TongTong
Sign in

考验 (kǎo yàn) — to test, to put (someone/something) to the test

Definition

考验 (kǎoyàn) frames 'testing' as a sustained ordeal that reveals a person's character or quality — stronger than 测试 (a neutral check of skill) and 试验 (a controlled experiment).

verb
to testto put (someone/something) to the test

Examples

  • 考验。
    Zhè cì rèn wu kǎo yàn měi gè rén de nài xīn.
    This mission tests everyone's patience.
  • 考验。
    Kùn nan shí kè zuì kǎo yàn yǒu yì.
    Difficult times test friendship the most.
  • 考验。
    Zhè chǎng bǐ sài zhēn shí dì kǎo yàn le wǒ men de shuǐ píng.
    This competition truly tested our level.

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kǎotest
验yànverify

“考” (test) and “验” (verify) combine to mean putting someone or something to the test.

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.