拷问

拷問

kǎowèn

verb #9,417

Meanings

1 to interrogate (under torture)
2 to grill; to subject to intense questioning
3 to challenge (one's conscience, morals)

Characters

to beat; to torture; to interrogate

to ask; to question

Examples

犯人被拷问了好几个小时。

Fànrén bèi kǎowèn le hǎojǐ ge xiǎoshí.

The prisoner was interrogated for several hours.

这部电影拷问了人性的底线。

Zhèbù diànyǐng kǎowèn le rénxìng de dǐxiàn.

This movie challenges the limits of human nature.

记者拷问官员关于贪腐的问题。

Jìzhě kǎowèn guānyuán guānyú tān fǔ de wèntí.

The reporter grilled the official about corruption.

Tips

history

拷 originally meant to beat or strike — 拷问 literally meant 'to beat and question,' referring to torture-based interrogation in ancient China. The modern figurative use (拷问灵魂, questioning one's soul) is quite common in writing.

Stroke Order

拷 kǎo

问 wèn