督查 (dū chá) — to supervise and inspect; supervision and inspection

Definition

督查 (dūchá) is a formal, written term for official supervision and inspection, used mainly in government, workplace, and institutional contexts. As a verb it takes a direct object (督查工作); as a noun it refers to the inspection event itself.

to supervise and inspectsupervision and inspection
Easily confused

Examples

  • 督查。
    Shàng jí bù mén jīng cháng lái wǒ men dān wèi dū chá gōng zuò.
    Higher-level departments often come to our unit to supervise work.
  • 督查。
    Zhè cì dū chá fēi cháng zhòng yào.
    This inspection is very important.
  • 督查。
    Tā men zhèng zài dū chá gōng chéng shī gōng jìn dù.
    They are inspecting the construction progress.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

督dūsupervise
查cháinspect

督 means supervising and 查 means checking, so together they convey supervision and inspection.

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
叔
叔shū督dū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

督 pairs 目 (eye) with 叔, which gives the sound; the shape shows looking over or overseeing with eyes.

Open 督 →

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 →

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