勘 (kān) — to investigate, to survey, to explore (bound form, used in compounds like 勘探, 勘测); to collate, to compare (bound form, used in compounds like 勘校, 勘误)
Definition
A bound morpheme meaning 'to investigate / survey' (勘察, 勘探) or 'to collate' (勘误). It never stands alone — only appears inside compound words.
bound form
to investigateto surveyto explore (bound form, used in compounds like 勘探, 勘测)to collateto compare (bound form, used in compounds like 勘校, 勘误)
Examples
- 。Zhè ge tuán duì zhèng zài duì kuàng qū jìn xíng kān tàn.This team is currently prospecting the mining area.
- 。Gōng chéng shī men yǐ jīng wán chéng le dì xíng kān cè gōng zuò.The engineers have already completed the terrain survey work.
- 勘。Zhè běn shū de kān wù biǎo yǐ jīng fù zài zuì hòu.The errata list for this book has been attached at the end.
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.
勘 pairs 力 (strong) with 甚 (shèn) for sound; it means to look at carefully, strongly.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.