追 (zhuī) — to chase; to pursue (physically or metaphorically); to investigate; to look into; to recall; to reminisce; to binge-watch (a TV series)
Definition
追 is the simple base verb 'to chase/pursue' (physically, a goal, or a person romantically). For 'to look into / investigate' specifically, use 追究; for 'to reminisce / miss the past,' use 怀念.
verb
to chaseto pursue (physically or metaphorically)to investigateto look intoto recallto reminisceto binge-watch (a TV series)
Examples
- 追。Jǐng chá zài zhuī yí gè xiǎo tōu.The police are chasing a thief.
- 追，。Tā zhuī le nà ge nǚ hái sān nián, zhōng yú chéng gōng le.He pursued that girl for three years and finally succeeded.
- 追，。Wǒ zuì jìn zài zhuī yí bù měi jù, hěn hǎo kàn.I've been binge-watching an American drama recently; it's really good.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂤
𠂤𠂤追zhuī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The 辶 part shows movement, while 𠂤 gives the sound, for the sense of moving after or pursuing.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.