Taxonomy of meanings for 探:　　

  • 探 tàn (OC: kh-luums MC: tʰəm) 他紺切 去 廣韻：【探取 】
  • 探 tàn (OC: kh-luum MC: tʰəm) 他含切 平 廣韻：【取也説文作[扌(𥤦/火)]逺取之也他含切三 】
    • ESPIONAGE
      • vtoNmanage to spy out
    • INVESTIGATE
      • vtoNspy out and investigate, explore carefully
      • vtoNpassivebe explored, be investigatedCH
    • TAKE
      • vtoNstretch out one's hand(s) to take or get hold of
    • SEEK
      • VISIT
        • STRETCH OUT
          • EARLY
          • 探 tàn (OC: kh-luums MC: tʰəm) 他紺切 去 廣韻：【 】
          • tànSTEAL
            • vtoNfilch; search through and steal the contents of CH

          Additional information about 探

          說文解字:

            Criteria
          • ESPIONAGE

            1. The current general word for spying is jiàn 間, and this is the general word for military intelligence used in SUN.

            2. Dié 諜 refers to strictly professional and government-sponsored spying of any kind.

            3. Tàn 探 refers to a spy-like operation which is not necessarily entirely secret.

            4. Hòu 候 refers specifically to military espionage on the borders.

          • TAKE

            1. The current general word for to take is qǔ 取.

            2. Duó 奪 is to take by force or threat of force.

            3. Nián 拈 and cuò 撮 refer to taking by the use of one's fingers only.

            4. Jué 攫 refers to picking up something not easy to get hold of.

            5. Zhí 執 "hold" is occasionally used inchoatively to mean "take hold of".

            6. Tàn 探 refers to the act of stretching out one's hands straining to lay hold something and succeeding in this effort.