Meaning of 审查
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to examine
- to investigate
- to censor out
- censorship
How to use 审查
审查 is a formal word used for official reviews of documents, plans, qualifications, or media content, and it is also the common word for censorship. Example: 这份报告需要经过审查。(Zhè fèn bàogào xūyào jīngguò shěnchá.) This report needs to go through review.
审 (shěn) means to examine carefully, like a judge reviewing a case, and 查 (chá) means to check or look into. Put them together and you get a formal, careful review: 审查 (shěnchá), to examine closely or to censor.
Common mistake: Learners often use 审查 for everyday checking, like checking homework or a car, where 检查 (jiǎnchá) is the natural choice. Also remember 审 is third tone (shěn), not fourth tone like 肾 (shèn, kidney).
审查 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
审 shěn · to examine · 8 strokes
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查 chá · to research · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 审查.
| 检查 | jiǎnchá | inspection; to examine |
| 调查 | diàochá | investigation; inquiry |
| 查询 | cháxún | to check; to inquire |
| 查看 | chákàn | to look over; to examine |
| 查出 | cháchū | to find out; to discover |
| 搜查 | sōuchá | to search |
| 审判 | shěnpàn | a trial; to try sb |
| 查明 | chámíng | to investigate and find out; to ascertain |
| 查找 | cházhǎo | to search for; to look up |
| 审视 | shěnshì | to look closely at; to examine |
| 审核 | shěnhé | to audit; to investigate thoroughly |
| 评审 | píngshěn | to appraise; to evaluate |
Questions about 审查
What does 审查 mean?
审查 (shěnchá) means "to examine; to investigate" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 审查?
审查 is made of 2 characters: 审 (8 strokes), 查 (9 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 审查 an HSK word?
Yes. 审查 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 审查 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 审查 is written 審查.
What is the difference between 审查 and 调查?
审查 (shěnchá) means reviewing something already in front of you, such as a document, a film, or an application. 调查 (diàochá) means investigating to find out facts, such as a survey or a police investigation.
Does 审查 always mean censorship?
No. It often just means an official review, as in 资格审查 (zīgé shěnchá, qualification review). The censorship meaning comes from context, for example 新闻审查 (xīnwén shěnchá, news censorship).