讀 (dú) - To read & to study

讀Tone 2

dú ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

讀 · dú

To read;

to study;

to attend school;

a measure word for books or reading materials.

To readto studyto attend school

Usage highlights

Read booksRead aloudAttend schoolIntensive readingExtensive readingReader

Synonyms

  • 阅— To read; to peruse
  • 看— To look at; to read (more casual)
  • 念— To read aloud

Antonyms

  • 写— To write
  • 默— Silent; to read silently

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I like to read books (读书).
  • He is studying at university (读大学).
  • Please read this sentence aloud (朗读这个句子).
  • This is a reader for beginners (这是一本初级读本).

Collocations

  • Read books(读书)
  • Read aloud(朗读)
  • Attend school(就读)
  • Intensive reading(精读)
  • Extensive reading(泛读)
  • Reader(读者)

Idioms

  • Read a book a hundred times and its meaning becomes clear(读书百遍，其义自见)
  • Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles(读万卷书，行万里路)
  • Read between the lines(字里行间读出)
  • Unable to put a book down(手不释卷，读之忘食)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Highly valued in Chinese culture as a pathway to knowledge, virtue, and social advancement.
  • The act of 'reading' (读书) traditionally implied deep study and moral cultivation, not just literacy.
  • Historical civil service examinations emphasized memorization and interpretation of Confucian classics, making reading a crucial skill.

FAQ