寻找

• Pinyin: xún zhǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 寻 = 彐 + 寸 (inch/hand), to search or seek; 找 = 扌 (hand radical) + 戈 (halberd), to look for

Meaning

To search for; to look for; to seek. Implies actively trying to find something or someone.

More deliberate and effortful than 找, 寻找 often suggests a sustained or purposeful search. Used for both concrete objects and abstract goals (寻找机会 — to seek an opportunity; 寻找答案 — to search for an answer). Common in written and spoken Chinese at all registers.

Examples

1. 他在图书馆里寻找一本关于历史的参考书。 He is looking for a history reference book in the library.
2. 警察正在寻找昨晚失踪的孩子。 Police are searching for the child who went missing last night.
3. 毕业后她开始寻找适合自己的工作机会。 After graduation, she began looking for job opportunities that suited her.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, professional

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他正在寻找一份新工作。(He is looking for a new job.)
• 我们一直在寻找解决这个问题的办法。(We have been searching for a solution to this problem all along.)

Don't Say

• 在非常口语化的场合用'寻找'替代'找' (In very casual speech, 找 is more natural — 寻找 can sound slightly formal or written in everyday conversation)

Origin & History

A compound of 寻 (to search, originally meaning to measure with the hands) and 找 (to look for, from 扌 hand + 戈 halberd). Together they intensify the idea of active searching.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal