Teachers' conceptions of assessment are a significant indicator of teacher assessment literacy. This study contextualized pre-service teachers' conceptions of assessment in Chinese second language education. An exploratory factor analysis generated eight first-order factors and the following confirmatory factor analysis found a hierarchical model, reflecting a noticeable influence of prior learning experiences and official assessment regimes on conceptions. A follow-up latent profile analysis showed three profiles. Improvement-oriented was the most prevalent profile, but more than 40% of the participants were categorized as negative. The study substantiated the need to develop an integrative and balanced understanding of assessment in teacher education to prepare pre-service teachers for teaching in international contexts.