Learn a Chinese Character - 考

1. Character Basics

Radical: 耂 (old radical)

Stroke Count: 6

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: kǎo

3. Meaning

English meaning: test, examine, check, consider, honor the dead

4. Common Words

• 考试 (kǎo shì) - examination, test
• 考核 (kǎo hé) - assess, evaluate
• 考虑 (kǎo lǜ) - consider, think about
• 考验 (kǎo yàn) - test, trial
• 考古 (kǎo gǔ) - archaeology

5. Grammar & Usage

Usage notes:

• 可以用作动词，表示测试、检查或考虑
• 也可以用作名词，如"考试"指测试
• 在传统用法中，也有"考妣"指父母的意思

6. Cultural Background

The character "考" originally depicted an old person with a bent back. It evolved to mean testing or examining, possibly because elders were responsible for evaluating others. In Chinese culture, it is most commonly associated with academic exams, which have played a crucial role in education and social mobility for centuries.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Mnemonic: The character "考" has "耂" (old) on top. Imagine an old teacher giving a test or examining students.