In Chinese culture, education is held in extremely high regard, and diligence is seen as the primary path to success. The concept of 复习 (fùxí) is central to this value system. It is not just a study technique but a reflection of a student's commitment and hard work. A useful comparison is with the Western concept of “cramming.” While cramming is a form of review, it often carries a negative connotation of last-minute, panicked, and superficial memorization. 复习 (fùxí), on the other hand, is viewed as a virtuous and necessary part of the entire learning process. The ideal is to review material consistently over time, not just before a test. This is encapsulated in the famous proverb 温故而知新 (wēn gù ér zhī xīn), which means “review the old and you will learn the new.” This suggests that by deeply understanding past knowledge through review, one can gain new insights and a more profound understanding. In a society with the famously rigorous gaokao (高考), the national college entrance exam, the discipline of constant 复习 is instilled in students from a very young age.
复习 (fùxí) is one of the most common words you'll hear in any academic context in China.