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探

grope
Stroke count: 11

Readings

On readingタン
Kun readingさぐ.る、さが.す
JLPT level: N3JōyōGrade 6

Meanings

  1. gropeRtK
  2. look for
  3. search
    悟りを探すがどこにいるかわからず途方にくれた姿を表す。This refers to the state of bewilderment which results from searching for the cow but not finding it.wiki
  4. explore
    彼は南極周辺の地域を探検した。He explored the region around the South Pole.tatoeba
  1. to feel around for
  2. to fumble for
  3. to grope for
  4. to search for
  5. to look for

Popular Usage

探す探る

Radicals and components

Radical手hand扌variant
Components
How it's built
探
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Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

finger · fingers · paper punch · Miss World · hole · house · human legs (儿) · tree (木) · wood (木)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 1425

Compound words

探すさがす
to search for; to look for; to hunt for; to seek; to search (a house, pocket, etc.)
探るさぐる
to feel around for; to fumble for; to grope for; to search for; to look for
探湯くかたち
trial by hot water; putting a person's hand in boiling water to determine their guilt or innocence (with the belief that the innocent would not be scalded)
探検隊たんけんたい
exploration party; expedition team
探求たんきゅう
search; quest; pursuit
探究たんきゅう
research; investigation; enquiry; inquiry; study
探査たんさ
probe; inquiry; enquiry; investigation
探索たんさく
search; lookup; hunt; (item of) research; exploration
探知たんち
detection
探偵たんてい
detective; investigator; sleuth; detective work; secret investigation
探訪たんぼう
searching; hunting for news story; journalist
探検たんけん
exploration; expedition
手探りてさぐり
fumbling; groping
探し物さがしもの
looking for something; searching for something; object being sought
探し回るさがしまわる
to search about for; to hunt around for; to look high and low for; to look everywhere for
厳探げんたん
strict search
逆探知ぎゃくたんち
phone trace
金探しきんさがし
searching for gold
人探しひとさがし
searching for someone
粗探しあらさがし
finding fault (with)
探偵社たんていしゃ
detective agency
枕探しまくらさがし
bedroom theft or thief
名探偵めいたんてい
great detective
あら探しあらさがし
finding fault (with)

Kun Reading Examples

おじいさんは帽子を探して周囲をきょろきょろ見回した。さがす
The old man looked about for his hat.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は別の仕事を探し始めたと聞いています。
I hear he's just begun looking for another job.tatoeba
彼は突然探偵小説が好きになった。
He suddenly took a liking to detective stories.tatoeba
彼は働かないだけでなく、仕事を探そうともしない。
He not only does not work but will not find a job.tatoeba
昼間は岩棚や岩穴の中にひそみ、夜になると獲物を探す。
During the day it hides in the ledges or rock caves, and at night they go out to hunt food.wiki
薬はないかと死者の懐を探る。
He puts his hand into the inner pocket of the dead person and to see if there is a medicine.wiki
尾張藩への仕官の道を探るが果たせず。
He sought to become an officer of Owari domain, but failed.wiki

Stroke Order

11 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 探

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step