探

See also: 深

探 U+63A2, 探 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-63A2 ← 採 [U+63A1] CJK Unified Ideographs 掣 → [U+63A3]

Translingual

Han character

探 (Kangxi radical 64, 手+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 手月金木 (QBCD), four-corner 5709₄, composition ⿰扌罙)

Derived characters

• 𠽄

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 438, character 14
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 12276
• Dae Jaweon: page 788, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1907, character 6
• Unihan data for U+63A2

Chinese

trad.		探
simp. #		探
alternative forms		𢲘

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (罙) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
探	*l̥ʰuːm, *l̥ʰuːms
棎	*ɦljom
賝	*l̥ʰum
琛	*l̥ʰum
穼	*srum
深	*hljum, *hljums

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *l̥ʰuːm, *l̥ʰuːms): semantic 扌 (“hand”) + phonetic 𥥍.

Etymology

As the initial of the 罙 phonetic series is uncertain, 探 (tàn) may be related to 深 (shēn) (provided the initial was *nh-) (Schuessler, 2007).

Alternatively, this agrees with Mizo tham (“to feel (especially with the hand)”).

Note also potential similarities to Burmese စမ်း (cam:, “to grope; to test”) (Luce, 1981).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): tàn, tān (tan⁴, tan¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄊㄢˋ, ㄊㄢ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): taam³ / taam¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): tâm / tham

  (Hailu, HRS): dam^ˋ / tam^ˇ

• Eastern Min (BUC): tăng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): tang⁴
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): thàm / tham

  (Teochew, Peng'im): tam³

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵thoe
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): tan⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: tàn
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄢˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: tàn
    • Wade–Giles: tʻan⁴
    • Yale: tàn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tann
    • Palladius: тань (tanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰän⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: tān
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: tan
    • Wade–Giles: tʻan¹
    • Yale: tān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tan
    • Palladius: тань (tanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰän⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: taam³ / taam¹
    • Yale: taam / tāam
    • Cantonese Pinyin: taam³ / taam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: tam³ / tam¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaːm³³/, /tʰaːm⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: tâm / tham
    • Hakka Romanization System: dam^ˊ / tam
    • Hagfa Pinyim: dam¹ / tam⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /tam²⁴/, /tʰam⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: dam^ˋ / tam^ˇ
    • Sinological IPA: /tam⁵³/, /tʰam¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: tăng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaŋ⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Jiangkou, Nanri, Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: tang⁴
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: ta̍ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaŋ⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: thàm
    • Tâi-lô: thàm
    • Phofsit Daibuun: taxm
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /tʰam⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /tʰam²¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /tʰam¹¹/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tham
    • Tâi-lô: tham
    • Phofsit Daibuun: tafm
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /tʰam⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: tam³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: thàm
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰam²¹³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵thoe
    • MiniDict: thoe^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²thoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /tʰø³⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: tan⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰan⁴⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: thom

Rime
Character	探
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	透 (6)
Final (韻)	覃 (159)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	他含切
Baxter	thom
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/tʰʌm/
Pan Wuyun	/tʰəm/
Shao Rongfen	/tʰɒm/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/tʰəm/
Li Rong	/tʰᴀm/
Wang Li	/tʰɒm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/tʰăm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	tān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	taam1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*l̥ˤ[ə]m/

  (Zhengzhang): /*l̥ʰuːm/, /*l̥ʰuːms/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	探
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	tān
Middle Chinese	‹ thom ›
Old Chinese	/*l̥ˁ[ə]m/
English	put the hand into and test
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	探	探
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	11249	11250
Phonetic component	罙	罙
Rime group	侵	侵
Rime subdivision	3	3
Corresponding MC rime	探	僋
Old Chinese	/*l̥ʰuːm/	/*l̥ʰuːms/

Definitions

探

1. to reach for; to grope for
2. to find; to locate
3. to search; to explore
4. to inquire
5. to visit
6. to scout; to spy
7. spy
8. to try
9. to extend; to stretch out

