探求|たんきゅうtankyuu[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbsearch; quest; pursuit
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 探求する（たんきゅうする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 探求します（たんきゅうします） |
| Negative (nai) | 探求しない（たんきゅうしない） |
| polite (masen) | 探求しません（たんきゅうしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 探求せず・探求せぬ（たんきゅうせず・たんきゅうせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 探求した（たんきゅうした） |
| polite (mashita) | 探求しました（たんきゅうしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 探求しなかった（たんきゅうしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 探求しませんでした（たんきゅうしませんでした） |
| Te form | 探求して（たんきゅうして） |
| Potential | 探求できる（たんきゅうできる） |
| Passive | 探求される（たんきゅうされる） |
| Causative | 探求させる（たんきゅうさせる） |
| Causative passive | 探求させられる（たんきゅうさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 探求すれば（たんきゅうすれば） |
| tara | 探求したら（たんきゅうしたら） |
| Volitional | 探求しよう（たんきゅうしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 探求しましょう（たんきゅうしましょう） |
| Imperative | 探求しろ（たんきゅうしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym探索たんさくNeutralSearching for the unknown or for someone's whereabouts, as in 「宇宙探索」; it stresses the hunt itself, while 「探求」 stresses pursuing truth and ideals.
- RelatedサーチNeutralLoanword for searching or looking something up; mostly used in internet and technical contexts.
- Related捜査そうさNeutralRefers to police investigation of crimes, as in 「捜査本部」; a law-enforcement term.
- Related捜索そうさくNeutralSearching for missing people or things, or a legally authorized search; it is about finding people and objects.
- Related調査ちょうさNeutralInvestigating actual conditions, as in 「市場調査」; it stresses getting the facts of a situation clear.
- Related探訪たんぼうNeutralGoing to places in person to seek them out, as in 「歴史探訪」; it stresses the visiting and seeking-out.
- RelatedリサーチNeutralLoanword for research or market research; mostly used in business settings.
- Related調べしらべNeutralInvestigation or looking things up, but also a tune or melody; 「探求」 focuses on pursuing truth and ideals.
- Related検索けんさくNeutralRetrieving information from databases or the internet; it is about looking up information.
- Related探究たんきゅうNeutralHomophone of 「探求」: deep study to get at the truth; 「探求」 stresses pursuing something, 「探究」 stresses getting to the bottom of it.
- Related探検たんけんNeutralExploring unknown regions in person; it stresses adventurous fieldwork and expeditions.
- Related漁りあさりNeutralAs a suffix, rummaging around for things, as in 「古本漁り」; it can carry a greedy nuance, while 「探求」 is about pursuing ideals.
- Related詮索せんさくNeutralPrying into other people's affairs, with a negative nuance, as in 「詮索好き」.
- Antonym放棄ほうきNeutralAntonym: abandoning or giving something up; the opposite of the devoted pursuit of 「探求」.
- Antonym諦めあきらめNeutralAntonym: giving up and resigning oneself to fate; the opposite of 「探求」's unremitting pursuit.
Use 「探求」 for pursuing truth, ideals or happiness, as in 「真理の探求」. For getting to the essence of something use 「探究」, for searching the unknown 「探索」, for investigating the current state 「調査」, and for finding concrete things 「探す」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
