模索

• Reading: もさく
• Romaji: mosaku
• Kanji breakdown: 模 (mo) — trace, imitate; 索 (saku) — search, rope, seek
• Pronunciation: /mo̞sakɯ/

Meaning

Groping; searching; exploration; feeling one's way towards an answer.

A する-verb (模索する) meaning to search in an uncertain, groping manner — as if feeling for something in the dark. Applied to both literal and metaphorical searches: a team exploring new directions, a society searching for solutions to an unsolved problem. Common in formal writing where 模索し続ける emphasises persistent exploration without a clear outcome.

Examples

1. チームは新しい事業の方向性を模索している最中だ。 The team is currently exploring a new direction for the business.
2. 暗闇の中を模索するような思考の過程が作品に表れている。 The creative process of groping through darkness is reflected in the work.
3. 困難な状況の中でも解決策を模索し続けた。 Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, they kept searching for a solution.

Usage Guide

Context: business, research, literary, social commentary

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 模 (to trace, imitate) and 索 (to search, rope). Together the characters suggest searching by following a rope in the dark — finding one's way by feel rather than sight.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal