搜

Phono-semantic compound:

手 (손 수, “hand”) — semantic component, indicating the action of searching or handling.

叟 (늙은이 수, “old man”) — phonetic component, providing the sound sōu and suggesting the notion of thoroughness or experience in searching.

The combination literally depicts “a hand searching carefully,” embodying patience and persistence.

수색 (搜索) — to search, to look for

수사 (搜査) — investigation, inquiry (especially in law enforcement)

탐색 (探索) — to explore, to probe

수거 (搜擧) — to gather, to collect

In modern Korean and Chinese, 搜 carries both the physical sense (“to search for an object”) and the intellectual one (“to investigate or look into a matter”).

In classical Chinese, 搜 was used not only for literal searching but also for seeking truth or virtue.

It appears in idioms like:

搜心 (search the heart) — to examine one’s conscience or motives.

搜求 (to seek and pursue) — to search broadly for knowledge or talent.

Modern usage in technology:

In the digital age, 搜 has become a key character in computing and internet vocabulary.

It appears in many common compounds:

搜索引擎 (search engine) — literally “search and pull mechanism,” meaning an online search engine.

搜集 (to gather, to collect) — often used for collecting data or information.

搜查 (to investigate, to raid) — used in cybersecurity or police contexts.

In simplified Chinese, the same character 搜 is widely used in brand names like 搜狗 (Sōugǒu, “Search Dog”), one of China’s major search platforms — emphasizing its modern digital connotation of information retrieval and exploration.