In the context of the HSK3 exam, "shang" (上) and "xia" (下) refer to the difficulty level of the exam questions.Within each level, there are also sub-levels, which are denoted by "shang" and "xia".
For example, HSK3 has three sub-levels: HSK3 shang(上), HSK3 zhong(
中), and HSK3 xia(下). The questions in HSK3 shang(上) are the easiest within the HSK3 level, while the questions in HSK3 xia(下) are the most difficult within the HSK3 level.
Therefore, when you see "shang" and "xia" in the context of the HSK3 exam, it refers to the difficulty level of the questions being asked.
For example, HSK3 has three sub-levels: HSK3 shang(上), HSK3 zhong(
中), and HSK3 xia(下). The questions in HSK3 shang(上) are the easiest within the HSK3 level, while the questions in HSK3 xia(下) are the most difficult within the HSK3 level.
Therefore, when you see "shang" and "xia" in the context of the HSK3 exam, it refers to the difficulty level of the questions being asked.