探さがす

さ

が

す

探す · godan verb (-su)

Meanings

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

General searching for something desired, wanted, or needed. 探す is the typical kanji, while 捜す leans toward looking for something lost or missing.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

search through; rummage in; fish around

Searching inside a specific place or container, such as a room, pocket, or drawer. Often implies a physical, hands-on search.

〈場ば所しょ〉で〈物もの〉を探さがすto look for something in a place
図と書しょ館かんで資し料りょうを探さがした。
I looked for materials in the library.
仕し事ごとを探さがすto look for a job
大だい学がくを卒そつ業ぎょうしてから仕し事ごとを探さがしている。
I've been looking for a job since graduating from university.
〈物もの〉を探さがしに行いくto go look for something
落おとした鍵かぎを探さがしに公こう園えんへ行いった。
I went to the park to look for the key I had dropped.
〈場ば所しょ〉の中なかを探さがすto search through the inside of a place or container
かばんの中なかを探さがしたが、財さい布ふが見みつからなかった。
I searched through my bag, but I couldn't find my wallet.

捜そう索さくN1sense 1
捜索する is a formal, often official word for conducting a search (e.g. police, rescue teams), while 探す is the everyday word for looking for something.
見みつけるN4
探す means to search or look for something, while 見つける describes the moment of actually finding it.
漁あさるN1
探す is the neutral verb for 'search for/look for', while 漁る adds a nuance of rummaging messily or desperately through things.
探さぐるN2
探す is the general word for looking for something, while 探る implies a careful, groping or probing search, often by touch or into hidden matters.

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探さがし回まわるN2
探す is the plain, general verb for 'look for something', while 探し回る adds the nuance of moving from place to place in an extensive, often frantic search.
尋たずねるN4
探す is the everyday verb for looking for something, whereas 尋ねる in this sense is more literary and often implies searching for a person or clue.
求もとめるN3
探す is used for physically searching for a specific lost object or person, while 求める is more abstract and goal-oriented, as in seeking a job or solution.
調しらべるN5
探す means to search for something lost or desired, focusing on locating it, while 調べる focuses on examining or looking up information about something already identified.
模も索さくN1
探す is the everyday verb for looking for something concrete, while 模索 is abstract and implies uncertainty or trial and error in finding a solution.

見みつけるN4sense 1
探す means the act of searching (the process), while 見つける means to find (the successful result), so 探したが見つからなかった is a common contrast.
探さぐるN2sense 2
探す is a general word for looking for something you want, while 探る means to feel around or probe (often blindly or exploratively) for something, as in groping in the dark.

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家いえ探さがし
house hunting · searching a house; ransacking
人ひと探さがし
searching for someone; looking for a person · recruitment; scouting; searching for a candidate
探さがし物もの
looking for something; searching for something · object being sought; lost item
盲めくら探さがし
searching blindly; groping around
粗あら探さがし
fault-finding; nitpicking; being picky
絵え探さがし
hidden picture puzzle; picture search
職しょく探さがし
job hunting; job searching
金きん探さがし
searching for gold; gold hunting
仕し事ごと探さがし
job hunting; job searching
犯はん人にん探さがし
searching for the culprit; trying to find out who did something
自じ分ぶん探さがし
finding oneself; self-discovery; journey of self-discovery

探さがすUsage80%
General-purpose kanji for searching, especially for something desired or sought after.
捜さがすUsage11%
Often used when searching for something lost, missing, or hidden; this distinction.
さがすUsage9%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing and when the kanji nuance is not important.

The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 探 and 捜 are conventionally associated with searching and seeking.