追根問底

简 追根问底 · 繁 追根問底
Mandarin · pinyin zhuī gēn wèn dǐ

Meanings

  1. lit. to examine roots and inquire at the base (idiom); to get to the bottom of sth
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Characters in this entry

追
zhuī · pursue, chase after; expel
根
gēn · root, base(d on); foundation
問
wèn · ask (about), inquire after
底
dǐ · bottom, underneath, underside
问
wèn · ask about, inquire after
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–1–4–3 · zhui1 gen1 wen4 di3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

追根問底 · find source passages ↗ · 追根问底 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zeoi1 gan1 man6 dai2

Cantonese word readings for 追根問底. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

追根問底 · zhui1 gen1 wen4 di3
CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG · edition 2026-10-13 · source line 107,393
Original dictionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source & transformation details
Exact source record追根問底 追根问底 [zhui1 gen1 wen4 di3] /lit. to examine roots and inquire at the base (idiom); to get to the bottom of sth/