搜索
soū suǒ · HSK 5
to search
🔍 搜 = search/seek + 索 = rope/search; doubled-up 'search-search' for emphasis
搜 (sōu) means to search or seek; 索 (suǒ) originally meant a rope but extended to 'search out' or 'demand'. Pairing two near-synonyms is a common Chinese pattern that intensifies the meaning — here, a thorough search.
搜 — hand radical 扌 + 叟 sǒu (old man)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, indicating an action done with the hand, while 叟 supplies the sound. Originally meaning to grope or feel for something by hand, it extended to the modern sense of searching or seeking.
sōu suǒ · HSK 5
to search
🔍 搜索 = 搜 (search) + 索 (seek/rope) — two near-synonyms paired
搜 means to search or hunt for; 索 originally meant a thick rope, extended to 'seek out' or 'demand'. Pairing two close synonyms is a common Chinese word-formation pattern that intensifies the shared meaning.
搜 — hand radical 扌 + 叟 sǒu (old man)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, indicating an action done with the hand, while 叟 supplies the sound. Originally meaning to grope or feel for something by hand, it extended to the modern sense of searching or seeking.
sōusuǒ · HSK 4
search
🔍 搜 (search) + 索 (seek/rope) = search + seek, doubled for 'to search'
搜 means to search or hunt; 索 originally meant a thick rope, later 'to seek out' (following a rope/thread to find something). Together they reinforce the act of searching. Sōusuǒ rhymes internally — both syllables end in -ǒu/-uǒ.
搜 — hand radical 扌 + 叟 sǒu (old man)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, indicating an action done with the hand, while 叟 supplies the sound. Originally meaning to grope or feel for something by hand, it extended to the modern sense of searching or seeking.