查询

• Pinyin: chá xún
• Hanzi breakdown: 查 (check, investigate) + 询 (inquire)

Meaning

To inquire; to look up; to query.

Used for looking up information in databases, checking account balances, or making formal inquiries. Common in banking, customer service, and computer contexts.

Examples

1. 你可以通过网站查询快递的物流信息。 You can check the delivery tracking information through the website.
2. 我想查询一下账户余额。 I'd like to check my account balance.
3. 这个系统可以查询过去十年的所有记录。 This system can query all records from the past ten years.

Usage Guide

Context: service, banking, technology

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 请帮我查询一下。(Please look it up for me.)
• 查询结果显示... (The inquiry results show...)

Don't Say

• 把简单的提问叫'查询'——'查询'通常指系统化的信息检索 (Don't call simple questions 查询 — 查询 usually refers to systematic information retrieval)

Origin & History

Compound of 查 (check/investigate) + 询 (inquire), meaning 'to investigate by inquiry.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal