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探寻 (tàn xún) — to seek, to explore, to search for (often involving investigation or exploration)

Definition

A formal, literary verb meaning 'to seek or explore' through active investigation — stronger and more deliberate than the everyday 找 (zhǎo, 'to look for'). Common in academic, scientific, or reflective writing (探寻真理, 探寻答案).

verb
to seekto exploreto search for (often involving investigation or exploration)

Examples

  • 探寻。
    Tā yì shēng dōu zài tàn xún zhēn lǐ.
    He spent his entire life seeking truth.
  • 探寻。
    Kē xué jiā men zhèng zài tàn xún xīn de zhì liáo fāng fǎ.
    Scientists are searching for new treatment methods.
  • 探寻。
    Tàn xiǎn duì shēn rù cóng lín tàn xún shī zōng de gǔ chéng.
    The expedition went deep into the jungle to search for the lost ancient city.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

探tànsearch
寻xúnseek

Both 探 and 寻 point to looking for something, together meaning to seek or explore.

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
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.

Open 探 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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