考试 (kǎo shì) — to take an exam in Mandarin
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#1282 most common word · HSK 2 · CEFR A2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
考试 is pronounced kǎo shì. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
wǒ men míng tiān yào kǎo shì.
We have to take an exam tomorrow.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 考试 mean?+
考试 (kǎo shì) means "to take an exam" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 考试?+
考试 is pronounced kǎo shì. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 考试 in Mandarin?+
考试 is the #1282 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 考试 fits
Every HSK 2 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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