安检

• Pinyin: ān jiǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 安 = 宀 (roof) + 女 (woman), signifying peace/safety; 检 = 木 (wood) + 佥 (all)

Meaning

Security check; security screening. The process of inspecting people and belongings at airports, train stations, or venues.

Short for 安全检查 (security inspection). Refers to mandatory screening procedures at transportation hubs, government buildings, stadiums, and other public venues. Has become a routine part of daily life in modern China.

Examples

1. 地铁站的安检越来越严格，有时候排队要等很长时间。 Security checks at subway stations are getting stricter and stricter — sometimes you have to wait in line for a long time.
2. 过安检的时候，请把笔记本电脑从包里拿出来。 When going through security, please take your laptop out of your bag.
3. 演唱会入场需要安检，建议大家提前一个小时到。 Entering the concert requires a security check; it's recommended that everyone arrive an hour early.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, public places

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 安检人员让我打开背包检查一下。(The security personnel asked me to open my backpack for inspection.)
• 这个机场的安检效率很高，五分钟就过了。(This airport's security screening is very efficient — it only took five minutes.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'我要安检你' (Don't say 'I'm going to security-check you' — 安检 is typically used as a noun or for the process, not as a transitive verb with a person as object)

Origin & History

Abbreviation of 安全检查 (ānquán jiǎnchá), coined in modern times with the rise of transportation security measures.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal