HSK 4, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 穴, rank #17510, Hard
jiū(jiu1) T1
1after all
2to investigate
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March 24, 2026
究jiū(jiu1)
The character 究 (jiū) means to investigate or study something in depth. It is often used in contexts where detailed research or examination is required, such as academic settings or thorough investigations. The nuance suggests a careful and methodical approach to understanding a subject.
Strokes7Radical穴Frequency#17510DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, thorough investigation and careful study are highly valued, especially in academic and professional spheres. The concept of '深入研究' (deep study) often involves the use of 究 in discussions about scholarly pursuits.
Memory Tip
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass (the radical 穴, meaning cave or hole, represents searching) digging deep into the ground (the character 究) to uncover hidden treasures. This image connects with the pronunciation 'jiū,' sounding like 'jew,' hinting at the value found through careful investigation.
Meanings of 究
jiū(jiu1)
1after all
2to investigate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 究
究Simplified
7Strokes
穴Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#17510Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 究
Podcast: 究
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AI Study Notes for 究
Quick Contrast
探 (tàn) vs 究 (jiū): use 究 when emphasizing in-depth investigation, while 探 suggests a more casual or exploratory search.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass (the radical 穴, meaning cave or hole, represents searching) digging deep into the ground (the character 究) to uncover hidden treasures. This image connects with the pronunciation 'jiū,' sounding like 'jew,' hinting at the value found through careful investigation.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is to confuse 究 with similar-sounding characters, such as 旧 (jiù, meaning old). It's important to remember that 究 has a more academic or investigative connotation. This character is typically used in formal contexts, such as academic writing or professional reports.
HSK Study Tips
While 究 is not in the official HSK levels, it can be connected to HSK 4 vocabulary related to research and study. Students should focus on how this character combines with other characters to form phrases related to investigation and analysis.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, thorough investigation and careful study are highly valued, especially in academic and professional spheres. The concept of '深入研究' (deep study) often involves the use of 究 in discussions about scholarly pursuits.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mispronounce 究 as 旧 (jiù), leading to confusion between 'to investigate' and 'old.' Always remember the tonal difference, as 究 is pronounced with the first tone (jiū).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 究
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Grammar Patterns of 究
究 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The research should prove invaluable in the study of linguistics.
Cultural Notes for 究
💡Did you know?
The character 究 is composed of the radical '穴' (cave), suggesting a metaphor for digging deep into knowledge or truth, much like exploring a cave to uncover what lies within.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, thorough investigation and careful study are highly valued, especially in academic and professional spheres. The concept of '深入研究' (deep study) often involves the use of 究 in discussions about scholarly pursuits.
Word Family of 究
Words Containing This Character20
研究yánjiūresearch
究竟jiūjìngafter all
研究所yánjiūsuǒresearch institute
研究生yánjiūshēnggraduate student
追究zhuījiūto investigate
终究zhōngjiūin the end終究
讲究jiǎngjiutastefully chosen講究
研究员researcher研究員
研究院academy
究jiūafter all
探究to delve
研究者investigator
深究to perform an in-depth investigation
考究to investigate
可行性研究feasibility study
学究pedant學究
研究生院graduate school
细究to look into (a matter)細究
中央研究院Academia Sinica, research institution headquartered in Taipei
查究to investigate
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 研究 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 究
In Mandarin, 究 is pronounced as jiū. In Taiwan, it is sometimes pronounced as jiu4, but the standard pronunciation is jiū.
While 究 is not commonly used in everyday casual conversation, it appears frequently in academic, research, or formal contexts. Understanding its meaning and usage can enhance comprehension in more formal discussions.
究 (jiū) means to investigate or study carefully. It can also imply a sense of after all or delving deeply into a subject. This character is commonly used in academic and investigative contexts.
You can use 究 in sentences like '我想究这个问题' (I want to investigate this issue) or '经过研究，我们究出了真相' (After our study, we uncovered the truth). It emphasizes the thoroughness of the investigation or analysis.
Common phrases include '研究' (yánjiū, to research) and '究竟' (jiūjìng, after all).
No, 究 is more common in formal contexts, such as academic discussions or research reports.
In Taiwan, 究 is pronounced as 'jiù' with a fourth tone.
