普查 (pǔ chá) — a general survey; a census; a reconnaissance survey (geological, geographical)

Definition

noun
a general surveya censusa reconnaissance survey (geological, geographical)

Examples

  • 普查。
    Jīn nián de rén kǒu pǔ chá hěn zhòng yào.
    This year's population census is very important.
  • 普查。
    Zhè cì jīng jì pǔ chá de fàn wéi hěn guǎng.
    The scope of this economic survey is very broad.
  • 普查。
    Dì zhì pǔ chá xū yào zhuān yè shè bèi.
    Geological surveys require professional equipment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

普pǔuniversal
查cháinvestigate

Universal scope describes an investigation covering everyone or everything.

Characters in this word

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

  • 並並bìngside by side
  • 日日rìsun

普 is made of 日 (sun) and 並 (side by side).

Open 普 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě查chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

查 pairs 木 (wood) with 且, which shows the sound. It originally meant a hawthorn tree or a wooden raft.

Open 查 →

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