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视察 (shì chá) — to inspect (as a superior or official going to a place to check on work)

Definition

视察 is a formal, official 'to inspect' — a superior visiting a place to check work. Unlike 调研 or 调查, it implies going on-site in an official capacity rather than researching or investigating.

verb
to inspect (as a superior or official going to a place to check on work)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 视察。
    Lǐng dǎo lái gōng chǎng shì chá gōng zuò.
    The leader came to the factory to inspect the work.
  • 视察。
    Shì zhǎng měi nián dōu huì shì chá yí cì xué xiào.
    The mayor inspects the school once every year.
  • 视察，。
    Zhè cì shì chá hěn shùn lì, dà jiā dōu hěn mǎn yì.
    This inspection went smoothly, and everyone was very satisfied.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

视shìlook
察cháexamine

视 (look) and 察 (examine) combine to mean inspect.

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 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
示
示shì視shì
Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.

Open 视 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì察chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 察 combines 宀, a roof, with 祭 as the sound part.

Open 察 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Management

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