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探听 (tàn tīng) — to try to find out (information) through subtle or discreet inquiry; to sound out

Definition

A verb meaning to discreetly inquire or 'sound out' information you don't have direct access to. Implies a furtive or indirect approach, unlike neutral 问 or 打听.

verb
to try to find out (information) through subtle or discreet inquiryto sound out

Examples

  • 探听。
    Tā xiǎng tàn tīng yí xià duì fāng de zhēn shí xiǎng fǎ.
    He wants to discreetly find out the other party's true thoughts.
  • 探听。
    Jì zhě duō cì dào shì fā dì diǎn tàn tīng qíng kuàng.
    The reporter went to the scene multiple times to make inquiries about the situation.
  • 探听。
    Bié sì chù tàn tīng bié rén de yǐn sī.
    Don't go around prying into other people's private matters.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

探tànseek
听tīnglisten

“探” and “听” both describe seeking information, together meaning to sound someone out discreetly.

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

In 探, the 扌 part is a hand, and 𥥍 gives the sound.

Open 探 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聽; 听 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 聽 has 耳 (ear) and 口 (mouth), used for listening; the simplified 听 is a later shortened form unrelated to that picture.

Open 听 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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