SEEK   

TRY to FIND.
SEARCHHUNT (FOR)LOOK FORSEEKFORAGE FORFISH AROUND/ABOUT FORLOOK HIGH AND LOW FORFERRET AROUND/ABOUT FORROOT AROUND/ABOUT FORRUMMAGE AROUND/ABOUT FORCAST AROUND/ABOUT FOR
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The current general word for trying to find or get something is qiú 求. 2. Suǒ 索 refers to an attempt to get hold of what is hard to find or trying to escape. 3. Sōu 搜 refers to the conduct of a searching campaign of some size, typically for a person. 4. Gān 干 refers to the abstract pursuit of aims in life. 5. Móu 牟 refers to concerted action to insure the supply of necessities or conveniences, both concrete and abstract. 6. Zhēng 爭 is to make a strenuous competitive effort to get something. NB: Xún 尋 is apparently post-Buddhist.
Modern Chinese Criteria
找 is the current colloquial modern word for seeking. 尋找 is the standard modern word for seeking. 找尋 is a slightly less current word for seeking. 尋覓 (lit) typically refers to an elaborate search. 尋摸 refers to a tentative search. 摸索 refers to a difficult tentative search. 搜索 (lit) refers to an organised major search or hunt, often for a person.. 搜尋 refers to a systematic search. 追尋 focusses on pursuit as part of a search. 物色 (lit) is an elevated term for dignified search for something or someone. 撈摸 refers to an informal undignified search for something. 淘換 (coll) refers to an informal search of any kind. 踅摸 (coll) refers to browsing in something in order to find what one looks for. 按圖索驥 (prov) refers to an absurdly idealistic search for something that cannot be found. 探索 摸索 尋 覓 索 搜 摸 rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH /
See also
  • DEMANDADDRESS someone so as to COMMAND that that person ACT:do something.
  • STRIVE FORTRY INTENSELY to SUCCEED in something IMPORTANT.
Hypernym
  • TRY ACT, BUT DOUBT WHETHER one WILL be SUCCESSFUL ACTING. (anc: 12/0, child: 9)
  • ACT MOVE OR NOT MOVE CONFORMING to one's SELF:own DECIDE:decision. (anc: 11/0, child: 24)
  • MOVE CHANGE PLACE OR SITUATION. (anc: 10/0, child: 21)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 11.31

  • De Rerum Humanarum Emendatione ( COMENIUS 1665) p. 464

    APPETERE

    465: APPETITUS

  • De Rerum Humanarum Emendatione ( COMENIUS 1665) p. 479

    CAPTARE, capere conari.

    Reqv. 1. aliqvem aliqvid desiderantem, 2. aliqvid desiderabile adhuc absens. 3. studium seu contatum illud assequendi.

    Ax. 1. qvod captatur, nondum habetur.

    2. qvod captatur, non semper capitur.

    3. Captare incerta vanum. Captare qvaerendo, Venari; ore, inhiare; manu, Prensare;...Ambire; occulte, insidiari; aperte, irruere; blande, Allicere.

  • Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien ( DOEDERLEIN 1840) p.

    SEEK

    quaerere refers to seeking as the wish to get something and the attempt to get it.

    scrutari refers to searching something hidden with evident interest and eagerness.

    rimari refers to the searching for something hidden with evident exertion and skill on the part of the searcher.

    investigare refers to the searching for something that is taken to be distant or remote.

    indagere refers to the searching like that of the hound who, guided by instinct, follows the scent, and it is a success verb meaning, German: aufspŸren.

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p. 49

  • “孟子”同義詞研究 ( MENGZI TONGYI 2002) p. 96

  • 東漢﹣隨常用詞演變研究 ( WANG WEIHUI 2000) p. 130

  • Chinese Synonyms Usage Dictionary ( TENG SHOU-HSIN 1996) p. 381

  • Chinese Synonyms Usage Dictionary ( TENG SHOU-HSIN 1996) p. 452

  • Handbook of Greek Synonymes, from the French of M. Alex. Pillon, Librarian of the Bibliothèque Royale , at Paris, and one of the editors of the new edition of Plaché's Dictionnaire Grec-Français, edited, with notes, by the Rev. Thomas Kerchever Arnold, M.A. Rector of Lyndon, and late fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge ( PILLON 1850) p. no.239

  • 古漢語常用詞同義詞詞典 ( HONG CHENGYU 2009) p. 415/7

  • Words (45 items)

      qiú OC: ɡu MC: gɨu 96 Attributions

    The current general word for trying to find or get something is qiú 求.

