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调查 (diào chá) — to investigate, to survey

Definition

调查 is a general verb for investigating or surveying — broader than 查询 (just looking up information) and less official than 视察 (a superior's inspection). Common for police, market, or research contexts.

verb
to investigateto survey
Measure word · 项, 个

Examples

  • 调查。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài diào chá shì gù de yuán yīn.
    The police are investigating the cause of the accident.
  • 调查。
    Gōng sī diào chá le shì chǎng de xū qiú.
    The company surveyed market demand.
  • 调查。
    Tā men diào chá le gù kè duì chǎn pǐn de kàn fǎ.
    They surveyed customers' opinions on the product.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

调tiáoinvestigate
查chácheck

调 investigate and 查 check are parallel actions, together meaning to investigate.

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 →

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
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