‘侦探’ is a noun meaning ‘detective’ — a person who investigates crimes, gathers evidence, and solves mysteries. The character 侦 (zhēn) means ‘to investigate’ or ‘to probe’, often in an official or systematic way, while 探 (tàn) means ‘to explore’, ‘to search’, or ‘to examine’. Together, they form a compound word emphasizing thorough, purposeful inquiry — not just casual looking, but methodical investigation. This word is commonly used in contexts involving law enforcement, private investigation, or fictional crime stories.

In modern Chinese, ‘侦探’ carries a neutral-to-formal register and is widely understood across all age groups. It appears frequently in news reports about criminal cases, detective novels, TV dramas, and even metaphorical uses like ‘a detective of ancient history’. Unlike the more bureaucratic term ‘刑警’ (xíngjǐng, ‘criminal investigator’), ‘侦探’ can refer to both professional officers and private individuals — including amateur sleuths or even children playing pretend.