Meaning of 追求
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to pursue (a goal etc) stubbornly
- to seek after
- to woo
How to use 追求
追求 is used for pursuing goals, ideals, or a better life, and also for courting someone romantically. Example: 他一直在追求自己的梦想。(Tā yīzhí zài zhuīqiú zìjǐ de mèngxiǎng.) He has always been pursuing his dream.
追 (zhuī) means to chase, and 求 (qiú) means to seek or ask for. Picture yourself chasing after something you keep asking for, and you get 追求: to pursue.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 追求 (zhuīqiú) with 追究 (zhuījiū). 追究 means to investigate or look into who is responsible, not to pursue a goal. Also keep 求 in the second tone (qiú), not the third.
追求 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
追 zhuī · to chase · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
求 qiú · to seek · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 追求.
| 要求 | yāoqiú | to request; to require |
| 请求 | qǐngqiú | to request; to ask; request (CL:個|个[ge4]) |
| 需求 | xūqiú | requirement; to require |
| 征求 | zhēngqiú | to solicit; to seek |
| 寻求 | xúnqiú | to seek; to look for |
| 追究 | zhuījiū | to investigate; to look into |
| 求职 | qiúzhí | to seek employment |
| 追踪 | zhuīzōng | to track; to trace; to follow up; (HK, Tw) to follow (on social media) |
| 求婚 | qiúhūn | to propose marriage |
| 追逐 | zhuīzhú | to chase; to pursue vigorously |
| 求救 | qiújiù | to seek help (when in distress or having difficulties) |
| 追随 | zhuīsuí | to follow; to accompany |
Questions about 追求
What does 追求 mean?
追求 (zhuīqiú) means "to pursue (a goal etc) stubbornly; to seek after" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 追求?
追求 is made of 2 characters: 追 (9 strokes), 求 (7 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 追求 an HSK word?
Yes. 追求 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 追求 and 寻求?
追求 suggests a long, determined pursuit of something you value, like happiness or success. 寻求 (xúnqiú) is more about looking for something specific, such as help, support, or a solution.
Can 追求 be used as a noun?
Yes. It can mean a pursuit or aspiration, as in 人生的追求 (rénshēng de zhuīqiú), one's pursuit in life. In casual speech, people often shorten the romantic sense to just 追, as in 他在追她 (He is chasing her).