Usage note
读的意思是看书或文字，比如在学校里读课本。
dú de yìsi shì kàn shū huò wénzì, bǐrú zài xuéxiào lǐ dú kèběn.
It means to look at books or text, like reading a textbook at school.
Context note
在学校里，我们每天都会读课本和故事书。
Zài xuéxiào lǐ, wǒmen měitiān dōu huì dú kèběn hé gùshì shū.
This word is used when talking about reading books or texts, especially in a school setting.
5 examples
每天读故事
měitiān dú gùshì
Read stories every day
我们一起读吧
wǒmen yīqǐ dú ba
Let's read together
读完再玩
dú wán zài wán
Read first, then play
妈妈教我读
māma jiàowǒ dú
Mom teaches me to read
书上有很多字要读
shū shàng yǒu hěnduō zì yào dú
There are many characters to read in the book
5 mini stories
小明每天早上读英语书。他很喜欢读书。
xiǎomíng měitiān zǎoshang dú yīngyǔ shū. tā hěn xǐhuān dúshū.
Xiaoming reads English books every morning. He really likes reading.
妈妈带小红去图书馆。她们在那里读了很多书。
māma dài xiǎohóng qù tówénguǎn. tāmen zài nàlǐ dú le hěnduō shū.
Mom takes Xiaohong to the library. They read many books there.
老师在黑板上写了一个字，让大家读。
lǎoshī zài hēibān shàng xiě le yìgè zì, dàjiā ràng dú.
The teacher writes a character on the blackboard and asks everyone to read it.
爸爸每天晚上读报纸。他说这样可以了解世界。
bàba měitiān wǎnshàng dú bǎozhǐ. tā shuō zhèyàng kěyǐ liǎojiě shìjiè.
Dad reads newspapers every evening. He says it helps him understand the world.
姐姐教妹妹读拼音。她们一起学习很有趣。
jiějie jiàosèdì dú pīnyīn. tāmen yīqǐ xuéxí hěn qùyǒu.
The older sister teaches the younger sister to read pinyin. They find learning together very fun.
Mini dialogue
一起读书
A
你在读什么书？
Nǐ zài dú shénme shū?
What book are you reading?
B
我在读一本关于动物的书。
Wǒ zài dú yī běn guānyú dòngwù de shū.
I am reading a book about animals.
读课文
A
你可以读一下这篇课文吗？
Nǐ kěyǐ dú yīxià zhè piān kèwén ma?
Can you read this lesson text?
B
好的，我来读。
Hǎo de, wǒ lái dú.
Okay, I will read it.
Related words and contrasts
similar
看
kàn
to look; to watch; to read
Can also mean 'to read' in a general sense, like '看书' (read a book).
contrast
写
xiě
to write
Reading is input; writing is output.