Meaning and Usage
"模索" (もさく) means "groping" or "searching" for something, especially a method, solution, or way to do something. It implies a process of trial and error or careful exploration when the answer is not immediately clear.
Common Contexts
This word is often used in formal or business contexts when discussing efforts to find new strategies, solutions, or approaches. It can also appear in everyday conversation when someone is trying to figure something out.
Collocations and Patterns
- 模索する: to grope for, to search for a solution or method
- 模索の末（に）: after groping/searching
- 新しい方法を模索する: to look for a new method
Register and Nuance
"模索" is generally neutral to formal in tone. It is more common in written language, business, academic, or professional settings than in casual speech.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "模索" with simply "探す" (to search) but "模索" emphasizes the process of trial and error or uncertainty in finding a solution, not just searching physically or superficially.