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Kotomora

索

cord, rope, searching, inquiring

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • サク

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

索 centers on the idea of a cord or rope used to seek or draw something in, which extends naturally to searching and inquiring—like casting a line to find what is hidden.

Most common words using 索

20 of 174
  • 検索けんさく
    N2

    looking up (e.g. a word in a dictionary); search (e.g. on the Internet); retrieval (of information); reference

  • 捜索そうさく
    N1

    search (esp. for someone or something missing); manhunt

  • 探索たんさく

    search; lookup; hunt; (item of) research; exploration; investigation

  • 模索もさく
    N1

    groping (for); fumbling around (for); searching (for an answer, solution, etc.); trying to find

  • 索さく

    rope; cord

  • 索敵さくてき

    searching for the enemy

  • 索ソー

    counter for bamboo tiles

  • 索引さくいん
    N2

    index (in a book)

  • 思索しさく

    speculation; thinking; meditation

  • 詮索せんさく

    inquiry into; enquiry into; prying (into); investigation; search; exploration

  • 鋼索こうさく

    steel cable; steel wire rope

  • 暗中模索あんちゅうもさく

    groping in the dark; exploring new avenues without having any clues

  • 検索条件けんさくじょうけん

    search criteria

  • 捜索隊そうさくたい

    search party

  • あいまい検索あいまいけんさく

    fuzzy reference; ambiguous search; ambiguous retrieval

  • びまん性軸索損傷びまんせいじくさくそんしょう

    diffuse axonal injury; DAI

  • イメージ検索イメージけんさく

    image search

  • インターネット検索インターネットけんさく

    web search

  • ウェブ検索ウェブけんさく

    web search

  • キーワード検索キーワードけんさく

    keyword search

Explore all words using 索 →

Study

Etymology

索 originally depicted a cord or rope, with the top part representing a twisted fiber and the bottom 糸 reinforcing the thread/rope meaning. The searching sense likely developed from the action of using a rope to probe or seek.

Meaning mnemonic

The top looks like a crown of twisted fibers, and the bottom is 糸 (thread). Imagine a sturdy rope made by twisting many threads together, used for searching and pulling things in.

Reading mnemonic

For サク, picture using a rope to sack up items while searching: sack -> サク, and the rope helps you gather what you find.