‘侦讯’ is a formal noun meaning ‘interrogation’—specifically, the official questioning of a suspect or witness during a criminal investigation. The first character 侦 (zhēn) means ‘to investigate’ or ‘to detect’, often used in law enforcement contexts like 侦查 (investigation). The second character 讯 (xùn) means ‘to question’ or ‘to inquire’, carrying a tone of official or serious inquiry (e.g., 审讯 ‘interrogation by authorities’). Together, 侦讯 emphasizes the investigative, procedural nature of questioning—not casual conversation, but a structured, legally grounded process conducted by police, prosecutors, or investigators.

This term appears almost exclusively in legal, judicial, or news reporting contexts. It is not used in everyday speech; native speakers would say 问话 (wèn huà, ‘asking questions’) or 审问 (shěn wèn, ‘interrogation’) for less formal or more general cases. 侦讯 implies documented procedure, rights awareness (e.g., right to counsel), and is frequently paired with words like 警方 (police), 检察官 (prosecutor), or 笔录 (written record).