考核

• Pinyin: kǎo hé
• Hanzi breakdown: 考 = 耂 (old) + 丂, originally meaning elderly/to test; 核 = 木 (wood) + 亥, originally referring to fruit pit, now meaning to verify

Meaning

To assess; to evaluate; examination. The process of testing and evaluating performance or qualifications.

A formal term for systematic assessment, typically in workplace, academic, or official contexts. Includes performance reviews, qualification tests, and formal evaluations. More comprehensive than a simple test, often involving multiple criteria.

Examples

1. 公司每年都会对员工进行绩效考核。 The company conducts performance evaluations for employees every year.
2. 他通过了所有的考核，正式成为一名飞行员。 He passed all the assessments and officially became a pilot.
3. 这次考核的内容包括理论和实践两部分。 This evaluation covers both theory and practice.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, academic, official

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 年度考核什么时候开始？(When does the annual evaluation start?)
• 考核结果将影响你的晋升。(The evaluation results will affect your promotion.)

Don't Say

• 妈妈对我进行考核。(For informal family situations, use 检查 — 考核 is for formal assessments)

Origin & History

考 (kǎo, examine/test) + 核 (hé, verify/check). Together they mean thorough examination and verification.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Professional/Academic