What 搜 means
搜 means “search” or “seek”; its compound specifies the action. It can refer to finding information, gathering material, or searching a place or person.
For online searches, Mainland China commonly uses 搜索, while Taiwan and Hong Kong commonly use 搜尋. These are regional preferences, not exclusive rules.
The search sense predates the web. The Book of Songs, an early Chinese poetry collection, includes 束矢其𢯱, with 𢯱 as an older written form related to 搜. The Han period dictionary Shuowen Jiezi records 𢯱 with senses including “seek” and “many.” Traditional explanations link the search sense to a hand using a light indoors; character analysis identifies 扌 as the hand component and 叟 as the sound element.
How should I read 搜 in a message?
Check the whole word and what is being searched. If the conversation does not make the object clear, ask what needs finding instead of assuming it is a website, place, or person.
Neutral for finding information; investigative or intrusive when a compound specifies a police or body search.
搜身 means a physical search, not a request to look something up.
Part of the collection
Who writes 搜
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What it means when someone sends it to you
3 readingsLook something up; the object comes from the conversation.
Related characters
3
Combination ideas
3Questions people ask
1Why does 搜 look different in some Chinese fonts?
Regional font conventions can draw the right-hand component differently while retaining the same character.
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How to type or find 搜
- Search it as
- sou · sōu · 搜 meaning · 搜索 · 搜尋 · 搜身 · 搜集
- Shows up in
- Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws
搜\641CCodes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.