学习 (xué xí) is a verb meaning 'to study' or 'to learn', emphasizing the active process of acquiring knowledge or skills through effort and practice. The first character 学 (xué) means 'to learn' or 'to study', while 习 (xí) means 'to practice' or 'to review' — together, they convey the idea that true learning involves both understanding and repetition. This word is commonly used in academic, professional, and self-directed learning contexts, and it often implies diligence and intentionality.

Unlike more casual terms like 看 (kàn, 'to look at') or 听 (tīng, 'to listen'), 学习 carries a formal, purposeful tone and appears frequently in school settings, workplace training, language learning, and personal development. It can be used transitively (e.g., 学习中文) or intransitively (e.g., 他在认真学习), and it’s rarely used as a noun without modification (e.g., 学习计划 'study plan').