考 meaning in English

kǎo

to check; to verify

HSK 1verb6 strokes

Meaning of 考

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

kǎo

to check
to verify
to test
to examine
to take an exam
to take an entrance exam for
deceased father

kǎo

to beat
to hit
variant of 考[kao3]
to inspect
to test
to take an exam

How to use 考

考 is a common verb for taking a test or applying to a school by exam. It often takes the subject or the school as its object, as in 考大学 (kǎo dàxué, take the university entrance exam). Example: 我明天考数学。(Wǒ míngtiān kǎo shùxué.) I have a math exam tomorrow.

The top of 考 (kǎo) looks like 老 (lǎo, old), with a twisty bottom instead of 匕. Picture an old teacher with a bent walking stick who comes around to test you.

Common mistake: Learners often mix up 考 (kǎo) and 老 (lǎo) because their tops are identical. Check the bottom part: 老 ends in 匕, while 考 ends in a hooked stroke shaped like 丂. Also do not confuse 考 with 烤 (kǎo, to roast), which has the fire radical 火 on the left.

考 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

我wǒ们men下xià周zhōu有yǒu一yī场cháng重zhòng要yào的de考kǎo试shì。

We have an important exam next week.

我wǒ正zhèng在zài准zhǔn备bèi明míng天tiān的de数shù学xué考kǎo试shì。

I am preparing for tomorrow's math exam.

我wǒ一yì点diǎn也yě不bù想xiǎng思sī考kǎo原yuán因yīn。

I don't even want to think about why.

学xué生shēng们men正zhèng忙máng著zhù准zhǔn备bèi考kǎo试shì。

The students are busy preparing for the test.

正zhèng面miàn思sī考kǎo是shì种zhǒng生shēng活huó方fāng式shì。

Positive thinking is a way of living.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

考 kǎo · to check · 6 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 考.

考试	kǎoshì	to take an exam; exam
考生	kǎoshēng	exam candidate; student whose name has been put forward for an exam
考验	kǎoyàn	to test; to put to the test
考虑	kǎolǜ	to think over; to consider
思考	sīkǎo	to reflect on; to ponder over
参考	cānkǎo	consultation; reference
考察	kǎochá	to inspect; to observe and study
考核	kǎohé	to examine; to check up on
高考	gāokǎo	college entrance exam (especially as abbr. for 普通高等學校招生全國統一考試\|普通高等学校招生全国统一考试[Pu3 tong1 Gao
报考	bàokǎo	to enter oneself for an examination
补考	bǔkǎo	to sit for a makeup exam; to resit an exam
考场	kǎochǎng	exam room

Questions about 考

What does 考 mean?

考 (kǎo) means "to check; to verify" and is used as a verb.

How do you write 考?

考 is made of 1 character: 考 (6 strokes). That is 6 strokes in total.

Is 考 an HSK word?

Yes. 考 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

How do I say I passed or failed an exam with 考?

Add a result complement. 考上 (kǎoshàng) means you passed and got into a school, as in 他考上了北京大学 (He got into Peking University). 考得好 means you did well, and 没考好 or 考砸了 means you did badly.

Does 考 always mean exam?

No. In words like 考虑 (kǎolǜ, to consider), 思考 (sīkǎo, to ponder) and 参考 (cānkǎo, reference), it carries the older sense of checking or examining something carefully. In classical texts it can also mean deceased father.