trace to the source; investigate the root
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to trace to the source; to investigate the root cause thoroughly
formalFormal literary idiom used in academic, journalistic, or serious investigative contexts. Variants include 追本溯源 (zhuī běn sù yuán) and 探本溯源 (tàn běn sù yuán).
Yán研
jiū究
lì历
shǐ史
bì必
xū须
tàn探
běn本
qióng穷
yuán源
，
bù不
néng能
zhī只
kàn看
biǎo表
miàn面
xiàn现
xiàng象
。
Historical research must trace matters to their source; one cannot look only at surface phenomena.
Wèi为
le了
tàn探
běn本
qióng穷
yuán源
，
jì记
zhě者
shēn深
rù入
shān山
qū区
diào调
chá查
le了
sān三
gè个
yuè月
。
In order to get to the root of the matter, the journalist spent three months investigating deep in the mountain region.
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Zhè这
piān篇
wén文
zhāng章
duì对
wèn问
tí题
de的
fēn分
xī析
hěn很
tòu透
chè彻
，
zhēn真
zhèng正
zuò做
dào到
le了
tàn探
běn本
qióng穷
yuán源
。
This article's analysis of the problem is very thorough, truly achieving a full investigation to the source.
Tàn探
běn本
qióng穷
yuán源
shì是
yī一
zhǒng种
zhòng重
yào要
de的
zhì治
xué学
fāng方
fǎ法
。
Tracing matters to their source is an important scholarly methodology.