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找 (zhǎo) — to look for, to seek; to give change (money)

Definition

找 (zhǎo) means 'to look for' something you're trying to find. It also means giving change back (e.g., 找你一块钱). Distinct from 发现, which is 'to discover' something already in front of you.

verb
to look forto seekto give change (money)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 找。
    Wǒ zài zhǎo yì běn shū.
    I am looking for a book.
  • 找？
    Nǐ zhǎo shuí?
    Who are you looking for?
  • 找。
    zhǎo Nǐ yí kuài qián.
    Here's your change is one yuan.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
戈
戈gē找zhǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

找 pairs 扌 (hand) with 戈 as a sound part. The idea that it shows a hand looking for a halberd is only a memory trick.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 21000 Most Frequent Chinese Words2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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