China’s Most Intense Exam

Every June, millions of Chinese students take the 高考 (gāokǎo), the National College Entrance Exam. It’s not just any test. For many, it’s the single most important moment in their life.

For Chinese students the Gaokao score is nearly everything. One exam. Two to three intense days. Basically, you’ve been preparing for this your whole life, and your entire future depends on it.

What does the Gaokao test?
Depending on the track (理科 lǐkē - sciences, or 文科 wénkē - humanities), students are tested on:

• 语文 (yǔwén) – Chinese language

• 数学 (shùxué) – Math

• 英语 (yīngyǔ) – English

• and other chosen subjects like 物理 (wùlǐ – Physics), 化学 (huàxué – Chemistry), 生物 (shēngwù – Biology), 政治 (zhèngzhì – Politics), 历史 (lìshǐ – History), 地理 (dìlǐ – Geography)

Preparation starts years in advance, and the pressure is immense — 12-hour study days, cram schools (补习班 bǔxíbān), and no room for error. Students often refer to it as a 战争 (zhànzhēng – war). To let off steam, students at some schools even toss their papers and books into the air before the exam, marking the end of this intense chapter in their lives.

But once it’s over?
There’s a huge sense of relief, freedom and plenty of celebration.

While it's not directly related to the Gaokao, I thought it’d be fun to mention a recent trend that's gone viral on Chinese social media: creative university graduation photo shoots. One popular style is the dramatic “explosion-style” shoot — think action movie scenes with fireballs, flying hats, and slow-motion jumps.

But that’s just one of many! Students across China are getting creative with all kinds of themes from retro looks inspired by the 80’s and 90’s to funny, over-the-top poses and even historical costume shoots. It’s a playful and memorable way to the end the university years.

If you’d like to see more interesting Chinese graduation photos, just type 大学毕业照 (dàxué bìyè zhào) into your browser. You can also check out a useful Gaokao-related vocabulary list on my Quizlet page — perfect for practicing and expanding your vocabulary!

Sandy

🏯Beginner Group Class (next group starts in July)