verb HSK 2
Traditional 讀書
to read books · to study · to attend school
Meaning
读书 literally means 'to read books' but is commonly used to mean 'to study' or 'to attend school.' It emphasizes the activity of reading for learning purposes rather than casual reading for pleasure. This is one of the most fundamental words related to education in Chinese.
Usage
Native speakers use 读书 to refer to formal education and serious study. When asking someone if they're in school, you might say '你在读书吗?' It's more formal than 看书 (to read casually). Common in phrases like 读书人 (scholar) and 好好读书 (study hard).
Examples
- 01我每天晚上都读书。.I read/study every evening.
- 02他在北京读书。.He is studying in Beijing.
Characters
Common collocations
- 好好读书to study hard
- 读书人scholar, educated person
- 在读书currently studying/in school
- 爱读书to love reading/studying
Origin
Compound of 读 (to read) and 书 (book). The combination has been used since ancient times to refer to scholarly study and education.