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Expressing 'to investigate' with 查 (chá)
Structure
查 + Object
Explanation
查 (chá) can also mean "to investigate" or "to look into" a matter more thoroughly, often in formal or official contexts such as police work or research. Unlike its lighter meaning of "to check," this usage implies a deeper, more systematic inquiry. It frequently appears in compounds like 调查 (diàochá, "to investigate") or 查明 (chámíng, "to find out").
Examples
警察正在调查这起案件的真相。
Jǐngchá zhèngzài diàochá zhè qǐ ànjiàn de zhēnxiàng.
The police are investigating the truth behind this case.
他们花了三个月才查明事故原因。
Tāmen huā le sān gè yuè cái chámíng shìgù yuányīn.
It took them three months to determine the cause of the accident.
公司决定彻查这笔账目的问题。
Gōngsī juédìng chèchá zhè bǐ zhàngmù de wèntí.
The company decided to thoroughly investigate the problem with these accounts.