尋 (xún) - To search, to seek, to look for & a unit of length in ancient China (about

尋Tone 2

xún ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

尋 · xún

To search, to seek, to look for;

a unit of length in ancient China (about 8 feet);

to investigate thoroughly.

To search, to seek, to look fora unit of length in ancient China (aboutto investigate thoroughly.

Usage highlights

To search forTo seekTo investigateCommonplaceTo trace the originTo inquire

Synonyms

  • 找— to look for, to find
  • 搜— to search, to rummage
  • 探— to explore, to investigate

Antonyms

  • 弃— to abandon, to discard
  • 失— to lose, to miss

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is searching for his lost keys (寻找钥匙).
  • We need to seek the truth (寻求真理).
  • The police are investigating the case (侦查案件).
  • This is an ancient unit of measurement (古代度量单位).

Collocations

  • To search for(寻找)
  • To seek(寻求)
  • To investigate(侦查)
  • Commonplace(寻常)
  • To trace the origin(寻根)
  • To inquire(查询)

Idioms

  • Making a mountain out of a molehill(小题大做)
  • Seeking flowers while asking willows(寻花问柳)
  • Searching high and low(寻寻觅觅)
  • Seeking the root and asking the origin(寻根问底)
  • Extraordinary and uncommon(异乎寻常)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted two hands stretching a cord to measure length, representing the concept of measurement and searching.
  • As an ancient unit of length, one 寻 was approximately eight Chinese feet, used in measuring depth and distance.
  • In Chinese culture, 'seeking the root' (寻根) represents the important cultural practice of tracing one's ancestry and origins.

FAQ