TongTong
Sign in

阅读 (yuè dú) — to read (books, texts, articles)

Definition

A more formal, written word for 'to read' than 看 or 读, used for books, articles, and texts. Often appears in titles, course names (阅读课), and sustained reading. Use 朗读 when reading aloud.

verb
to read (books, texts, articles)

Examples

  • 阅读。
    Wǒ měi tiān shàng wǔ dōu yuè dú yì xiǎo shí de shū.
    I read books for an hour every morning.
  • 阅读。
    Tā zhèng zài yuè dú yì piān yǒu qù de wén zhāng.
    He is reading an interesting article.
  • 阅读。
    yuè dú Zhè běn shū néng ràng nǐ xué dào hěn duō zhī shi.
    Reading this book can help you learn a lot of knowledge.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

阅yuèread
读dúread

Both 阅 and 读 mean “read,” so the word expresses reading.

Characters in this word

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 閱; 阅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門mén
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì閱yuè
Same sound today

The traditional form 閱 pairs 門, a gate, with 兌, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 阅 is a shorthand.

Open 阅 →

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 讀; 读 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠讀dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 讀 is made of 言 ('to say') and 𧶠 (giving the sound); this description is about 讀, not 读.

Open 读 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Reading & Writing

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.