聞(き)き込(こ)み

ききこみ
noun
door-to-door inquiry; canvassing for information
1. door-to-door inquiry, canvassing for information, investigation by questioning
The act of going around asking people for information, especially by police investigating a crime. A standard part of detective work in Japanese crime fiction and news reporting.
刑事(けいじ)が聞(き)き込(こ)みに回(まわ)る。
The detective goes around conducting inquiries.
近所(きんじょ)で聞(き)き込(こ)み調査(ちょうさ)を行(おこな)った。
They conducted door-to-door inquiries in the neighborhood.
聞(き)き込(こ)みの結果(けっか)、事件(じけん)当日(とうじつ)に不審(ふしん)な人物(じんぶつ)を見(み)たという証言(しょうげん)が得(え)られた。
As a result of the door-to-door inquiries, they obtained a testimony that a suspicious person was seen on the day of the incident.

USAGE NOTE:
Strongly associated with police investigations. Very commonly heard in crime dramas, mystery novels, and news reports. The verb form is 聞(き)き込(こ)みをする.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 聞(き)き込(こ)みをする (conduct inquiries)
  • 聞(き)き込(こ)みに回(まわ)る (go around asking questions)
  • 聞(き)き込(こ)み調査(ちょうさ) (inquiry-based investigation)
  • 聞(き)き込(こ)み捜査(そうさ) (investigation through questioning)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 取材(しゅざい): news-gathering, reporting (journalistic context)
  • 尋問(じんもん): interrogation (more formal, at the station)
general
Added 2026.2.27 15:59
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