聞(き)き込(こ)み

ききこみ
noun
door-to-door inquiry; canvassing for information
legalcommunication
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

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

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)

Related Words

Compare: 取材(しゅざい) (news-gathering, reporting)
general
Added 2026.2.27 15:59 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13919_kikikomi