1236/2000JLPT: N2School Grade: 6th gradeThis character is a combination of 扌 hand and 罙 an elem

1236/2000

JLPT: N2

School Grade: 6th grade

This character is a combination of 扌 hand and 罙 an element that initially was a combination of 穴 hole, 又 hand, and 火 fire. 罙 referred to the idea of a hand reaching into a hole, and also carries a connotation of “deep.” With 扌, this gives 探 a meaning of “groping about” for something, leading to the meanings of “search” and “probe.”