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探险 (tàn xiǎn) — to explore (uncharted or dangerous territory); to go on an expedition; to go on an adventure

Definition

探险 is physical adventure into unknown or dangerous places, with built-in risk. 冒险 emphasizes the risk-taking, 探索 is broader, often for ideas or knowledge.

verb
to explore (uncharted or dangerous territory)to go on an expeditionto go on an adventure

Examples

  • 探险。
    Tā men jì huà qù shēn hǎi tàn xiǎn wèi zhī de wù zhǒng.
    They plan to explore unknown species in the deep sea.
  • 。
    Tā qù nián zài yà mǎ xùn cóng lín zhōng tàn guò liǎng cì xiǎn.
    He went on two expeditions in the Amazon rainforest last year.
  • 探险。
    Zhè cì tàn xiǎn ràng tā duì dà zì rán de wēi xiǎn yǒu le gèng shēn de rèn shi.
    This expedition gave him a deeper understanding of the dangers of nature.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

探tànexplore
险xiǎndanger

探 means to explore and 险 means danger, so 探险 is to explore dangerous places.

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 →

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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān險
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.

Open 险 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Outdoor Recreation

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