普查 (pǔ chá) literally combines 普 (pǔ), meaning 'universal' or 'general', and 查 (chá), meaning 'to inspect' or 'to investigate'. Together, they form a formal noun meaning 'census' — a comprehensive, official count and survey of a population, often conducted by a government to gather demographic, economic, or social data. It emphasizes thoroughness and coverage across an entire group or territory, not just a sample.

This term is most commonly used in administrative, statistical, and policy contexts — for example, national population censuses, agricultural censuses, or housing surveys. While it can technically apply to non-human subjects (e.g., wildlife populations), its primary usage relates to people, households, or infrastructure within defined geographic areas like cities or provinces. It carries a formal, institutional tone and rarely appears in casual speech.