查访 (chá fǎng) — to investigate by making inquiries; to inquire into (often formally or officially)

Definition

Formal verb for 'to investigate by making inquiries' — typically an official or journalistic inquiry, stronger and more formal than the everyday 问 or 打听. Often implies a systematic check rather than casual questioning.

verb
to investigate by making inquiriesto inquire into (often formally or officially)

Examples

  • 查访。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài chá fǎng nà qǐ àn jiàn de zhēn xiàng.
    The police are making inquiries into the truth of that case.
  • 查访。
    Jì zhě chá fǎng le xǔ duō dāng dì jū mín.
    The reporter made inquiries to many local residents.
  • 查访。
    Shàng jí pài rén lái chá fǎng jī céng qíng kuàng.
    Higher authorities sent people to inquire about the situation at the grassroots level.

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.

查cháinvestigate
访fǎnginquire

查 and 访 both involve looking into something: making 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.

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 →

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 訪; 访 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yántalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng訪fǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 訪 pairs 言 (talk) with 方 to give the sound; the simplified 访 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical part.

Open 访 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.