diversity while solving problems involving language data. Everyone is welcome to give it a try and explore the wondrous realm of language and experience its gems. The working language for HKLO is English. Participants who are eligible for linguistic Olympiads in other nations/regions (in addition to Hong Kong) cannot compete in multiple contests each year.

Targeted participants are from Form 1 to Form 6 students in Hong Kong secondary schools. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more information about Hong Kong results in the international competitions, please refer to the following official websites:

International Linguistics Olympiad: http://www.ioling.org/
Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad: https://www.aplo.asia/
Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/cbs/rp2u2/en/research/education-training/hklo/
HKLO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hong-Kong-Linguistics-Olympiad-HKLO-763434627350476/

Wen Hui Bao version:

• 2019-09-12 Loan Words
• 2019-09-27 Mongolian Letters
• 2019-10-11 Word Order
• 2019-10-25 Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
• 2019-11-08 Morphology and Word Formation
• 2019-11-28 What makes both ‘I’ and ‘me’ representing the same word in Chinese?
• 2019-12-13 Some Semantics (Part 1)
• 2019-12-16 Some Semantics (Part 2)
• 2020-01-03 Pame and Its Octonary Number System (Part 1)
• 2020-01-03 Pame and Its Octonary Number System (Part 2)
• 2020-01-17 Tibetic languages
• 2020-06-12 The Tibetan script

Full/Bilingual version

Organising Committee

Chair

• Prof. Huang, Chu-Ren (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, HK PolyU)

Members

• Prof. Ahrens, Kathleen (Department of English and Communication, HK PolyU)
• Prof. Cummings, Louise (Department of English and Communication, HK PolyU)
• Dr. Chen, Si (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, HK PolyU)
• Mr. Farhan, Ishraq (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
• Dr. Lim, Juyoung (Bank of America Merrill Lynch)
• Ms. Luo, Xin (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, HK PolyU; Leader of HK team in IOL 2019)
• Dr. Neacșu, Vlad A. (Member of the IOL Board; Leader of HK team in IOL 2021-2024)
• Mr. Pan, Tung-Le (National Taiwan University; IOL Medalist; Member of the IOL Problem Committee)
• Prof. Siok, Wai-Ting (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, HK PolyU)
• Mr. Tam, Lok Hang (University of Hong Kong; IOL Medalist)
• Dr. Yao, Yao (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, HK PolyU)
• Ms. Yen, Jennifer (Parent representative)

Problem Committee

Chair (2025)

• Mr. Farhan, Ishraq (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Members

• Dr. Neacșu, Vlad A. (Member of the APLO Problem Committee; Leader of HK team in IOL 2021-2024)
• Mr. Pan, Tung-Le (National Taiwan University; IOL Medalist; Member of the IOL Problem Committee)
• Mr. Tam, Lok Hang (University of Hong Kong; IOL Medalist)
• Mr. Wong, Tok Shing Henry (IOL Medalist; Member of the OnLing Problem Committee)

Sponsoring Units

• Hong Kong Polytechnic University • Faculty of Humanities
        - Department of Chinese Bilingual Studies
              > The Hong Kong Polytechnic University-Peking University Research Centre on  Chinese Linguistics (RP2U2)
        - Department of English and Communication
              > Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE)