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读书 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
读书dúshūto read a bookHSK 1, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #3398, Easy
读书dúshūto studyHSK 1, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #3398, Easy
读书dúshūto attend schoolHSK 1, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #3398, Easy
dúshū(du2shu1)du shu T2
  1. 1to read a book
  2. 2to study
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March 24, 2026

读书(讀書)dúshū(du2shu1)

读书 (du2 shu1) means 'to read books' or 'to study'. It is commonly used in contexts where one is engaging in formal education or self-directed learning. The phrase emphasizes the act of reading and acquiring knowledge, often associated with attending school or university.

Strokes14Frequency#3398DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 读书 is highly valued, often seen as a pathway to success and social mobility. The phrase encapsulates the deep respect for education and scholarly pursuits that permeates Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a student sitting at a desk, surrounded by piles of books, deeply engrossed in reading. The character 读 (du) resembles a person holding a book, while 书 (shu) looks like an open book itself. Together, they symbolize the act of immersing oneself in reading.

Meanings of 读书

dúshū(du2shu1)
1to read a book
2to study
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About 读书

读书Simplified
讀書Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1YCTL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 读书

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Podcast: 读书

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AI Study Notes for 读书

Quick Contrast

学习 (xuéxí) vs 读书 (dúshū): use 读书 when specifically referring to the act of reading books, while 学习 encompasses a broader range of learning activities, including studying, practicing, and acquiring new skills.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 读书 with simply 读 (read) or 学习 (study), but 读书 specifically implies reading books for education. It is generally used in more formal contexts, like discussing academic pursuits, rather than casual reading.

HSK Study Tips

While 读书 is not an HSK vocabulary item, students should focus on its components: 读 (to read) is an HSK 1 word, and 书 (book) is also in HSK 1. Understanding these will help build foundational vocabulary around education.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to use 读书 when referring to online studies. Instead, it's better to say 在线学习 (zai4 xian4 xue2 xi2) for online learning. Another mistake is using it in casual conversations where simply 读 would suffice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 读书

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Knowing 读书 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.

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Component Characters

读dúto read
HSK 110 strokes讠
View full entry
书shūbook
HSK 14 strokes丨
View full entry

How to say to read a book in Chinese

“to read a book” in Chinese is读书dúshū

读书 (du2 shu1) means 'to read books' or 'to study'. It is commonly used in contexts where one is engaging in formal education or self-directed learning. The phrase emphasizes the act of reading and acquiring knowledge, often associated with attending school or university.

When to use 读书

Learners often confuse 读书 with simply 读 (read) or 学习 (study), but 读书 specifically implies reading books for education. It is generally used in more formal contexts, like discussing academic pursuits, rather than casual reading.

读书 or something close to it

学习 (xuéxí) vs 读书 (dúshū): use 读书 when specifically referring to the act of reading books, while 学习 encompasses a broader range of learning activities, including studying, practicing, and acquiring new skills.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to use 读书 when referring to online studies. Instead, it's better to say 在线学习 (zai4 xian4 xue2 xi2) for online learning. Another mistake is using it in casual conversations where simply 读 would suffice.

Write 读书

读
书

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 读书

While you can, it's more appropriate to use 读 (read) for casual reading and reserve 读书 for academic or educational contexts.

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