核对

héduì: 核对 - Check, Verify, Collate

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: hedui, 核对, check in Chinese, verify in Chinese, collate data Chinese, Chinese word for checking information, 核对 vs 检查, hedui meaning, HSK 4 vocabulary
  • Summary: Learn the Chinese verb 核对 (héduì), which means to check, verify, or collate. This term is essential for work and daily life, used when you need to carefully compare two sets of information for accuracy, like checking a bill against your order or verifying data in a report. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural nuances, and provides practical examples to help you use it correctly and avoid common mistakes.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): héduì
  • Part of Speech: Verb
  • HSK Level: HSK 4
  • Concise Definition: To check or verify information by carefully comparing it with a source.
  • In a Nutshell: Think of 核对 (héduì) as “to cross-check” or “to fact-check.” It's not a casual glance. It’s a deliberate action of taking one piece of information (like a name on a list) and comparing it against another (like a name on an ID card) to ensure they match perfectly. It implies precision, care, and the goal of finding any discrepancies.

Character Breakdown

  • 核 (hé): The original meaning is a “nut” or “kernel.” From this, it extends to mean the “core,” “nucleus,” or the essential part of something. In this context, it implies a deep, core-level examination.
  • 对 (duì): This character means “correct,” “right,” or “to face.” It carries the strong sense of matching, pairing, or aligning two things opposite each other.
  • The characters combine powerfully: 核 (examine the core) + 对 (to match) = to perform a core examination to ensure two things match. This creates the precise meaning of verifying data by comparison.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • The Importance of Precision: In Chinese professional and bureaucratic culture, precision and avoiding errors are highly valued. Mistakes can lead to a loss of face (面子) for oneself and one's group. The common use of 核对 (héduì) reflects this cultural emphasis on diligence and meticulousness. It's a standard procedure, not an optional step.
  • Comparison to “Double-Check”: In English, one might say, “Let me double-check those figures.” This can feel somewhat informal. The Chinese equivalent, `我们核对一下数据 (Wǒmen héduì yíxià shùjù)`, is the standard, professional way to express this. It's not just a suggestion; it's part of a responsible workflow. Using 核对 (héduì) shows that you are serious, responsible, and detail-oriented, which are highly respected traits. It’s less about individual brilliance and more about collective responsibility to ensure accuracy.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • Work & Business: This is the most common context. You 核对 financial reports, invoices (发票 fāpiào), inventory lists, contracts, and customer information. It is a fundamental activity in accounting, logistics, and administration.
  • Daily Life: You can 核对 your restaurant bill to ensure you weren't overcharged, 核对 your name and flight number on a boarding pass, or 核对 the items in your grocery delivery against the receipt.
  • Academia: Students and researchers 核对 experimental data, citations, survey results, and manuscript proofs before publication.
  • Formality: The term is neutral to formal. It's perfectly normal in everyday conversation (e.g., between friends checking a bill) but is also the precise and expected term in a formal business report.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 出发前，请仔细核对您的护照和机票信息。
    • Pinyin: Chūfā qián, qǐng zǐxì héduì nín de hùzhào hé jīpiào xìnxī.
    • English: Before departure, please carefully check your passport and flight ticket information.
    • Analysis: This is a very common instruction from airlines or travel agencies. 核对 is used because you are expected to compare the details on two documents (or against your memory) to ensure they match.
  • Example 2:
    • 会计正在核对上个月的账目。
    • Pinyin: Kuàijì zhèngzài héduì shàng ge yuè de zhàngmù.
    • English: The accountant is checking last month's accounts.
    • Analysis: This is a classic use case. Accounting requires comparing invoices, receipts, and bank statements. 核对 perfectly describes this process of collation and verification.
  • Example 3:
    • 我们需要核对一下参会人员的名单。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào héduì yíxià cānhuì rényuán de míngdān.
    • English: We need to check the list of conference attendees.
    • Analysis: Here, you are checking the list against a registration source or simply confirming attendance one by one. The word implies a systematic check, not just a quick look.
