shěnchá: 审查 - To Censor, Examine, Review

• Keywords: shěnchá, 审查, Chinese censorship, censorship in China, examine, review, inspect, what is shencha, meaning of shencha, Chinese internet censorship, The Great Firewall, media censorship in China, content moderation
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 审查 (shěnchá), a critical term for understanding modern China. While it can simply mean “to examine” or “review” in a business context, its most powerful meaning is “to censor.” This page explores how 审查 shapes the internet, media, and daily life in China, contrasting it with Western ideas of free speech and explaining its role in maintaining “social stability.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shěnchá
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To examine, inspect, or investigate something, often with the power to approve, reject, or censor it based on a set of standards.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a gatekeeper. That's 审查 (shěnchá). It can be a neutral gatekeeper, like a manager who reviews (审查) a report for accuracy. But more famously, it's a powerful gatekeeper who censors (审查) information. This is the term for the Chinese government's censorship of movies, books, news, and especially the internet. It carries a strong feeling of official scrutiny and control.

• 审 (shěn): This character combines 宀 (a roof) with 申 (to state or explain). Pictorially, it represents a judge in a courthouse (under a roof) listening to a case. Its core meaning is “to examine carefully,” “to judge,” or “to investigate.”
• 查 (chá): This character means “to check,” “to look into,” or “to investigate.” Think of checking a list, investigating a lead, or looking up information.
• How they combine: Putting 审 (to judge/examine) and 查 (to check/investigate) together creates a word that means a deep, thorough, and official examination. It’s not a quick glance; it’s a formal process of scrutiny with consequences.

审查 (shěnchá) is one of the most important concepts for understanding the flow of information in contemporary China. It is the mechanism behind what is often called the “Great Firewall of China.” In Western cultures, particularly the US, “censorship” is almost universally seen as a negative infringement on the fundamental right to free speech. It's often associated with authoritarianism and is legally challenged. In China, the government frames 审查 differently. It is publicly justified as a necessary tool to protect national security and, most importantly, to maintain 社会稳定 (shèhuì wěndìng) - social stability. The underlying value is that the collective good and social harmony are prioritized over individual freedom of expression. From this perspective, censoring “harmful” information—such as pornography, political dissent, or historical narratives that contradict the official version—is seen as a way to prevent social chaos and guide the country's development. This makes 审查 a deeply political and culturally specific practice, viewed not as an attack on rights, but as a form of paternalistic governance.

审查 manifests in several key areas:

• Internet and Social Media: This is its most visible form. Algorithms and human moderators 审查 posts on platforms like Weibo and WeChat. Posts with 敏感词 (mǐngǎn cí) - “sensitive words” - related to politics, protests, or scandals may be deleted within minutes. Users often create clever slang or use images to try and evade this censorship.
• Media, Film, and Publishing: All books, films, documentaries, and even TV series must pass through a strict 审查 process before being released to the public. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) can demand cuts, changes to the plot, or ban a work entirely if it's deemed politically sensitive, morally inappropriate, or historically inaccurate according to the Party line.
• Formal/Bureaucratic Use: In a non-political context, 审查 is a common, neutral term.
  • A manager will 审查 a budget proposal. (To review and approve)
  • A university committee will 审查 an academic's research application. (To peer review)
  • A bank will 审查 a loan application. (To vet or scrutinize)

The connotation depends entirely on the context. With government and information, it's negative and restrictive. In business or academia, it's neutral and procedural.

