zing1 caa4偵查侦查
Jyutpingzing1 caa4
Yalejīng chàh
Definition
To investigate a crime.
neutralwork
How it's used
Focuses specifically on formal or legal investigations into criminal activities rather than casual inquiries. It carries a professional and serious tone, making it common in news reports or police contexts. Use 調查 for general investigations, such as looking into a complaint or a company issue, as it is much more versatile.
Examples
The police are investigating that theft case.
Do you know who is responsible for investigating this matter?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this word for everyday situations like looking for a lost item or researching a topic, but it sounds overly dramatic and out of place there. Stick to 調查 for non-criminal contexts to avoid sounding like you are conducting a police interrogation.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
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Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
