JLPT N2・N4 Vocabulary – Difference between “探す” and “探る”
Table of Contents
1. Difference between “探す” and “探る”
2. 探す
3. 探る
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment
Q: What is the difference between “探す” and “探る” ?
A: Both share the common meaning of “trying to find,” but “探す” refers to the act of looking for something visible, while “探る” refers to carefully investigating unseen information or situations. Let’s take a closer look.
探す (JLPT N4)
[Meaning]
The act of trying to find something you want, such as an object or a person
[Examples]
いい日本語の本を探したけど、見つかりませんでした。
I looked for a good Japanese book, but I couldn’t find one.
すみません、このレストランを探しているんですが。
Excuse me, I’m looking for this restaurant.
新しい仕事を探しています。
I’m looking for a new job.
“探す” refers to searching for concrete and visible things such as people, objects, or places.
It describes a clear action of trying to find something by actually looking with the eyes or feeling with the hands.
[Examples]
日本語の本を探してるんだけど、いいの知らない？
I’m looking for a good Japanese book. Do you know any?
パーティーのためのレストランを探しています。
I’m looking for a restaurant for the party.
娘が門限の時間になっても帰って来ないので、探しに行きました。
My daughter didn’t come home by her curfew time, so I went out to look for her.
探る (JLPT N2)
[Meaning]
① Searching for something using hands or senses
② Secretly investigating someone’s condition or a situation
③ Trying to uncover something unknown
[Examples]
ポケットの中を手で探ったけど、小銭はありませんでした。（①）
I felt around in my pocket, but there were no coins.
警察は犯人の様子を探っています。（②）
The police are investigating the suspect’s behavior.
多くの研究者たちが、日本語の起源を探っています。（③）
Many researchers are exploring the origins of the Japanese language.
It mainly refers to investigating abstract things such as information, situations, feelings (mental states), or unknown matters carefully and cautiously.
[Examples]
警察は火事の原因を探っています。
The police are investigating the cause of the fire.
彼は顔では笑ってるけど、本音が分からないから少し探ってみよう。
He’s smiling on the surface, but since I can’t tell what he’s really thinking, I’ll try to probe a little.
It is also used when trying to find something that cannot be seen directly, relying on hands or senses.
[Examples]
小銭がないか、バッグの中を探りました。
I felt around in my bag to see if there were any coins.
机の奥に何かあるようなので、中を探るとくしゃくしゃになった紙が出てきました。
It seemed like there was something in the back of the desk, so I felt around inside and found a crumpled piece of paper.
Let’s Compare
In the following cases, which expression is more appropriate?
[Examples]
① 運命の人をずっと探しています。
② 運命の人をずっと探っています。
The correct answer is ①. At first glance, “destined person” might seem abstract, but since the target is a concrete being (“a person”), “探す” is the correct usage.
Now, let’s look at another example.
[Examples]
① 相手の本音を探してから、計画を提案してみよう。
② 相手の本音を探ってから、計画を提案してみよう。
The correct answer is ②.
Since “true feelings” refer to emotions or psychological states, which are abstract, “探る” is the correct usage.
Summary
[探す]
- It refers to concrete and visible things such as people, objects, and places.
- It describes a clear action of trying to find something by actually looking with the eyes or feeling with the hands.
[探る]
- It refers to abstract things such as information, situations, feelings (mental states), or unknown matters, and carries the meaning of investigating them carefully.
- It is also used when trying to find something that cannot be seen directly, relying on hands or senses.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. 探して
友達の誕生日プレゼントを、ネットで探しています。
I’m looking for a birthday present for my friend online.
*Since a present is a concrete and visible object, “探す” is the correct choice.
A. 探した
なくしたイヤホンを1か月も探したけど、見つかりませんでした。
I searched for my lost earphones for a whole month but couldn’t find them.
*Since I was trying to find a concrete object (earphones), “探す” is the correct choice.
A. 探る
真っ暗な中、壁を探るようにしてスイッチを見つけました。
In the dark, I felt around the wall to find the switch.
*Since I was using my hands (sense of touch) to find it, “探る” is the correct choice.
A. 探る
事件の真相を探るために記者たちが動き始めたようです。
Reporters have started moving to probe the truth behind the incident.
*Since the “truth” is an abstract target, “探る” is the correct choice.
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