‘巡捕’ is a historical noun referring to patrol officers or constables, especially in late Qing Dynasty and Republican-era China. The character 巡 (xún) means 'to patrol' or 'to inspect', conveying movement and oversight; 捕 (bǔ) means 'to arrest' or 'to capture', emphasizing law enforcement action. Together, they literally mean 'patrol-and-arrest officer', reflecting the dual duties of monitoring public order and apprehending suspects.

This term was widely used in treaty ports like Shanghai’s International Settlement, where foreign-administered police forces were called ‘Shanghai Municipal Police’ but locally referred to as 巡捕. It carries strong historical and colonial connotations and is rarely used for modern police officers — today’s standard term is 警察 (jǐngchá). You’ll encounter 巡捕 most often in historical novels, films, or museum exhibits about early 20th-century Chinese urban life.