寻

尋

xún

寸 + 彐

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

xún (verb) to search; to look for; to seek

Etymology

Simplified form of 尋. Pictograph of two outstretched arms measuring length. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Semantic: 彐 Phonetic: 寸

About

The traditional character 尋 was originally a pictograph of two outstretched arms measuring length, combining 彐 (jì) and 寸 (cùn) , components associated with hands and measurement. It served as a standard linear unit of eight Chinese feet. The modern meaning 'to search' is a phonetic loan, unconnected to the original depiction. The simplified form 寻 condenses the upper part into 彐 placed over 寸, discarding the visual complexity of the measuring hands while exclusively carrying the borrowed sense.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我在寻找我的猫。

Wǒ zài xúnzhǎo wǒ de māo.

I am looking for my cat.

他寻找丢失的铅笔。

Tā xúnzhǎo diūshī de qiānbǐ.

He is looking for the lost pencil.

我们寻找了整整一天。

Wǒmen xúnzhǎole zhěngzhěng yī tiān.

We searched for a whole day.

她寻思着明天的事情。

Tā xúnsi zhe míngtiān de shìqing.

She is thinking about tomorrow's matters.

这是一个寻常的早晨。

Zhè shì yīgè xúncháng de zǎochen.

This is an ordinary morning.

寻找真理是科学的目标。

Xúnzhǎo zhēnlǐ shì kēxué de mùbiāo.

Seeking truth is the goal of science.

他在图书馆寻找那本需要的书。

Tā zài túshūguǎn xúnzhǎo nà běn xūyào de shū.

He is looking for that needed book in the library.

人生就是不断寻找意义的过程。

Rénshēng jiùshì bùduàn xúnzhǎo yìyì de guòchéng.

Life is a constant process of searching for meaning.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 寸

Component: 彐

Example Words