Compounds

• 一探究竟 (yītànjiūjìng)
• 伺探
• 伸頭探腦 / 伸头探脑
• 偵探 / 侦探 (zhēntàn)
• 偵探小說 / 侦探小说
• 刺探 (cìtàn)
• 勘探 (kāntàn)
• 包探 (bāotàn)
• 哨探
• 喝探
• 四郎探母
• 太空探險 / 太空探险
• 密探 (mìtàn)
• 巴頭探腦 / 巴头探脑 (bātóutànnǎo)
• 打探 (dǎtàn)
• 扒頭探腦 / 扒头探脑
• 探丸
• 探事人
• 探信
• 探候
• 探個究竟 / 探个究竟
• 探傷 / 探伤
• 探先
• 探刺
• 探勘 (tànkān)
• 探友
• 探取
• 探口氣 / 探口气
• 探口風 / 探口风
• 探員 / 探员 (tànyuán)
• 探問 / 探问 (tànwèn)
• 探喪 / 探丧
• 探囊 (tànnáng)
• 探囊取物 (tànnángqǔwù)
• 探囊胠篋 / 探囊胠箧
• 探奇窮異 / 探奇穷异
• 探奇訪勝 / 探奇访胜
• 探奧索隱 / 探奥索隐
• 探子 (tànzi)
• 探察 (tànchá)
• 探尋 / 探寻 (tànxún)
• 探尋勝跡 / 探寻胜迹
• 探幽窮賾 / 探幽穷赜
• 探幽索隱 / 探幽索隐
• 探底 (tàndǐ)
• 探悉
• 探戈
• 探房
• 探手
• 探春
• 探春之宴
• 探望 (tànwàng)
• 探本溯源
• 探本窮源 / 探本穷源
• 探查 (tànchá)
• 探檢 / 探检
• 探求 (tànqiú)
• 探海 (tànhǎi)
• 探消息
• 探海轉 / 探海转
• 探淵索珠 / 探渊索珠
• 探測 / 探测 (tàncè)
• 探湯 / 探汤
• 探測船 / 探测船
• 探源 (tànyuán)
• 探照燈 / 探照灯 (tànzhàodēng)
• 探爪兒 / 探爪儿
• 探班 (tànbān)
• 探異玩奇 / 探异玩奇
• 探病 (tànbìng)
• 探監 / 探监 (tànjiān)
• 探看 (tànkàn)
• 探知 (tànzhī)
• 探礦 / 探矿 (tànkuàng)
• 探視 / 探视 (tànshì)
• 探究 (tànjiū)
• 探竿影草
• 探籌 / 探筹
• 探索 (tànsuǒ)
• 探細人 / 探细人
• 探聽 / 探听 (tàntīng)
• 探腰
• 探花 (tànhuā)
• 探花宴
• 探花郎
• 探虎口
• 探親 / 探亲 (tànqīn)
• 探親家 / 探亲家
• 探討 / 探讨 (tàntǎo)
• 探訪 / 探访 (tànfǎng)
• 探詢 / 探询 (tànxún)
• 探賾索微 / 探赜索微
• 探賾索隱 / 探赜索隐
• 探路 (tànlù)
• 探身 (tànshēn)
• 探身子
• 探軍 / 探军
• 探軍人 / 探军人
• 探鉤 / 探钩
• 探陰山 / 探阴山
• 探險 / 探险 (tànxiǎn)
• 探險家 / 探险家
• 探頭 / 探头 (tàntóu)
• 探頭探腦 / 探头探脑 (tàntóutànnǎo)
• 探頭縮腦 / 探头缩脑
• 探頭舒腦 / 探头舒脑
• 探題 / 探题
• 探風聲 / 探风声
• 探馬 / 探马 (tànmǎ)
• 探騎 / 探骑
• 探驪得珠 / 探骊得珠
• 探驪獲珠 / 探骊获珠
• 探鬮 / 探阄
• 星探 (xīngtàn)
• 暗探 (àntàn)
• 樂探 / 乐探
• 深探海
• 狗探湯 / 狗探汤
• 眺探
• 研幾探賾 / 研几探赜
• 祕探 / 秘探
• 窺探 / 窥探 (kuītàn)
• 細探人 / 细探人
• 討探 / 讨探
• 試探 / 试探
• 警探 (jǐngtàn)
• 踅探
• 迴聲探測 / 回声探测
• 遙感探測 / 遥感探测
• 鑽探 / 钻探 (zuāntàn)
• 體探 / 体探

Descendants

• → Vietnamese: thăm

References

• 李如龙 [Li, Ru-long]; 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu]; 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying]; 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “探”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 192.

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 探

探

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. look for

Readings

• Go-on: とん (ton)^{←とん (ton, historical)←とむ (tomu, ancient)}
• Kan-on: たん (tan, Jōyō)^{←たん (tan, historical)←たむ (tamu, ancient)}
• Kun: さがす (sagasu, 探す, Jōyō)、さぐる (saguru, 探る, Jōyō)

Suffix

探(たん) • (-tan) 

1. (archaic) spy from (a country)
   • 1947, Ango Sakaguchi, 『二十七歳』

     独(どく)探(たん)のケンギを受(う)けて、大(たい)正(しょう)五(ご)年(ねん)だかに国(こく)外(がい)退(たい)去(きょ)を命(めい)じられたという。

     Doku-tan no kengi o ukete, Taishō go-nen daka ni kokugai taikyo o meijirareta to iu.

     [He was] accused of being a German spy and was officially deported in some time around 1916, as the story goes.

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 探 (MC thom). Recorded as Middle Korean 탐 (tham) (Yale: tham) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

探

探 (eumhun 찾을 탐 (chajeul tam))

1. hanja form^? of 탐 (“search”)

Compounds

• 시탐 (試探, sitam)
• 염탐 (廉探, yeomtam)
• 정탐 (偵探, jeongtam)
• 탐구 (探求, tamgu)
• 탐구 (探究, tamgu)
• 탐문 (探問, tammun)
• 탐방 (探訪, tambang)
• 탐사 (探査, tamsa)
• 탐색 (探索, tamsaek)
• 탐정 (探偵, tamjeong)
• 탐지 (探知, tamji)
• 탐험 (探險, tamheom)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

探: Hán Nôm readings: thám, phăm, thăm, thớm, xăm, xom, tham

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.