Usage note
“考”常常表示参加考试，比如在学校里考语文或数学。
“kǎo” chángcháng biǎoshì cānjiā kǎoshì, bǐrú zài xuéxiào lǐ kǎo yǔwén huò shùxué.
This word is often used to mean taking a test, like when you have a Chinese or math exam at school.
Context note
在学校里，学生参加考试时常用这个字，比如期中考试或期末考试。
Zài xuéxiào lǐ, xuéshēng cānjiā kǎoshì shí cháng yòng zhège zì, bǐrú qīzhōng kǎoshì huò qīmò kǎoshì.
This word is used in school when students take tests, like midterm or final exams.
5 examples
明天我要去考数学。
míng tiān wǒ yào qù kǎo shù xué。
Tomorrow I need to take the math exam.
老师会考我们英语单词。
lǎo shī huì kǎo wǒ men yīng yǔ dān cí。
The teacher will test us on English words.
考试之前要复习。
kǎo shì zhī qián yào fù xí。
We should review before the exam.
这次考试很难。
zhè cì kǎo shì hěn nán。
This exam is quite difficult.
考完试后我们可以休息一下。
kǎo wán shì hòu wǒ men kě yǐ xiū xi yí xià。
After finishing the test, we can take a break.
5 mini stories
小明每天都要复习，因为他明天要考数学。
xiǎo míng měi tiān dōu yào fù xí， yīn wèi tā míng tiān yào kǎo shù xué。
Xiaoming reviews every day because he has to take the math exam tomorrow.
老师说这次考试很重要，我们要认真准备。
lǎo shī shuō zhè cì kǎo shì hěn zhòng yào， wǒ men yào rèn zhēn zhǔn bèi。
The teacher said this exam is very important, so we need to prepare carefully.
小红昨天晚上熬夜复习了，因为她今天要考英语。
xiǎo hóng zuó tiān wǎn shàng áo yè fù xí le， yīn wèi tā jīn tiān yào kǎo yīng yǔ。
Xiaohong stayed up late last night to review because she has an English test today.
考试的时候要注意时间，不要超时。
kǎo shì de shí hòu yào zhù yì shí jiān， bú yào chāo shí。
We should pay attention to the time during the exam and not exceed it.
考完试后，小华和同学们一起庆祝。
kǎo wán shì hòu， xiǎo huá hé tóng xué men yì qǐ qìng zhù。
After finishing the test, Xiaohua celebrated with his classmates.
Mini dialogue
明天考数学
A
明天我们考什么？
Míngtiān wǒmen kǎo shénme?
What test do we have tomorrow?
B
考数学，你复习了吗？
Kǎo shùxué, nǐ fùxí le ma?
A math test. Did you review?
考得怎么样
A
今天考得怎么样？
Jīntiān kǎo de zěnme yàng?
How did the test go today?
B
我觉得考得不错。
Wǒ juéde kǎo de búcuò.
I think it went well.
Related words and contrasts
similar
考试
kǎoshì
exam; test
考 is the verb, 考试 is the noun for an exam.
similar
测验
cèyàn
quiz; short test
测验 is usually a smaller quiz than a big 考试.