检察

• Pinyin: jiǎn chá
• Hanzi breakdown: 检 = 木 (wood) + 佥 (all, phonetic) — to examine; 察 = 宀 (roof) + 祭 (sacrifice) — to observe carefully

Meaning

To prosecute; to examine and investigate. Legal supervision and investigation conducted by procuratorial organs.

A formal legal term referring to the work of procuratorate agencies in supervising legal compliance and prosecuting criminal cases. Different from 检查 (to inspect) which is more general. 检察院 refers to the procuratorate, and 检察官 is a prosecutor.

Examples

1. 检察机关依法对这起案件进行了全面调查。 The procuratorial authorities conducted a comprehensive investigation into this case in accordance with the law.
2. 他在检察院工作了二十多年，经手的案件不计其数。 He has worked at the procuratorate for over twenty years and has handled countless cases.
3. 这位检察官以铁面无私著称，从不徇私枉法。 This prosecutor is known for being impartial and never bends the law for personal gain.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, government, news

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 检察院已经正式批准逮捕嫌疑人。(The procuratorate has formally approved the arrest of the suspect.)
• 这起案件由最高检察院直接督办。(This case is directly supervised by the Supreme Procuratorate.)

Don't Say

• 混淆'检察'和'检查' (Don't confuse 检察 with 检查 — 检察 is specifically legal prosecution/supervision, while 检查 is general inspection or checking)

Origin & History

Composed of 检 (to examine) + 察 (to observe; investigate). Together they form a legal term for prosecutorial examination and supervision.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated speakers