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报考 (bào kǎo) — to register for (an exam); to apply for (a school, program, etc.)

Definition

报考 is specifically about applying to take an exam or enter a school/program. 考试 is the exam itself; 报名 is more general 'sign up' for classes, events, or exams.

verb
to register for (an exam)to apply for (a school, program, etc.)

Examples

  • 报考。
    Tā jīn nián bào kǎo le yán jiū shēng kǎo shì.
    He registered for the graduate school entrance exam this year.
  • 报考。
    Wǒ xiǎng bào kǎo běi jīng dà xué de jì suàn jī zhuān yè.
    I want to apply for the computer science major at Peking University.
  • 报考？
    Nǐ bào kǎo nǎ ge dà xué?
    Which university are you applying to?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

报bàoregister
考kǎoexam

报 means to register, and 考 is the examination being entered, so the word means to sign up for an exam.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

Two 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.

Open 考 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4

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