      Word relations
    • Conv: 與 / 予/GIVE The most general word for to give is probably yǔ 與 (ant. qǔ 取 "take away from").
    • Result: 得/OBTAIN The current general and highly abstract verb for obtaining any form of possession of anything abstract or concrete is dé 得 (ant. shī 失 "lose inadvertently").
    • Result: 致/OBTAIN
    • Result: 得/FIND
    • Ant: 避 / 辟/AVOID Bì 避 (ant. mào 冒"expose oneself to"), unlike miǎn 免, is always deliberate and describes a strategy of action which successfully avoids an undesirable impending danger. [DELIBERATE]
    • Object: 福/HAPPY
    • Object: 道術/PHILOSOPHY
    • Contrast: 考 / 考/INVESTIGATE Kǎo 考 and jī 稽 refer to an objective investigation into something on the basis of the best available evidence.
    • Assoc: 索/SEEK Suǒ 索 refers to an attempt to get hold of what is hard to find or trying to escape.
    • Assoc: 追/PURSUE Zhuī 追 refers to the attempt of catching up with anything, characteristically a kòu 寇 "enemy" or thief (who may not know he is being pursued) but without any attending notion that what is being caught up with is NECESSARILY trying to escape or to make great speed, and the word is regularly used in figurative derived meanings "to seek", as in zhuī lì 追利 "chasing after profit".
    • Relat: 富/RICH The general word for wealth is fù 富 (ant. pín 貧 "poor"), and the word has a remarkably wide range of syntactic roles.

      Syntactic words
    • nabactcraving
    • nabact of seekingseekingCH
    • vadNseeking, striving
    • vt(oN)omseek for (a contextually determinate object)
    • vt+prep+Nseek N
    • vt[oN]be covetous
    • vt[oN]positiveseek to get things; aspire on things; try to getDS
    • vtoNtry to find, try to find and employ; seek for; crave
    • vtoNseek the company or friendship ofCH
    • vtoNtry to find (a concrete physical object)CH
    • vtoNab{S}seek to achieve that S
    • vtoNfigurativeseek to identify >find out about; seek an abstract entity
    • vtoNmathematical termCHEMLA 2003:
    • vtoNpassivebe sought
    • vtoNpositiveaspire to get to or be in the presence of or know the whereabouts of (a longed-for object, typically a person); seek to realise (aspirations etc);
    • vtoNreflexive.自seek for oneself (?)CH
    • vtoV[0]求得"seek to obtain": seek toCH
    • vttoN1.+N2seek N1 from N2
    • vttoN1.+prep+N2seek N1 from N2, look for it in N2
      mì OC: meeɡ MC: mek 21 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • viactseek, strive
    • vt(oN)seek the contextually determinate N
    • vtoNpost-Han, sanguo: look for, search after
    • vtoNfigurativeseek (an abstract object)
      suǒ OC: saaɡ MC: sɑk 21 Attributions

    Suǒ 索 refers to an attempt to get hold of what is hard to find or trying to escape.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 求/SEEK The current general word for trying to find or get something is qiú 求.

      Syntactic words
    • viactorganise a (typically official or large scale) search
    • vt(oN)seek for the contextually determinate object
    • vtoNsearch for (an admired object); aim for (a desirable situation); seek out (appropriate candidates for a job); seek and find
    • vtoNPab{S}pursue the aim that S
    • vtt(oN1.)+prep+N2seek N1 from N2
      yāo OC: qew MC: ʔiɛu 13 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNaim for, have as one's aim; work towards, as one's main aim
      gān OC: kaan MC: kɑn 12 Attributions

    Gān 干 refers to the abstract pursuit of aims in life.

      Word relations
    • Object: 祿/SALARY The general word for apanages, emoluments or salaries received by any person of high status is lù 祿.

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNgo after, seek, do everything to obtain
    • vtoNN=humseek the aquaintance of, seek to meet
    • vtoNPab{S}aim for S 干其上 "seek their advancement"
    馳求  chí qiú OC: rlal ɡu MC: ɖiɛ gɨu 9 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNwildly seeking; aimlessly striving (mind)
    • VPiactaimlessly seek; rush around looking for something
    • VPt+V[0]aimlessly strive to V
    • VPtoNseek in a confused way; aimlessly strive after
      zhuī OC: krlul MC: ʈi 7 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vt(oN)seek to retrieve (life after one has decided to die, etc.)
    • vtoNfigurativego after, try to get, try to retrieve
    • vtoNfigurativebe pursued
    • vtoNfigurativepursue as valuable (physical things)CH
    求覓  qiú mì OC: ɡu meeɡ MC: gɨu mek 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt(oN)seek the contextually determinate N
    • VPt+V[0]seek to V
    • VPtoNseek
      jiù OC: dzuɡs MC: dzɨu 6 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 去/REMOVE The most general term for removing anything is qù 去.
    • Synon: 趨/CHOOSE Qū 趨 (ant. bì 避 "shy away from and avoid") and the rarer xiàng 嚮 (ant. bèi 背 "turn one's back on") refer to a tendency to exercise a certain preference.

