读书

• Pinyin: dú shū
• Hanzi breakdown: 读 (read) + 书 (book) — to read books, to study

Meaning

To read; to study; to attend school. Refers broadly to studying or the act of reading books.

Has two main uses: literally reading books (我喜欢读书, I like reading), and more broadly studying or attending school (他在北京读书, he studies in Beijing). A very common expression in Chinese culture that values education.

Examples

1. 我喜欢读书。 I like reading.
2. 他在北京读书。 He studies in Beijing.
3. 读书可以学到很多东西。 You can learn a lot from reading.

Usage Guide

Context: education, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你在哪里读书？(Where do you go to school?)
• 多读书对你有好处。(Reading more is good for you.)

Don't Say

• 我读书了一本 (读书 is a verb-object phrase — say 我读了一本书 for 'I read a book')

Origin & History

Compound of 读 (read) and 书 (book) — to read books, extended to mean studying in general.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal