巡查 (xún chá) — to patrol, to inspect (on a regular basis) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal/authoritative verb meaning 'to patrol, to inspect on a regular basis' — used for officials, police, or security making repeated rounds, more official than casual 巡逻.

verb

to patrolto inspect (on a regular basis)

Examples

巡查。
Jǐng fāng měi tiān dōu huì zài jiē shàng xún chá.
The police patrol the streets every day.
巡查。
Bǎo ān rén yuán zhèng zài chǎng fáng nèi xún chá.
The security personnel are patrolling inside the factory.
巡查。
Tā men xún chá le zhěng gè biān jìng xiàn.
They patrolled the entire border.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

查cháinspect

巡 and 查 both describe going around to examine, giving the sense of patrol.

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

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

川

川chuān巡xún

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

巡 pairs 辵, a walking part, with 川 as a sound part.

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.

Appears in

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