查 chá
“to research; to check; to investigate”
verb2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
查 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 550: 查 chá — Level 3; official annotation 3 (动). PDF page 93
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 查
查 (chá) as a verb means to look something up, check or investigate: 查字典、查资料、查票、查这件事. With a dictionary or reference, the usual order is 查+source (查字典) and 一下 goes right after the verb: 查一下字典、查一下时间. The reading Zhā appears only as a surname and is not used in these everyday senses.
例句Example sentences
- 不认识的字可以查字典。bú rèn shi de zì kě yǐ chá zì diǎn.You can look up characters you don't know in a dictionary.
- 我查了一下，明天下午三点有一班飞机。wǒ chá le yí xià, míng tiān xià wǔ sān diǎn yǒu yì bān fēi jī.I checked, and there's a flight at three tomorrow afternoon.
- 警察正在查这件事。jǐng chá zhèng zài chá zhè jiàn shì.The police are investigating this matter.
易混词Easily confused
查vs检查
检查 means to inspect or examine something thoroughly (检查身体、检查作业); 查 is used for looking up information (查字典、查电话) or investigating a matter.
义项All meanings
- Zhā: surname Zha
- chá: to research; to check; to investigate; to examine; to refer to; to look up (e.g. a word in a dictionary)
- zhā: variant of 楂