noun
information gathering; interviewing witnesses; police inquiry
Primarily used in police or investigative contexts for gathering information by questioning people, especially witnesses. Often appears in compounds like 聞き込み捜査 (investigation by interviewing).
警察は事件の目撃者に聞き込みを行った。
The police conducted interviews with witnesses of the incident.
聞き込み捜査で有力な情報が得られた。
Valuable information was obtained through the door-to-door investigation.
Compound of 聞き (stem of 聞く 'to listen, ask') and 込み (stem of 込む 'to go into, put in'), literally 'listening in' or 'asking around'.