检验 means 'to test' or 'to verify'—it refers to the process of examining something carefully to confirm its quality, accuracy, safety, or compliance with standards. The character 检 (jiǎn) conveys 'to examine' or 'to inspect', while 验 (yàn) means 'to verify' or 'to validate'; together, they emphasize a formal, often technical or procedural, act of checking. This word is commonly used in scientific, medical, industrial, and regulatory contexts—for example, lab testing of samples, quality control in manufacturing, or official certification procedures.

Unlike more casual synonyms like 测 (cè, 'to measure') or 查 (chá, 'to check'), 检验 carries a sense of authority, objectivity, and institutional rigor. It frequently appears in compound nouns like 检验报告 (jiǎnyàn bàogào, 'test report') or 检验员 (jiǎnyàn yuán, 'inspector'). While it can occasionally be used transitively with 或 without an object, it’s most natural when followed by what is being tested (e.g., 检验结果, 检验方法).