侦查员 (zhēn chá yuán) — investigator; detective

Definition

A plain everyday term for an investigator or detective. In context, 侦察 focuses on the act of gathering intelligence, while 侦查 specifically refers to the official, legal investigation of a case.

noun
investigatordetective
Measure word · 名
Easily confused

Examples

  • 侦查员。
    Tā shì jīng yàn fēng fù de zhēn chá yuán.
    He is an experienced investigator.
  • 侦查员。
    zhēn chá yuán Zhèng zài xiàn chǎng shōu jí zhèng jù.
    The investigator is collecting evidence at the scene.
  • 侦查员。
    Zhè míng zhēn chá yuán chéng gōng pò huò le àn jiàn.
    This detective successfully cracked the case.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

侦查investigate
侦zhēninvestigate查cháexamine
联合Side by side
员yuánperson

侦查 (investigate) plus 员 (person) names someone who investigates.

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
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 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →

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