  • Example 4:
    • 收到货以后，我第一件事就是核对订单。
    • Pinyin: Shōudào huò yǐhòu, wǒ dì yī jiàn shì jiùshì héduì dìngdān.
    • English: After receiving the goods, the first thing I do is check it against the order.
    • Analysis: This is a practical, everyday example. You are comparing the physical items you received with the list of items on your order confirmation.
  • Example 5:
    • 老师让同学们互相核对答案。
    • Pinyin: Lǎoshī ràng tóngxuémen hùxiāng héduì dá'àn.
    • English: The teacher had the students check each other's answers.
    • Analysis: This means comparing one student's answers with the correct answer key or another student's work.
  • Example 6:
    • 在签署合同之前，我们必须核对每一个条款。
    • Pinyin: Zài qiānshǔ hétong zhīqián, wǒmen bìxū héduì měi yí ge tiáokuǎn.
    • English: Before signing the contract, we must verify every single clause.
    • Analysis: This shows the formal and serious nature of 核对. It implies a line-by-line comparison against a previously agreed-upon draft or standard.
  • Example 7:
    • 你能帮我核对一下我的翻译有没有问题吗？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ héduì yíxià wǒ de fānyì yǒu méiyǒu wèntí ma?
    • English: Can you help me check if there are any problems with my translation?
    • Analysis: Here, the “source” for comparison is the original text. The speaker is asking someone to compare their translation (the product) against the original source text for accuracy.
  • Example 8:
    • 系统会自动核对您输入的密码。
    • Pinyin: Xìtǒng huì zìdòng héduì nín shūrù de mìmǎ.
    • English: The system will automatically verify the password you entered.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates how 核对 is used in a technical context. The system compares the password you typed with the stored, correct password.
  • Example 9:
    • 我跟服务员核对了账单，发现他们多算了一瓶啤酒。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ gēn fúwùyuán héduì le zhàngdān, fāxiàn tāmen duō suànle yī píng píjiǔ.
    • English: I checked the bill with the waiter and found they had overcharged us for one beer.
    • Analysis: This is a perfect real-world scenario. You are mentally comparing what you consumed with what is listed on the paper bill.
  • Example 10:
    • 数据输入完成后，请务必进行核对。
    • Pinyin: Shùjù shūrù wánchéng hòu, qǐng wùbì jìnxíng héduì.
    • English: After the data entry is complete, you must carry out a verification check.
    • Analysis: In this sentence, 核对 is used as a noun (“verification check”). This is common in formal written instructions. `进行核对 (jìnxíng héduì)` means “to carry out a check”.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • The Biggest Mistake: Confusing `核对 (héduì)` and `检查 (jiǎnchá)`
    • 核对 (héduì): Requires comparison against a source. It's about accuracy and matching.
      • Correct: 核对名单 (check a list of names, by comparing it to something else)
      • Correct: 核对账单 (check a bill, by comparing it to what you ordered)
    • 检查 (jiǎnchá): A general inspection for problems, quality, or safety. It does not require a source to compare against.
      • Correct: 检查身体 (to have a body check-up)
      • Correct: 检查作业 (to check homework for general errors)
      • Incorrect: `我核对一下煤气关了没有。` (I'll verify if the gas is off.) –> This is wrong because there's nothing to compare it against.
      • Correct: `我检查一下煤气关了没有。` (I'll check if the gas is off.)
  • Not for “Checking In” or “Checking on Someone”
    • To “check in” at a hotel is `办理入住 (bànlǐ rùzhù)`.
    • To “check on” a sick friend is `看望 (kànwàng)` or `看看 (kànkan)`. Using 核对 in these contexts is a common and jarring mistake for learners.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 检查 (jiǎnchá) - The most closely related term. A general “check” or “inspection,” whereas 核对 is a specific “check by comparison.”
  • 确认 (quèrèn) - To confirm or affirm. This often happens *after* you 核对. You 核对 the details, and if they are correct, you 确认 them.
  • 验证 (yànzhèng) - To verify or validate. More formal and often used in technical or scientific contexts, like verifying a theory or a user's identity online.
  • 校对 (jiàoduì) - To proofread. This is a very specific type of 核对 that applies only to text, looking for typos and grammatical errors by comparing a draft to a standard.
  • 审查 (shěnchá) - To examine or to censor. This is a much more formal and authoritative review, often done by a person or committee in power (e.g., a government agency reviewing a film).
  • 复查 (fùchá) - To re-examine or double-check. A second round of `检查`.
  • 数据 (shùjù) - Data. The information that is most commonly the object of the verb 核对.
  • 信息 (xìnxī) - Information. Another common object for the verb 核对.