fùchá: 复查 - Re-examine, Review, Follow-up Check

• Keywords: 复查, fucha, re-examine Chinese, follow-up check-up Chinese, review in Chinese, double check Chinese, Chinese medical terms, 复查 meaning, Chinese for doctor's appointment, business Chinese vocabulary
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese word 复查 (fùchá), which means to re-examine, review, or have a follow-up check-up. This page explains its crucial role in medical contexts, such as a doctor's follow-up visit, as well as in professional settings for reviewing documents or work. Understand the cultural importance of diligence and verification through this practical and common Chinese verb.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fùchá
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To re-examine, check again, or review something for a second time to ensure accuracy or monitor changes.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 复查 (fùchá) as the action of “going back to check.” It isn't just “checking” (检查, jiǎnchá), but specifically “re-checking.” This word implies a previous inspection has already happened, and this is a subsequent look. It carries a sense of follow-up, confirmation, quality control, and due diligence, making it extremely common in medical, professional, and academic situations.

• 复 (fù): This character means “again,” “to repeat,” or “to return.” It's composed of components that suggest going back and forth. Think of it as the “re-” prefix in English words like “redo” or “revisit.”
• 查 (chá): This character means “to check,” “to examine,” or “to inspect.” The radical on top (木, mù) means “wood” or “tree.” You can imagine someone carefully inspecting a piece of wood for imperfections.
• When combined, 复查 (fùchá) literally and logically means “to again check.”

While not a deep philosophical term, 复查 (fùchá) taps into the Chinese cultural value of being 认真 (rènzhēn) - conscientious, earnest, and meticulous. The existence of such a common, specific verb for “re-checking” highlights a societal emphasis on accountability, quality assurance, and preventing mistakes. In the West, we might say, “Let's have a follow-up meeting” or “Can you double-check this for me?” These are phrases, whereas 复查 (fùchá) is a single, powerful verb that formalizes the action. In a medical context, scheduling a 复查 is a standard, non-negotiable part of responsible aftercare, reflecting a structured and cautious approach to health. In a business context, asking a subordinate to 复查 a report isn't just a suggestion; it's a formal instruction to ensure the work is flawless, reinforcing hierarchical responsibility and a commitment to quality.

This is the most frequent use of 复查. It almost always refers to a follow-up appointment or a re-examination after initial treatment or diagnosis.

• A doctor will tell you when to come back for a 复查.
• You will tell a receptionist, “我要预约一个复查” (Wǒ yào yùyuē yīgè fùchá - I need to schedule a follow-up).
• It's used for post-surgery care, monitoring a chronic condition, or re-doing a lab test.

In the workplace or at school, 复查 means to review or double-check work that has already been completed.

• A manager asks an employee to 复查 a contract before sending it.
• A student is advised to 复查 their exam paper for mistakes before submitting it.
• It implies a final, careful check for errors, not a creative or brainstorming review.

This usage is more formal and less common in daily conversation. It refers to an official review of a case, evidence, or decision.

• A legal team might request to 复查 the evidence.
• A court may decide to 复查 a previous ruling.

