TongTong
Sign in

盘查 (pán chá) — to interrogate and examine; to check thoroughly (especially by police or customs)

Definition

A formal/official verb used for police or customs checking people, vehicles, or documents closely. Stronger and more procedural than ordinary 检查; implies the subject is an authority figure.

verb
to interrogate and examineto check thoroughly (especially by police or customs)

Examples

  • 盘查。
    Jǐng chá zài lù kǒu pán chá guò wǎng chē liàng.
    Police are checking passing vehicles at the intersection.
  • 盘查。
    Hǎi guān rén yuán duì xíng li jìn xíng le zǐ xì pán chá.
    Customs officers carefully inspected the luggage.
  • 盘查。
    Tā men bèi lán xià pán chá shēn fèn.
    They were stopped and had their identities checked.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

盘pánquestion or check
查cháexamine

盘 means to question or check, and 查 means to examine; together they stress a thorough check.

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 盤; 盘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
般
般bān盤pán
Same sound today

The traditional form 盤 pairs 般, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel. This note is about 盤, not the simplified 盘.

Open 盘 →

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 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.