试探

試探

shìtàn

verb HSK 7-9 #10,565

Meanings

他试探性地问了一个问题。

Tā shìtàn xìng de wèn le yīgè wèntí.

He tentatively asked a question.

她想试探一下他的态度。

Tā xiǎng shìtàn yīxià tā de tàidù.

She wanted to sound out his attitude.

usage

试探 implies cautious, indirect probing — you're testing the waters without being direct. Often used with 性 as 试探性 (tentative/probing) as an adjective.

memory

试 (to try) + 探 (to explore/probe) = to try probing → to sound out.

试 shì

探 tàn