• Example 1:
  • 这部电影因为没通过审查，所以不能上映。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng yīnwèi méi tōngguò shěnchá, suǒyǐ bùnéng shàngyìng.
  • English: This movie can't be released because it didn't pass censorship.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of 审查 used in the context of media censorship. `通过审查 (tōngguò shěnchá)` means “to pass the review/censorship.”
• Example 2:
  • 我的微博帖子又被审查了，现在看不到了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de Wēibó tiězi yòu bèi shěnchá le, xiànzài kàn bu dào le.
  • English: My Weibo post was censored again, now it's not visible.
  • Analysis: The passive voice `被 (bèi)` is often used with 审查 to show that an external authority (the platform/government) performed the action. This is a very common complaint on Chinese social media.
• Example 3:
  • 政府加强了对网络言论的审查。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ jiāqiáng le duì wǎngluò yánlùn de shěnchá.
  • English: The government has strengthened its censorship of online speech.
  • Analysis: Here, 审查 is used as a noun, meaning “censorship” or “the act of censoring.” `言论 (yánlùn)` means speech or public opinion.
• Example 4:
  • 经理正在审查我们部门的年度预算。
  • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ zhèngzài shěnchá wǒmen bùmén de niándù yùsuàn.
  • English: The manager is currently reviewing our department's annual budget.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the neutral, bureaucratic use of the word. The manager is examining the budget for approval, not censoring its ideas.
• Example 5:
  • 所有出国留学的申请都必须经过严格的审查。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu chūguó liúxué de shēnqǐng dōu bìxū jīngguò yángé de shěnchá.
  • English: All applications to study abroad must go through a strict review process.
  • Analysis: Another neutral example. `严格的审查 (yángé de shěnchá)` means a “strict/rigorous review.” It implies a thorough check of qualifications and documents.
• Example 6:
  • 这家出版社的审查标准非常高。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā chūbǎnshè de shěnchá biāozhǔn fēicháng gāo.
  • English: This publishing house's review standards are very high.
  • Analysis: Here 审查 is part of a compound noun, `审查标准 (shěnchá biāozhǔn)`, meaning “review/censorship standards.” The context could be either quality control or political screening.
• Example 7:
  • 为了避免麻烦，很多作者会进行自我审查。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bìmiǎn máfan, hěnduō zuòzhě huì jìnxíng zìwǒ shěnchá.
  • English: In order to avoid trouble, many authors will engage in self-censorship.
  • Analysis: This introduces the crucial concept of `自我审查 (zìwǒ shěnchá)`, or self-censorship, where individuals censor their own work to ensure it passes the official 审查.
• Example 8:
  • 海关人员有权审查你的行李。
  • Pinyin: Hǎiguān rényuán yǒu quán shěnchá nǐ de xíngli.
  • English: Customs officers have the right to inspect your luggage.
  • Analysis: This is similar to `检查 (jiǎnchá)`, but 审查 implies a more thorough search for prohibited items, not just a routine check. It carries more authority.
• Example 9:
  • 他们的账目正在接受税务部门的审查。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de zhàngmù zhèngzài jiēshòu shuìwù bùmén de shěnchá.
  • English: Their financial accounts are undergoing an audit by the tax department.
  • Analysis: In a financial context, 审查 is the perfect word for a formal audit. `审核 (shěnhé)` could also be used here.
• Example 10:
  • 审查员认为剧本里的一些台词太敏感了。
  • Pinyin: Shěncháyuán rènwéi jùběn lǐ de yīxiē táicí tài mǐngǎn le.
  • English: The censor thought that some lines in the script were too sensitive.
  • Analysis: `审查员 (shěncháyuán)` is the job title for a censor, reviewer, or examiner.

• `审查 (shěnchá)` vs. `检查 (jiǎnchá)`: This is a common point of confusion.
  • `检查 (jiǎnchá)` means “to check” or “to inspect.” It's about finding mistakes, verifying function, or ensuring safety. A doctor gives you a health check-up (`身体检查`). You check your homework for errors (`检查作业`). A security guard inspects your bag (`检查你的包`).
  • `审查 (shěnchá)` means “to examine for approval/acceptability.” It's about judging content, ideology, or compliance. A government official censors a film. A manager reviews a proposal to decide whether to approve it.
  • Key takeaway: `检查` is about correctness and safety; `审查` is about content and acceptability.
• False Friend: “Review”: While 审查 can be translated as “review,” it's stronger than the English word. A “book review” is a `书评 (shūpíng)`. To “review for a test” is `复习 (fùxí)`. 审查 implies that the reviewer has authority and power over the thing being reviewed. You don't 审查 a movie you just watched for fun; you write a `影评 (yǐngpíng)` (film review). The government, however, does 审查 it before release.

• 审核 (shěnhé) - To audit, verify. A very close synonym for the neutral, bureaucratic meaning of `审查`, often used for applications, finances, and qualifications.
• 检查 (jiǎnchá) - To check, inspect. Focuses on finding errors, safety issues, or making sure something is in order.
• 审查制度 (shěnchá zhìdù) - The censorship system/policy.
• 自我审查 (zìwǒ shěnchá) - Self-censorship; the act of censoring oneself to avoid official censorship.
• 防火长城 (fánghuǒ chángchéng) - The Great Firewall (of China), the tool used to perform internet `审查`.
• 维稳 (wéiwěn) - “To maintain stability,” the primary political justification given for `审查`.
• 敏感词 (mǐngǎn cí) - “Sensitive words”; specific terms that are automatically targeted for `审查` online.
• 监督 (jiāndū) - To supervise, to monitor. A broader term for oversight that can include `审查`.