• Example 1:
  • 医生说我下周需要回来复查。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng shuō wǒ xià zhōu xūyào huílái fùchá.
  • English: The doctor said I need to come back next week for a follow-up check-up.
  • Analysis: This is a classic medical usage. 复查 here functions as a single concept for “follow-up examination.”
• Example 2:
  • 这份报告很重要，请你再复查一遍。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào hěn zhòngyào, qǐng nǐ zài fùchá yībiàn.
  • English: This report is very important, please review it one more time.
  • Analysis: A common workplace instruction. The word “再 (zài)” (again) emphasizes the re-checking nature of 复查. The measure word “遍 (biàn)” indicates a complete run-through.
• Example 3:
  • 手术很成功，但是你必须定期复查。
  • Pinyin: Shǒushù hěn chénggōng, dànshì nǐ bìxū dìngqī fùchá.
  • English: The surgery was successful, but you must have regular follow-up checks.
  • Analysis: Here, 定期 (dìngqī) means “periodically” or “at regular intervals.” It combines with 复查 to mean “regular follow-ups,” a very common phrase in healthcare.
• Example 4:
  • 我已经复查了三遍，应该没问题了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng fùchále sān biàn, yīnggāi méi wèntíle.
  • English: I've already checked it three times, there shouldn't be any problems.
  • Analysis: This shows personal diligence. The speaker is expressing confidence because they have performed a thorough 复查.
• Example 5:
  • 你交卷前，最好复查一下有没有写错的字。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jiāo juàn qián, zuì hǎo fùchá yīxià yǒu méiyǒu xiě cuò de zì.
  • English: Before you hand in your test paper, you'd better check again to see if there are any typos.
  • Analysis: This is common advice for students. The phrase “一下 (yīxià)” softens the verb, making it sound more like a quick, casual check.
• Example 6:
  • 我明天要去医院复查我的眼睛。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yīyuàn fùchá wǒ de yǎnjing.
  • English: I'm going to the hospital tomorrow for a follow-up on my eyes.
  • Analysis: A clear, simple sentence a learner can use to describe their own plans. 复查 is used as a verb directly acting on an object (“my eyes”).
• Example 7:
  • 审计团队要求复查去年的财务报表。
  • Pinyin: Shěnjì tuánduì yāoqiú fùchá qùnián de cáiwù bàobiǎo.
  • English: The audit team requested to re-examine last year's financial statements.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, professional usage of the word in a business or financial context.
• Example 8:
  • 血检结果有点异常，医生建议下个月复查。
  • Pinyin: Xuè jiǎn jiéguǒ yǒudiǎn yìcháng, yīshēng jiànyì xià gè yuè fùchá.
  • English: The blood test results were a bit abnormal, so the doctor suggested a re-check next month.
  • Analysis: This shows the trigger for a 复查 – an unusual or uncertain result from an initial check.
• Example 9:
  • 别担心，这只是一个例行复查。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, zhè zhǐshì yīgè lìxíng fùchá.
  • English: Don't worry, this is just a routine follow-up.
  • Analysis: Here, 复查 is used as a noun. 例行 (lìxíng) means “routine,” another useful word to pair with 复查.
• Example 10:
  • 法院决定复查此案的证据。
  • Pinyin: Fǎyuàn juédìng fùchá cǐ àn de zhèngjù.
  • English: The court decided to review the evidence of this case.
  • Analysis: A very formal, legal use of the term. This shows the word's versatility across different levels of formality.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 复查 (fùchá) and 检查 (jiǎnchá).

• 检查 (jiǎnchá) = To Check / To Examine. This is the first time you check something.
• 复查 (fùchá) = To Re-check / To Re-examine. This is a second or subsequent check.

Think of it as a timeline: Step 1: 检查 (Initial Check) → Step 2: 复查 (Follow-up Check) Incorrect Usage Example:

• `我第一次去看病，医生给我复查了身体。` (Wǒ dì yī cì qù kànbìng, yīshēng gěi wǒ fùchále shēntǐ.)
• Why it's wrong: This was the *first* visit. You cannot “re-check” something that hasn't been checked before.

Correct Usage Example:

• `我第一次去看病，医生给我检查了身体。他让我下周再来复查。` (Wǒ dì yī cì qù kànbìng, yīshēng gěi wǒ jiǎnchále shēntǐ. Tā ràng wǒ xià zhōu zàilái fùchá.)
• Why it's right: The first visit involved a 检查 (jiǎnchá). The next visit is the 复查 (fùchá).

• 检查 (jiǎnchá) - The initial “check” or “examination.” This is the action that happens *before* a 复查.
• 复习 (fùxí) - To review (for studying). Uses the same character 复 (fù), but applies to academic material like textbooks or notes, not to work or medical conditions.
• 审核 (shěnhé) - To audit, to examine and verify (officially). More formal than 复查, and often done by a person in authority to grant approval.
• 核对 (héduì) - To check against a source, to proofread, to cross-reference. More specific than 复查; it's about checking if two things (e.g., a name on a list, a number in a spreadsheet) match.
• 确认 (quèrèn) - To confirm, to affirm. This is often the goal or result of a 复查—you re-check something in order to confirm it.
• 随访 (suífǎng) - Medical follow-up. A more formal medical term that describes the entire process of monitoring a patient after treatment, of which a 复查 is a key part.
• 再次检查 (zàicì jiǎnchá) - “To check again.” A more literal and slightly more clunky way to say what 复查 conveys concisely.