Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
考生 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
考生kǎoshēngexam candidateHSK 4, unknown, 11 strokes, rank #52050, Medium
考生kǎoshēngstudent whose name has been put forward for an examHSK 4, unknown, 11 strokes, rank #52050, Medium
kǎoshēng(kao3sheng1)kao sheng T3
  1. 1exam candidate
  2. 2student whose name has been put forward for an exam
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

考生kǎoshēng(kao3sheng1)

考生 (kǎo shēng) refers to a candidate or student who is taking an exam. This term is commonly used in educational contexts, especially during college entrance examinations or standardized tests in China. It highlights the individual's role in an assessment process.

Strokes11Frequency#52050DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In China, the National College Entrance Examination, known as 高考 (gāo kǎo), is a significant milestone for 考生 as it greatly influences their future educational opportunities. The high stakes of this exam underscore the societal emphasis on education.

Memory Tip

Imagine a student (生) sitting nervously in an exam room, clutching their exam papers (考). The '考' character looks like a person sitting at a desk with a big question mark overhead, symbolizing the exam they are about to take. Remember that 'kǎo' sounds like 'cow' – picture a cow being tested for its knowledge!

Meanings of 考生

kǎoshēng(kao3sheng1)
1exam candidate
2student whose name has been put forward for an exam
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 考生 means.

About 考生

考生Simplified
11Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 考生

JasonAmy

Podcast: 考生

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 考生

Quick Contrast

考生 (kǎoshēng) vs 考题 (kǎotí) — pick 考生 when referring to the person taking the exam, rather than the questions or items on the exam.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 考生 with other terms related to students, such as 学生 (xué shēng), which simply means 'student'. 考生 is more specific to the context of exams. It is mainly used in formal settings, so be mindful of the context when using it.

HSK Study Tips

Although 考生 is not listed in the HSK vocabulary, it is relevant for students preparing for exams. Students at this level should focus on related terms like 考试 (kǎo shì, exam) and 学习 (xué xí, study) to build a stronger foundation in educational vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 考生 with the general term 学生. For example, saying '我是一名考生在学校' (I am an exam candidate at school) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我是一名学生' (I am a student).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 考生

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 考生 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 考生 to You

Let me explain 考生 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 考生 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 考生?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 考生 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component Characters

考kǎoto beat
HSK 26 strokes耂
View full entry
生shēngto be born
HSK 45 strokes生
View full entry

How to say exam candidate in Chinese

“exam candidate” in Chinese is考生kǎoshēng

考生 (kǎo shēng) refers to a candidate or student who is taking an exam. This term is commonly used in educational contexts, especially during college entrance examinations or standardized tests in China. It highlights the individual's role in an assessment process.

When to use 考生

Be cautious not to confuse 考生 with other terms related to students, such as 学生 (xué shēng), which simply means 'student'. 考生 is more specific to the context of exams. It is mainly used in formal settings, so be mindful of the context when using it.

考生 or something close to it

考生 (kǎoshēng) vs 考题 (kǎotí) — pick 考生 when referring to the person taking the exam, rather than the questions or items on the exam.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 考生 with the general term 学生. For example, saying '我是一名考生在学校' (I am an exam candidate at school) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我是一名学生' (I am a student).

Write 考生

考
生

Practice writing 考生 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 考生?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Frequently Asked Questions about 考生

考生 specifically refers to a student taking an exam, while 学生 is a general term for any student.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 考生?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab