Definitions

fǎng (verb) to visit; to call on
fǎng (verb) to seek; to inquire; to investigate

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "访", meaning to visit or to investigate, originated from its traditional form "訪", which is composed of the speech radical "言" and the phonetic component "方". Its core meaning in classical texts was to seek advice or consult, often from someone of higher status or wisdom, reflecting a purposeful inquiry rather than a casual social call. Over time, this semantic field expanded to encompass the act of visiting someone, still carrying a connotation of purposeful engagement, and concurrently developed the sense of making an inquiry or investigation into matters, as seen in terms like interview or news reporting. While the phonetic relationship with "方" is now largely historical, the retained speech component continues to subtly underscore the communicative nature of the act, whether it is a formal call or a journalistic probe.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我去访问朋友。

Wǒ qù fǎngwèn péngyou.

I go to visit a friend.

记者采访了老师。

Jìzhě cǎifǎng le lǎoshī.

The journalist interviewed the teacher.

我们拜访了爷爷奶奶。

Wǒmen bàifǎng le yéye nǎinai.

We visited grandpa and grandma.

他经常访问那个网站。

Tā jīngcháng fǎngwèn nàge wǎngzhàn.

He often visits that website.

总统访问了中国和日本。

Zǒngtǒng fǎngwèn le Zhōngguó hé Rìběn.

The president visited China and Japan.

为了写报告,我采访了三位专家。

Wèile xiě bàogào, wǒ cǎifǎng le sān wèi zhuānjiā.

To write the report, I interviewed three experts.

在历史研究中,学者们广泛访查了古籍。

Zài lìshǐ yánjiū zhōng, xuézhě men guǎngfàn fǎngchá le gǔjí.

In historical research, scholars extensively consulted ancient books.

通过实地访察,他们获得了第一手资料。

Tōngguò shídì fǎngchá, tāmen huòdé le dì yī shǒu zīliào.

Through field investigation, they obtained first-hand information.