打探 (dǎ tàn) — to make discreet inquiries; to probe secretly

Definition

A verb meaning to probe or inquire secretly — used for gathering information covertly (打探消息, 打探虚实), not for ordinary asking.

verb

to make discreet inquiriesto probe secretly

打探。
Tā pài le yí gè rén qù dǎ tàn xiāo xi.
He sent someone to discreetly inquire for news.
打探。
Tā zhèng zài dǎ tàn duì fāng de xū shí.
He is probing the opponent's true situation.
打探。
Tā àn zhōng dǎ tàn gōng sī de jì huà.
She secretly probed the company's plans.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

打dǎseek out

打 and 探 both point to seeking out or probing, so together they mean making discreet inquiries.

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.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

𥥍

𥥍𥥍探tàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 探, the 扌 part is a hand, and 𥥍 gives the sound.

Appears in