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考

Mandarin · pinyin kǎo

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考: kǎo · examine, test; investigate

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3 · kao3

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1character link12same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 7 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

haau2

Cantonese word readings for 考. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character

to examine; to check
to study; to investigate
to test; to assess
to have a test; to have an exam
(abbreviation, alt-of) short for 考試／考试 (kǎoshì, “exam; test”)
(literary) long-lived; elderly
(literary) deceased father; posthumous name for male relations

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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