Chinese word

参考书

Pronunciation

Pinyincān kǎo shū

Meaning

  • nounreference book

Example

我在书店看到一本参考书，想买。wǒ zài shū diàn kàn dào yì běn cān kǎo shū xiǎng mǎi

I saw a reference book at a bookstore and want to buy it.

Illustration for 参考书 (reference book)

More examples

考试前我常翻看参考书来复习。kǎo shì qián wǒ cháng fān kàn cān kǎo shū lái fù xí

Before an exam, I often leaf through a reference book to review.

Core concept

A book kept beside a main course or task for checking facts, methods, or background as needed.

Common phrases

  • 借参考书jiè cān kǎo shū

    borrow a reference book

  • 翻看参考书fān kàn cān kǎo shū

    leaf through a reference book

  • 查参考书chá cān kǎo shū

    consult a reference book

Similar words

课本kè běn: A book specially written to teach the content of a course.
书籍shū jí: Any book published in printed or electronic form.
资料zī liào: Collected information or documents used for research or explanation.
教材jiào cái: Books or documents prepared for teaching and learning activities.

Definition in Chinese

作为学习、研究或工作时补充主教材的信息来源的书籍或文献，强调可供参照而非必须按顺序通读的性质。zuò wéi xué xí yán jiū huò gōng zuò shí bǔ chōng zhǔ jiào cái de xìn xī lái yuán de shū jí huò wén xiàn qiáng diào kě gōng cān zhào ér fēi bì xū àn shùn xù tōng dú de xìng zhì

Word origin

参 (cān, "consult") + 考 (kǎo, "examine") + 书 (shū, "book") forms the idea of a book used to consult and examine information.

Usage tips

  • When counting this noun in conversation, a book measure word normally comes between the number and the noun, making requests and purchases sound complete.

Other meanings

  • reference materialnoun

Related words

  • 参考答案cān kǎo dá ànmodel answernoun
  • 参考资料cān kǎo zī liàoreference materialsnoun

Word lists with this word