找寻 (zhǎo xún) — to look for; to seek

Definition

找寻 is a slightly more formal written alternative to 找, meaning 'to look for / seek'. It fits abstract or literary contexts (clues, the truth, a way out) more than everyday spoken use.

verb
to look forto seek

Examples

  • 找寻。
    Tā dào chù zhǎo xún shī zōng de hái zi.
    He is looking for his missing child everywhere.
  • 找寻。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài zhǎo xún xiàn suǒ.
    The police are seeking clues.
  • 找寻。
    Zài sēn lín lǐ zhǎo xún chū lù hěn kùn nan.
    It is very difficult to find the way out in the forest.

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.

找zhǎoseek
寻xúnseek

Both 找 and 寻 mean seek, so 找寻 stresses the act of looking for something.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
戈
戈gē找zhǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

找 pairs 扌 (hand) with 戈 as a sound part. The idea that it shows a hand looking for a halberd is only a memory trick.

Open 找 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

寻 is formed from 又 (hand) and 寸 (hand).

Open 寻 →

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