征求

• Pinyin: zhēng qiú
• Hanzi breakdown: 征 = 彳(step) + 正 (upright), to actively seek; 求 = pictograph of a person seeking, to request/ask for

Meaning

To solicit; to seek; to canvass. Used when actively seeking opinions, suggestions, or consent from others.

Commonly used in formal and semi-formal contexts. 征求意见 (solicit opinions) and 征求同意 (seek consent) are fixed collocations. The subject is usually an organisation or person in authority seeking input. Less commonly used in casual conversation.

Examples

1. 公司在制定新规定之前，广泛征求了员工的意见。 Before formulating the new regulations, the company widely solicited feedback from employees.
2. 他在做出最终决定之前，主动征求了父母的建议。 Before making the final decision, he proactively sought his parents' advice.
3. 学校通过问卷调查征求学生对新课程的看法。 The school canvassed students' opinions on the new curriculum through a questionnaire.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, government, academic

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 在修改方案之前，我们应该先征求大家的意见。(Before revising the plan, we should first solicit everyone's opinions.)
• 请征求一下客户的同意，再发布这份报告。(Please seek the client's consent before releasing this report.)

Don't Say

• 用'征求'来表示随意地问朋友的想法 (Don't use 征求 for casually asking a friend's opinion — it sounds overly formal; use 问 or 听听你的想法 in casual contexts)

Origin & History

From 征 (to seek out/to go and find) and 求 (to seek/request, a pictograph of someone kneeling in supplication), together meaning 'to actively go out and seek'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal