调取 (diào qǔ) — to obtain (information, documents, data) from an archive, database, or storage system

Definition

调取 (diàoqǔ) is a formal verb meaning to retrieve or pull up stored records — surveillance footage, files, database entries. It focuses on the act of pulling information out of a system, not casual 'getting'.

verb
to obtain (information, documents, data) from an archivedatabaseor storage system

Examples

  • 调取。
    Qǐng nín diào qǔ zhè fèn wén jiàn.
    Please retrieve this document.
  • 调取。
    Jǐng chá diào qǔ le dāng shí de jiān kòng lù xiàng.
    The police obtained the surveillance footage from that time.
  • 调取。
    Xì tǒng diào qǔ shù jù shí chū le wèn tí.
    There was a problem when the system retrieved the data.

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.

调tiáoretrieve
取qǔtake

retrieve and take together mean obtain from records or storage.

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

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