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNtend to move in the direction of; tend towards, tend to strive for; go for
    推覓  tuī mì OC: kh-luul meeɡ MC: thuo̝i mek 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt(oN)try to find
    • VPtoNlook for, try to find
    自求  zì qiú OC: sblids ɡu MC: dzi gɨu 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNpsychseek for oneself N
      xún OC: ljum MC: zim 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vt(oN)seek for the contextually relevant things
    • vt+prep+Nseek after, pursueCH
    • vtoNlook for (a thing); seek to obtain
    • vtoNN=humanlook for (a person)
    推求  tuī qiú OC: kh-luul ɡu MC: thuo̝i gɨu 4 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNlook for
      xún OC: sɢlun MC: zʷin 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNpursue, go after
      cǎi OC: tshɯɯʔ MC: tshəi 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNseek; seek and find
      zhēng OC: skreeŋ MC: ʈʂɣɛŋ 3 Attributions

    Zhēng 爭 is to make a strenuous competitive effort to get something.

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNfight or struggle to obtainCH
    • vtoNpassivebe sought hardLZ
    • vtoVendeavour (to do something); try hard
    志求  zhì qiú OC: kljɯs ɡu MC: tɕɨ gɨu 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt+V[0]aspire to seek
      tǎo OC: thuuʔ MC: thɑu 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNinquire into and seek; 
    • vtt(oN1.)+prep+N2demand the contextually determinate N1 from N2
      yāo OC: qlew MC: ʔiɛu
    邀徼  Click here to add pinyin OC:  MC: 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vttoN1.+prep+N2seek, try to obtain (something N1) from (an owner etc N2) 徼福於x
    求索  qiú suǒ OC: ɡu saaɡ MC: gɨu sɑk 2 Attributions

      Syntactic words
    • VPt(oN)try to find the contextually determinate thing N
    • VPtoNseek
    盡力  jìn lì OC: dzinʔ ɡ-rɯɡ MC: dzin lɨk 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt+prep+Nabdo all one can for NPab
    • VPt+V[0]seek with all one's strength to V
      xùn MC: zwinH OC: sɢʷlins 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNfigurativepursueCH
      móu OC: mu MC: mɨu 2 Attributions

    Móu 牟 refers to concerted action to insure the supply of necessities or conveniences, both concrete and abstract.

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNget, try to get (a meal, or knowledge)
    覓取  mì qǔ OC: meeɡ skhoʔ MC: mek tshi̯o 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt(oN)resultativego to seek, try to find
    • VPtoNto to seek, try to find
      qí OC: ɡɯ MC: gɨ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vt+prep+Nseek, go after
      fǎng MC: phjangH OC: phaŋs 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNseek out NVK
    尋求  xún qiú OC: ljum ɡu MC: zim gɨu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNseek for, search after
      cǎi OC: tshɯɯʔ MC: tshəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNseek (treasures, fortune etc)
    反求  fǎn qiú OC: panʔ ɡu MC: pi̯ɐn gɨu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNto seek (for something) in one's mind; seek (for a reason) while examining oneself critically
    規求  guī qiú OC: kʷe ɡu MC: kiɛ gɨu 1 Attribution
    • () p. 6054a

      Syntactic words
    • VPiactbe striving, be covetous
    • VPtoNseek after, strive for
    取索  qǔ suǒ OC: skhoʔ saaɡ MC: tshi̯o sɑk 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNseek
    尋討  xún tǎo OC: ljum thuuʔ MC: zim thɑu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtpost.vt+Nseek (in)
    爭求  zhēng qiú MC: tsreang gjuw OC: skreeŋ ɡu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPt[oN]seek aggressively to obtain thingsCH
    懃求  qín qiú OC: ɡlɯn ɡu MC: gɨn gɨu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNdo everything to find, seek diligently
      móu OC: mu MC: mɨu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNseek (GUAN)
      zhēng OC: tjeŋ MC: tɕiɛŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNseek to obtain
    望求  wàng qiú OC: maŋs ɡu MC: mi̯ɐŋ gɨu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNhope for and seek to obtain
    推尋  tuī xún OC: kh-luul ljum MC: thuo̝i zim 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiactsearch; seek, be on a search
    • VPt(oN)search for
    • VPtoNseach for, seek after, persue
      xiàng OC: sqaŋs MC: si̯ɐŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNlook out carefully for
    求得  qiú dé dé de děi MC: gjuw tok  OC: ɡu tɯɯɡ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiseek to obtain (things)> seek gainCH
      lǎn OC: ɡ-raamʔ MC: lɑm 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNsearch by way of a survey for something (everywhere)
    近名  jìn míng OC: ɡɯns meŋ MC: gɨn miɛŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiactZHUANG: seek fame
      Click here to add pinyin MC:  OC: 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiseek to obtain (things)> seek gainCH
      Click here to add pinyin MC:  OC: 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt[oN]seek aggressively to obtain thingsCH
      sōu OC: sru MC: ʂɨu 0 Attributions

    Sōu 搜 refers to the conduct of a searching campaign of some size, typically for a person.

      Word relations
    • Result: 得/OBTAIN The current general and highly abstract verb for obtaining any form of possession of anything abstract or concrete is dé 得 (ant. shī 失 "lose inadvertently").

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNconduct a search in (a place)