调研

• Pinyin: diào yán
• Hanzi breakdown: 调 = 讠(speech) + 周 (circumference, complete) — to regulate or investigate; 研 = 石 (stone) + 开 — originally to grind, now to study

Meaning

To investigate; to conduct research; field study. Systematic research activity, especially involving on-site data collection.

Commonly used in professional, academic, and government contexts. 调研 implies more than desk research — it typically involves going out to gather firsthand information through interviews, surveys, or site visits. 市场调研 (market research) is a common business application.

Examples

1. 公司派了一个小组去西部地区调研当地的消费习惯。 The company sent a team to the western region to research local consumer habits.
2. 这份报告是基于三个月实地调研的结果写成的。 This report was written based on three months of field research.
3. 在推出新产品之前，充分的市场调研是必不可少的。 Before launching a new product, thorough market research is essential.

Usage Guide

Context: business, academic, government

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 我们需要先调研一下竞争对手的情况。(We need to research the competitors' situation first.)
• 调研结果显示，年轻消费者更看重产品设计。(The research results show that young consumers value product design more.)

Don't Say

• 把随便问几个人叫调研 (Don't call casually asking a few people 调研 — it implies systematic, professional research)

Origin & History

Compound of 调 (to investigate, to transfer) + 研 (to research, to grind/study). Originally bureaucratic language that has become common in business and academia.

Cultural Context

Generation: Adults

Social background: Professional