寻 (xún) - to search & to seek
寻 · xún
to search;
to seek;
to look for;
ancient unit of length (about 8 Chinese feet)
to searchto seekto look for
Usage highlights
to search forto seekto look forto search and rescueto search thoroughlyto track down
Usage & contexts
Examples
- I am looking for my keys (寻找钥匙).
- He is searching for the truth (寻求真理).
- We need to find a solution (寻找解决方案).
- The police are searching for clues (寻找线索).
Collocations
- to search for(寻找)
- to seek(寻求)
- to look for(找寻)
- to search and rescue(搜寻救援)
- to search thoroughly(搜寻)
- to track down(追寻)
Idioms
- To seek a sword by notching the boat(刻舟求剑)
- To search high and low(寻寻觅觅)
- Extraordinary and unusual(异乎寻常)
- To seek the root and inquire about the detail(寻根究底)
Cultural background
FAQ- Originally depicted a person stretching arms to measure length, later extended to mean 'to search'.
- In ancient China, '寻' was a unit of length equal to eight Chinese feet (about 2.67 meters).
- The character appears in many classical texts related to seeking knowledge and truth.