考察 (kǎo chá) — (verb) to inspect, to examine on-site (e.g., a facility or project); (verb) to observe and study (e.g., a culture or phenomenon)

Definition

考察 means to go somewhere in person to investigate or study — usually a place, project, or culture. 比 检查 more field-based and research-oriented; less routine checking.

verb
to inspectto examine on-site (e.g., a facility or project)to observe and study (e.g., a culture or phenomenon)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 考察。
    Wǒ men míng tiān yào qù gōng chǎng kǎo chá xīn de shēng chǎn xiàn.
    We are going to the factory tomorrow to inspect the new production line.
  • 考察。
    Tā qù yún nán kǎo chá le dāng dì de mín zú wén huà.
    He went to Yunnan to observe and study the local ethnic culture.
  • 考察。
    Wǒ men xiǎo zǔ kǎo chá le sān gè bù tóng de fāng àn.
    Our group investigated three different plans.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

考kǎoexamine
察cháobserve

“考” (examine) and “察” (observe) combine to mean a careful on-site investigation.

Characters in this word

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 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì察chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 察 combines 宀, a roof, with 祭 as the sound part.

Open 察 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Science (General)

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