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追究 (zhuī jiū) — to investigate, to look into (a matter, responsibility, etc.)

Definition

追究 means to investigate and hold someone accountable for wrongdoing or a mistake. Unlike 研究 (study/research) or 追问 (press for answers), 追究 focuses on assigning responsibility, not just finding facts.

verb
to investigateto look into (a matter, responsibility, etc.)

Examples

  • 追究。
    Tā jué dìng bú zài zhuī jiū zhè jiàn shì le.
    He decided not to investigate this matter any further.
  • 追究。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài zhuī jiū shì gù de yuán yīn.
    The police are looking into the cause of the accident.
  • 追究。
    Gōng sī yí dìng huì zhuī jiū tā de zé rèn.
    The company will certainly hold him accountable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

追zhuīpursue
究jiūexamine

追 (pursue) and 究 (examine) describe following up and investigating a matter, together meaning to look into it.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂤
𠂤𠂤追zhuī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 辶 part shows movement, while 𠂤 gives the sound, for the sense of moving after or pursuing.

Open 追 →

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
穴穴xuécave
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ究jiū
Same sound today

究 pairs 穴, a cave, with 九, which gives the sound.

Open 究 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Law & Justice

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