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侦察 (zhēn chá) — to reconnoiter; to scout (military)

Definition

A formal/military term for scouting or reconnoitering enemy positions before action. Compared with 调查 (broader 'investigate' across civilian contexts), 侦察 is specifically military intelligence-gathering in the field.

verb
to reconnoiterto scout (military)

Examples

  • 侦察。
    Bù duì pài chū liǎng gè xiǎo zǔ qù zhēn chá.
    The unit sent out two teams to reconnoiter.
  • 侦察。
    zhēn chá Bào gào xiǎn shì dí rén zhèng zài chè tuì.
    The reconnaissance report shows the enemy is retreating.
  • 。
    Tā shì yì míng jīng yàn fēng fù de zhēn chá bīng.
    He is an experienced scout.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

侦zhēninvestigate
察cháobserve

侦 means investigate and 察 means observe or examine; together they mean to scout.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 偵; 侦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺅Written in full as人rénperson
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.

Open 侦 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì察chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 察 combines 宀, a roof, with 祭 as the sound part.

Open 察 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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