‘追究’ is a compound verb meaning to trace something back to its origin or cause—especially to identify and hold someone responsible for an error, wrongdoing, or negative outcome. The first character 追 (zhuī) means 'to chase' or 'to pursue', suggesting active effort to reach something distant or hidden; the second character 究 (jiū) means 'to investigate thoroughly' or 'to get to the bottom of'. Together, they convey a sense of determined, often formal or official, inquiry aimed at assigning accountability—not just understanding what happened, but who is answerable.

This word is commonly used in legal, administrative, medical, or workplace contexts where consequences follow mistakes: for example, investigating the cause of a safety incident, a disease outbreak, or a policy failure. It implies seriousness and authority—it’s rarely used casually among friends. While it can refer to factual investigation, its core nuance is assigning responsibility, making it stronger and more consequential than neutral verbs like ‘调查’ (diàochá, ‘to investigate’).