Chinese word

警察

Pronunciation

Pinyinjǐng chá

Meaning

  • nounpolice

Example

发生事故后，警察很快赶到现场。fā shēng shì gù hòu jǐng chá hěn kuài gǎn dào xiàn chǎng

After the accident, the police quickly arrived at the scene.

Illustration for 警察 (police)

More examples

我在街上看见警察在帮助迷路的老人。wǒ zài jiē shàng kàn jiàn jǐng chá zài bāng zhù mí lù de lǎo rén

I saw the police helping a lost elderly person on the street.

Core concept

A public force that watches for danger, keeps order, and acts when laws are broken.

Common phrases

  • 向警察求助xiàng jǐng chá qiú zhù

    ask the police for help

  • 看见警察kàn jiàn jǐng chá

    see the police

Similar words

警官jǐng guān: A police officer, usually in uniform, who directs traffic or responds to incidents.
派出所pài chū suǒ: A small local police station that serves nearby residents and protects their safety.
公安gōng ān: The government public-security authority or its personnel, responsible for maintaining public order.

Definition in Chinese

负责维护公共安全与社会秩序，预防和查处违法行为的国家执法机关或其人员。fù zé wéi hù gōng gòng ān quán yǔ shè huì zhì xù yù fáng hé chá chǔ wéi fǎ xíng wéi de guó jiā zhí fǎ jī guān huò qí rén yuán

Word origin

The compound 警 (jǐng, "warn") + 察 (chá, "examine") links warning with careful investigation in a public-safety role.

Usage tips

  • A single member is commonly counted with 名 (míng, "people-counting measure word"), which helps distinguish one person from the public service as a whole.

Other meanings

  • police officernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word