考试 (kǎo shì) — (noun) exam, test; (verb) to take an exam, to test

Definition

考试 is a noun–verb pair meaning both 'exam' and 'to take an exam.' For just the act of taking a test, use the verb 考; the noun 考试 is the event itself, often paired with 次.

noun
examtest
verb
to take an examto test
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 考试。
    Míng tiān yǒu kǎo shì.
    There is an exam tomorrow.
  • 考试。
    Tā míng tiān kǎo shì.
    She will take an exam tomorrow.
  • 。
    Wǒ kǎo le sān cì shì.
    I took the exam three times.

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kǎotest
试shìtry

“考” (test) and “试” (try) combine to mean a test or examination.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
式
式shì試shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Open 试 →
Appears in
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