校正 (jiào zhèng) is a formal verb meaning 'to correct' or 'to rectify', especially in contexts involving accuracy, precision, or technical adjustment. The first character 校 (jiào) originally meant 'to compare' or 'to check against a standard', while 正 (zhèng) means 'correct', 'upright', or 'to set right'. Together, they convey the idea of carefully checking something and then adjusting it to conform to an accurate or proper standard.

This word is commonly used in professional, academic, or technical settings — such as proofreading documents, calibrating instruments, editing translations, or adjusting measurements. It implies a deliberate, methodical process rather than casual fixing; for example, you might 校正 data, a manuscript, or a machine’s alignment. It is more formal and precise than the everyday verb 改正 (gǎi zhèng), and rarely used in colloquial speech about simple mistakes like misspelled text messages.