How to write 考 (kǎo, “to check”)
考 (kǎo), an HSK 2 character, means “to check”, “to verify” and “to test”. It is HSK 2 in the 2025 syllabus, up from level 1 in the 2021 standard. China and Japan agree on the order, but one stroke is drawn differently in the Japanese model. On its own it is an HSK 2 word; it also forms 考试 (“to take an exam”), 考生 (“exam candidate”) and 高考 (“college entrance exam”). Japanese reads it kou, “consider”, as a JLPT N4 kanji.
- Pinyin
- kǎo
- Strokes
- 6
- HSK
- 2
- Radical
- 耂 (“old”)
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
As a top-left cover character it splits into 耂 (“old”, the radical), strokes 1–4; 丂 (“"breath" or "sigh" component in Chinese characte”), strokes 5–6, written the cover first.
- top leftrightwards
- topdownwards
- leftrightwards
- top rightdown and left
- centerrightwards
- centerdownwards → rightwards → downwards
Japanese and Chinese
Same order, but stroke 5 differs: KanjiVG draws a left-falling stroke, Make Me a Hanzi a stroke that runs rightwards.
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| kǎo third tone | to check; to verify; to test; to examine; to take an exam | — | 考试 考生 高考 报考 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 2
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 2 word
- Words with it
- 104 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 考
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 考 | kǎo | to check; to verify HSK 2 |
| 考试 考試 | kǎoshì | to take an exam; exam HSK 2 |
| 考生 | kǎoshēng | exam candidate; student whose name has been put forward for an exam HSK 4 |
| 高考 | gāokǎo | college entrance exam… HSK 4 |
| 报考 報考 | bàokǎo | to enter oneself for an examination HSK 4 |
| 考虑 考慮 | kǎolǜ | to think over; to consider HSK 4 |
| 思考 | sīkǎo | to reflect on; to ponder over HSK 5 |
| 参考 參考 | cānkǎo | consultation; reference HSK 5 |
| 考察 | kǎochá | to inspect; to observe and study HSK 6 |
| 考验 考驗 | kǎoyàn | to test; to put to the test HSK 6 |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several characters: worksheet maker.
Keep going
HSK 2, in list order: