考 (kǎo) — to take an exam or test; to test (someone) on something
Definition
考 (kǎo) is the everyday verb for taking or giving an exam/test — focus on exams. Use 考试 for the noun 'exam', and 查/检查 for checking things in general, not tests.
verb
to take an exam or testto test (someone) on something
Examples
- 考。Wǒ míng tiān yào kǎo shù xué.I have a math exam tomorrow.
- 考。Lǎo shī kǎo wǒ men hàn zì.The teacher tested us on Chinese characters.
- 考。Tā kǎo le jiǔ shí fēn.He scored 90 on the exam.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 耂耂lǎoan old man with long hair, bent over
- 丂丂kǎoa walking cane
In 考, the upper 耂 is an old man with long hair, bent over, and the lower 丂 is a walking cane.
Appears in
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