讀書

See also: 读书 and 読書

Chinese

		to read; to study; comma to read; to study; comma; phrase marked by pause	book; letter
trad. (讀書)		讀	書
simp. (读书)		读	书

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): dúshū

(Zhuyin): ㄉㄨˊ ㄕㄨ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): du² su¹

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): дўфу (dwfu, III-I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): duk⁶ syu¹

(Taishan, Wiktionary): uuk⁵ si¹
Gan (Wiktionary): tuh⁷ xy¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): thu̍k-sû

(Hailu, HRS): tug^ˋ shu^ˋ

(Meixian, Guangdong): tug⁶ su¹
Eastern Min (BUC): tĕ̤k-cṳ̆
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): tah⁷ zy¹
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): tha̍k-chu / tha̍k-chir / tho̍k-su / tho̍k-sir / tho̍k-si

(Teochew, Peng'im): tag⁸ ze¹ / tag⁸ zu¹
Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁸doq-sy; ⁸doq ¹sy / ⁸doq syu₁

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: dúshū
  - Zhuyin: ㄉㄨˊ ㄕㄨ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: dúshu
  - Wade–Giles: tu²-shu¹
  - Yale: dú-shū
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dwushu
  - Palladius: душу (dušu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu³⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: du² su¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: dusu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu²¹ su⁵⁵/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: дўфу (dwfu, III-I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu⁴⁴ fou²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: duk⁶ syu¹
  - Yale: duhk syū
  - Cantonese Pinyin: duk⁹ sy¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: dug⁶ xu¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʊk̚² syː⁵⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: uuk⁵ si¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɵk̚³² si³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: tuh⁷ xy¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰuʔ² ɕy⁴²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: thu̍k-sû
  - Hakka Romanization System: tug su^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: tug⁶ su¹
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰuk̚⁵ su²⁴/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: tug^ˋ shu^ˋ
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰuk² ʃu⁵³/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: tug⁶ su¹
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰʊk̚⁵ su⁴⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: tĕ̤k-cṳ̆
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰøyʔ⁵⁻⁵⁵ t͡sy⁵⁵/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: tah⁷ zy¹ [Phonetic: tah⁶ zy¹]
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: ta̍h-cṳ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaʔ⁴⁻²¹ t͡sy⁵³³/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: tah⁷ zy¹ [Phonetic: tah⁶ zy¹]
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaʔ⁴⁻² t͡sy⁵⁴⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Taipei, Magong, Hsinchu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tha̍k-chu
  - Tâi-lô: tha̍k-tsu
  - Phofsit Daibuun: tagzw
  - IPA (Taipei): /tʰak̚⁴⁻³² t͡su⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tha̍k-chir
  - Tâi-lô: tha̍k-tsir
  - IPA (Lukang): /tʰak̚³⁵⁻² t͡sɨ³³/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /tʰak̚²⁴⁻² t͡sɯ³³/
  - IPA (Kinmen): /tʰak̚⁵⁴⁻³² t͡sɯ⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tho̍k-su
  - Tâi-lô: tho̍k-su
  - Phofsit Daibuun: togsw
  - IPA (Xiamen): /tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² su⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tho̍k-sir
  - Tâi-lô: tho̍k-sir
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /tʰɔk̚²⁴⁻² sɯ³³/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tho̍k-si
  - Tâi-lô: tho̍k-si
  - Phofsit Daibuun: togsy
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /tʰɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ si⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: tag⁸ ze¹ / tag⁸ zu¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tha̍k tsṳ / tha̍k tsu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰak̚⁴⁻² t͡sɯ³³/, /tʰak̚⁴⁻² t͡su³³/

Note: tag8 ze1 - Chaozhou.

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁸doq-sy; ⁸doq ¹sy
  - MiniDict: doh^入 sy; doh^入 sy^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵doq-sr; ⁵doq ¹sr
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /doʔ¹¹ sz̩²³/, /doʔ²² sz̩⁵³/
- (Northern: Suzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁸doq syu₁
  - MiniDict: doh^入 syu^平
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /doʔ²³ sz̩ʷ⁴⁴/

Middle Chinese: duwk syo

Rime
Character	讀	書
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	定 (7)	書 (26)
Final (韻)	屋 (3)	魚 (22)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	III
Fanqie	徒谷切	傷魚切
Baxter	duwk	syo
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/duk̚/	/ɕɨʌ/
Pan Wuyun	/duk̚/	/ɕiɔ/
Shao Rongfen	/duk̚/	/ɕiɔ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/dəwk̚/	/ɕɨə̆/
Li Rong	/duk̚/	/ɕiɔ/
Wang Li	/duk̚/	/ɕĭo/
Bernhard Karlgren	/dʱuk̚/	/ɕi̯wo/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	dú	shū
Expected Cantonese Reflex	duk⁶	syu¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*C.lˤok s-ta/

(Zhengzhang): /*l'oːɡ hlja/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	讀	書
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	dú	shū
Middle Chinese	‹ duwk ›	‹ syo ›
Old Chinese	/*C.lˁok/	/*s-ta/
English	read (v.)	write
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	讀	書
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	16039	17013
Phonetic component	𧶠	者
Rime group	屋	魚
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	獨	書
Old Chinese	/*l'oːɡ/	/*hlja/

Verb

讀⫽書 (verb-object) (intransitive)

to read books
讀書破萬卷，下筆如有神。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
读书破万卷，下笔如有神。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Dúshū pò wàn juàn, xiàbǐ rú yǒu shén. [Pinyin]
Great writers read widely.

