Ma’anar ƙamus na “karanta dabino” yana nufin al’adar fassara layuka, siffa, da sauran sifofin hannun mutum, musamman ta dabino, domin samun fahimtar halayensu, halayensu, da abubuwan da zasu faru nan gaba. Ana ɗaukar karatun dabino a matsayin wani nau'i na duba ko duba, kuma ana danganta shi da al'adu daban-daban da tsarin imani, kamar ilimin taurari, chiromancy, da ilimin dabino. An yi imanin fassarar layukan dabino, tsaunuka, siffa, da sauran siffofi na bayyana bayanai game da lafiyar mutum, dangantakarsa, sana'arsa, da sauran fannonin rayuwarsu.