检测 (jiǎncè) is a verb meaning 'to detect' or 'to test', especially for the presence, level, or quality of a substance—such as pathogens, chemicals, pollutants, or nutrients. The character 检 (jiǎn) means 'to examine' or 'to inspect', while 测 (cè) means 'to measure' or 'to assess'; together, they emphasize a systematic, often technical process of verification or analysis. It’s commonly used in scientific, medical, and regulatory contexts.

This word appears frequently in health screenings (e.g., COVID-19 testing), environmental monitoring (e.g., air or water quality), food safety inspections, and laboratory diagnostics. Unlike more general verbs like 检查 (jiǎnchá, 'to check'), 检测 implies quantification or identification using instruments or standardized methods—and is rarely used for casual observation. It often takes an object marked by 的 or a noun phrase specifying what is being tested (e.g., 血液检测 'blood test').