有人認為讀書無用。 [MSC, trad.]
有人认为读书无用。 [MSC, simp.]
Yǒurén rènwéi dúshū wúyòng. [Pinyin]
Some believe reading is a waste of time.

人醜就該多讀書。 [MSC, trad.]
人丑就该多读书。 [MSC, simp.]
Rén chǒu jiù gāi duō dúshū. [Pinyin]
Ugly people should read more books.

他是咱們村裡讀書最多的人。 [MSC, trad.]
他是咱们村里读书最多的人。 [MSC, simp.]
Tā shì zánmen cūn lǐ dúshū zuì duō de rén. [Pinyin]
He has read the most books out of anyone in our village.
to study
她來中國讀書。／她来中国读书。 ― Tā lái zhōngguó dúshū. ― She came to China to study.
to be in school; to attend school
我的孩子正在小學讀書。 [MSC, trad.]
我的孩子正在小学读书。 [MSC, simp.]
Wǒ de háizi zhèngzài xiǎoxué dúshū. [Pinyin]
My child is currently in primary school.
- 1972, Lo Wei, Fist of Fury, spoken by Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee):
  
  我少讀書，你唔好呃我。 [Cantonese, trad.]
  我少读书，你唔好呃我。 [Cantonese, simp.]
  ngo⁵ siu² duk⁶ syu¹, nei⁵ m⁴ hou² aak¹ ngo⁵. [Jyutping]
  I don't have much education; please don't fool me.

Synonyms

(to read): 看書／看书 (kànshū), 閱讀／阅读 (yuèdú), (Hokkien, Teochew) 讀冊／读册 (tha̍k-chheh)
(to study):

學／学 (xué), 學習／学习 (xuéxí)

Dialectal synonyms of 念書 (“to study”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		念書, 讀書
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	讀書, 念書
	Harbin	念書
	Malaysia	讀書
	Singapore	讀書
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	讀書, 念書
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	念書
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	讀書, 念書
	Wanrong	念書
	Xi'an	念書
	Xining	讀書, 念書
	Xuzhou	讀書
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	念書
Lanyin Mandarin	Lanzhou	念書
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	讀書, 念書
	Wuhan	讀書
	Guiyang	讀書
	Guilin	讀書
	Liuzhou	讀書
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	念書, 讀書
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	念書
Cantonese	Guangzhou	讀書
	Hong Kong	讀書
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	讀書
	Macau	讀書
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	讀書
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	讀書
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	讀書
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	讀書
	Foshan	讀書
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	讀書
	Foshan (Shunde)	讀書
	Foshan (Sanshui)	讀書
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	念書
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	讀書
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	讀書
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	讀書
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	讀書
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	讀書
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	讀書
	Taishan	讀書
	Kaiping (Chikan)	讀書
	Enping (Niujiang)	讀書
	Heshan (Yayao)	讀書
	Dongguan	讀書
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	讀書
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	讀書
	Singapore (Guangfu)	讀書
Gan	Nanchang	念書, 讀書
	Lichuan	念書
	Pingxiang	讀書
Hakka	Meixian	讀書
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	讀書
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	讀書
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	讀書
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	讀書
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	讀書
	Yudu	讀書
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	讀書
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	讀書
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	讀書
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	讀書
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	讀書
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	讀書
Huizhou	Jixi	念書
Jin	Taiyuan	念書
Jin	Xinzhou	念書
Northern Min	Jian'ou	念書
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	讀書
Southern Min	Xiamen	讀冊
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	讀書
	Quanzhou	讀冊, 讀書
	Jinjiang	讀冊
	Zhangzhou	讀冊
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	讀冊
	Zhao'an	讀冊
	Dongshan	讀冊
	Taipei	讀書
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	讀書
	Kaohsiung	讀冊
	Yilan	讀冊
	Changhua (Lukang)	讀書
	Taichung	讀冊
	Tainan	讀冊
	Hsinchu	讀書
	Kinmen	讀書
	Penghu (Magong)	讀書
	Penang (Hokkien)	讀冊
	Singapore (Hokkien)	讀冊
	Manila (Hokkien)	讀冊
	Chaozhou	讀書
	Shantou	讀書
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	讀書
	Jieyang	讀書
	Haifeng	讀冊
	Ho Chi Minh City (Teochew)	讀書
	Singapore (Teochew)	讀書
	Wenchang	讀書
	Haikou	讀書
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	念書
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	讀書
Wu	Shanghai	讀書
	Shanghai (Chongming)	念書
	Suzhou	讀書
	Danyang	念書
	Hangzhou	讀書
	Ningbo	讀書
	Wenzhou	讀書
	Jinhua	讀書
Xiang	Loudi	讀書

(to attend school): 上學／上学 (shàngxué), 求學／求学 (qiúxué), 念書／念书 (niànshū)

Derived terms

讀書人 / 读书人 (dúshūrén)
讀書會 / 读书会 (dúshūhuì)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (讀書):

→ Japanese: 読書(どくしょ) (dokusho)
→ Korean: 독서(讀書) (dokseo)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
讀	書
どく Hyōgai	しょ Grade: 2
on'yomi

Noun

讀(どく)書(しょ) • (dokusho)

Kyūjitai form of 読書 (“the act of reading”)

Korean

Hanja in this term
讀	書

Noun

讀書 • (dokseo) (hangeul 독서)

hanja form^? of 독서 (“reading”)