侦 (zhēn) — to investigate; to detect (used as a bound form in compounds)
Definition
Bound form used only in compounds related to police/investigation work — 侦探 (detective), 侦察 (reconnaissance), 侦破 (to crack a case). You will never see 侦 standing alone.
bound form
to investigateto detect (used as a bound form in compounds)
Examples
- 。Tā zài zuò zhēn chá gōng zuò.He is doing reconnaissance work.
- 。Zhè wèi zhēn tàn hěn lì hài.This detective is very capable.
- 。Jǐng fāng zhēn pò le zhè ge àn zi.The police cracked this case.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 偵; 侦 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
貞
貞zhēn偵zhēn
Same sound today
The traditional form 偵 pairs ⺅ (person) with 貞, which gives the sound and the idea of asking; the simplified 侦 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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