HSK 6 · Verbs

探索 tànsuǒ “to explore” in Chinese

Same in Traditional

What 探索 means

  1. to explore
  2. exploration
  3. to probe

How to say 探索

  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale探tàn4th tone, falling
  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale索suǒ3rd tone, dipping

探索 in a sentence

  1. 我想要去探索世界。那是我的梦想。

    Wǒ xiǎngyào qù tànsuǒ shìjiè. Nà shì wǒ de mèngxiǎng.

    I want to explore the world. It’s my dream.

    Sentence #10327558 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

  2. 海洋的深层仍然几乎未被探索。

    Hǎiyáng de shēncéng réngrán jīhū wèi bèi tànsuǒ.

    The ocean depths are still almost entirely unexplored.

    Sentence #5550032 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 我们正在探索火星。

    Wǒmen zhèngzài tànsuǒ Huǒxīng.

    We are exploring Mars.

    Sentence #13233040 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

How 探索 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 探 (tàn) drawn as one shape
探tànto explore

探 is a single shape of 11 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.

The character 索 (suǒ) with each of its parts in a different colour
索suǒto search
  • 十ten · shí
  • 冖cover · mì
  • 糸silk · mì

How to write 探索

探 11 strokes · 索 10 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

探索 (tànsuǒ) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 探索 (tànsuǒ). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 探索

Words with 探

探讨tàntǎo · to discuss探望tànwàng · to visit (esp. someone ill or elderly)侦探zhēntàn · detective勘探kāntàn · to explore探测tàncè · to detect

Words with 索

搜索sōusuǒ · to search (online)思索sīsuǒ · to ponder索取suǒqǔ · to ask for摸索mōsuǒ · to grope线索xiànsuǒ · clue索性suǒxìng · might as well

More words: Thinking & Talking

疏忽shūhu · to neglect思索sīsuǒ · to ponder算数suànshù · to count (be valid)索取suǒqǔ · to ask for探讨tàntǎo · to discuss讨好tǎohǎo · to please滔滔不绝tāotāobùjué · to talk non-stop挑拨tiǎobō · to stir up trouble

FAQs

探索 (tànsuǒ) means “to explore” or “exploration”. It is an HSK 6 word.
Say it tànsuǒ: tàn with a 4th tone, then suǒ with a 3rd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 探索 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type tansuo with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 探索 from the suggestions. Typing tansuo into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
探索 is an HSK 6 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.