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考查 (kǎo chá) — to examine, to investigate, to study (usually in an academic or inspection context)

Definition

考查 is a formal verb meaning to examine or assess someone's performance, ability, or a project's viability — more evaluative than 调查 (which surveys facts). Often used in academic or inspection contexts.

verb
to examineto investigateto study (usually in an academic or inspection context)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 考查。
    Xué xiào měi nián dōu huì kǎo chá jiào shī de jiào xué shuǐ píng.
    The school examines teachers' teaching performance every year.
  • 考查。
    Tā men zhèng zài kǎo chá zhè ge xiàng mù de kě xíng xìng.
    They are investigating the feasibility of this project.
  • 考查。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì zhǔ yào kǎo chá xué shēng de zōng hé néng lì.
    This exam mainly tests students' comprehensive abilities.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

考kǎoexamine
查cháinvestigate

考查 combines 考, to examine, with 查, to investigate, giving the sense of inspecting or studying carefully.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě查chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

查 pairs 木 (wood) with 且, which shows the sound. It originally meant a hawthorn tree or a wooden raft.

Open 查 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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