备课

• Pinyin: bèi kè
• Hanzi breakdown: 备 = 夂 + 田 + 用 (to prepare); 课 = 讠 (speech) + 果 (phonetic)

Meaning

To prepare lessons; lesson preparation. The work a teacher does before class.

The process of preparing teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities before conducting a class. An essential part of teaching that includes reviewing content, creating materials, and anticipating student questions.

Examples

1. 她每天晚上都要花两三个小时备课。 She spends two or three hours preparing lessons every evening.
2. 新老师备课时间长是正常的，熟练以后会快很多。 It's normal for new teachers to spend more time on lesson prep — it gets faster with experience.
3. 这堂课他没有好好备课，讲得乱七八糟的。 He didn't prepare well for this class, and the lecture was all over the place.

Usage Guide

Context: education, teaching, school

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 老师正在备课。(The teacher is preparing the lesson.)
• 备课是教学工作的重要环节。(Lesson preparation is a crucial part of teaching.)

Don't Say

• 对学生的学习准备说'备课' (Don't say 备课 for students' study preparation — use 预习; 备课 is for teachers)

Origin & History

备 (to prepare) + 课 (lesson/class). To prepare for a lesson.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal