钻探 (zuān tàn) — to drill for exploration

Definition

verb

to drill for exploration

钻探。
Tā men zài hǎi shàng jìn xíng zuān tàn zuò yè.
They are conducting exploratory drilling operations at sea.
钻探。
Zhè kǒu jǐng shì qù nián zuān tàn de.
This well was drilled for exploration last year.
钻探。
zuān tàn Jì shù jìn nián lái yǒu hěn dà jìn bù.
Drilling technology has made great progress in recent years.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

钻探 combines 钻 “drill” with 探 “explore”, meaning explore by drilling.

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 鑽; 钻 is its simplified writing.

釒贊鑽

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

贊

贊zàn鑽zuàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鑽 pairs 釒 (metal) with 贊, which gives the sound; the simplified 钻 is a later shorthand.

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

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

𥥍

𥥍𥥍探tàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 探, the 扌 part is a hand, and 𥥍 gives the sound.

Appears in