侦缉 (zhēn qī) — to track down and arrest (a suspect or criminal)

Definition

A formal, police/legal verb meaning to track down and arrest a suspect. Unlike everyday 抓 or 逮捕, it emphasizes the investigative 'hunt' leading to the arrest.

verb
to track down and arrest (a suspect or criminal)

Examples

  • 侦缉。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài quán lì zhēn qī zài táo de xián yí rén.
    The police are making every effort to track down and arrest the fugitive suspect.
  • 侦缉。
    Tā yīn shè xián fàn dú bèi zhēn qī duō nián.
    He had been tracked down and arrested years ago for suspected drug trafficking.
  • 侦缉。
    zhēn qī Zhè zhǒng kuà jìng fàn zuì jí tuán xū yào guó jì hé zuò.
    Tracking down and arresting this cross-border criminal syndicate requires international cooperation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

侦zhēninvestigate
缉jīpursue

侦 is to investigate, and 缉 is to pursue and arrest.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 偵; 侦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺅Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
貞
貞zhēn偵zhēn
Same sound today

The traditional form 偵 pairs ⺅ (person) with 貞, which gives the sound and the idea of asking; the simplified 侦 is a later shorthand.

Open 侦 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緝; 缉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
咠
咠qì緝jī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緝 pairs 糸 (silk) with 咠 as a sound part; the simplified 缉 is a later shorthand.

Open 缉 →

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