探望 (tànwàng) · to visit (someone)

探望 (tànwàng) means “to visit (someone)”. It is written with 2 characters: 探 (to find) + 望 (to expect). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 探望 is built

The characters

探 tàn · to find

What 探 is made of

扌shǒu — hand
- 二 — two strokes
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亅 — hook
木mù — tree
- 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 八bā — eight

望 wàng · to expect

What 望 is made of

亡wáng — death
- 亠tóu — lid
  - 丶 — dot
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
月yuè — moon; month
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 二 — two strokes
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
王wáng — king
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
  - 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: A king 王 gazing at the moon 月; 亡 provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

周末我们去医院探望奶奶。Zhōumò wǒmen qù yīyuàn tànwàng nǎinai.At the weekend we went to visit Grandma in hospital.

同学们一起去探望生病的老师。Tóngxuémen yìqǐ qù tànwàng shēngbìng de lǎoshī.The classmates went together to visit their sick teacher.

Questions about 探望

What does 探望 mean?

探望 (tànwàng) means “to visit (someone)”.

How do you pronounce 探望?

探望 is pronounced tànwàng.

Which HSK level is 探望?

探望 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 探望 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 176: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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