Usage note
查表示检查、找资料或核对信息。
chá biǎo shì jiǎn chá 、 zhǎo zī liào huò hé duì xìn xī。
查 means to check, look up information, or verify something.
Context note
查常出现在查字典、查资料和检查东西里。
chá cháng chū xiàn zài chá zì diǎn 、 chá zī liào hé jiǎn chá dōng xī lǐ。
查 often appears in looking up dictionaries, checking information, and inspecting things.
5 examples
我查字典。
wǒ chá zì diǎn。
I look up the dictionary.
老师查作业。
lǎo shī chá zuò yè。
The teacher checks homework.
请查一下名字。
qǐng chá yí xià míng zì。
Please check the name.
他在查资料。
tā zài chá zī liào。
He is looking up information.
我们查地图。
wǒ men chá dì tú。
We check the map.
5 mini stories
遇到不会的字，我就查字典。
yù dào bú huì de zì， wǒ jiù chá zì diǎn。
When I meet a character I do not know, I look it up in the dictionary.
老师查了每个人的作业。
lǎo shī chá le měi gè rén de zuò yè。
The teacher checked everyone's homework.
妈妈让我查一下车站在哪儿。
mā ma ràng wǒ chá yí xià chē zhàn zài nǎ ér。
Mom asked me to check where the station is.
我在查这个词的意思。
wǒ zài chá zhè ge cí de yì sī。
I am looking up the meaning of this word.
出门前先查天气，比较方便。
chū mén qián xiān chá tiān qì， bǐ jiào fāng biàn。
It is convenient to check the weather before going out.
Mini dialogue
查字典
A
我不认识这个字，你帮我查一下。
Wǒ bù rènshi zhège zì, nǐ bāng wǒ chá yīxià.
I don't know this character, help me check it.
B
好的，我用字典查。
Hǎo de, wǒ yòng zìdiǎn chá.
Okay, I'll check it with the dictionary.
查天气
A
明天天气怎么样？你查了吗？
Míngtiān tiānqì zěnme yàng? Nǐ chá le ma?
What's the weather like tomorrow? Did you check?
B
查了，明天是晴天。
Chá le, míngtiān shì qíngtiān.
I checked, tomorrow will be sunny.
Related words and contrasts
similar
找
zhǎo
to look for
To search for something, often physically.
similar
检查
jiǎn chá
to inspect; examine
A more formal check, like a doctor's examination.
related
问
wèn
to ask
To ask a question to find out information.