察

chá
verb #11,727

Meanings

  1. 1 to examine; to observe
  2. 2 to inspect; to look into

Examples

HSK 2
Jǐngchá lái le.
The police are here.
HSK 5
Tā guānchá de hěn zǐxì.
He observed very carefully.

Tips

usage
察 is mainly used in compounds: 警察 (police), 观察 (to observe), 察觉 (to detect), 考察 (to investigate), 察看 (to inspect).

Components

radical
宀 mián
roof
Top roof radical - pictograph of a peaked covering with two side walls. As the indexing radical it places 察 with house-and-shelter chars: 家 home, 室 room, 安 peace. Original 察 pictured a sacrificial rite under a temple roof: examining the offering carefully - the source of 'inspect, observe.'
semantic
祭 jì
to offer sacrifice
Bottom 祭 - a hand 又 holding meat ⺼ over an altar 示, picturing a ritual offering. Under the temple roof above, the whole character shows a priest examining the meat to ensure it is fit for the gods - the source of the 'examine, inspect carefully' senses of 察.

Stroke Order

察 chá