警部

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 警部 is a noun read けいぶ, referring to a police inspector or the corresponding police rank.
• Basic usage: It can identify an inspector investigating a scene or giving subordinates an instruction to continue an inquiry.
  • 推理小説の警部が現場を詳しく調べた。 says that the inspector in the mystery novel carefully examined the scene; 警部は部下に聞き込みを続けるよう命じた。 says that the inspector ordered the subordinates to continue questioning witnesses.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 現場を調べる
  • を marks the scene as what the inspector examined in detail.
• 続けるよう命じる
  • よう introduces the content of the order: to continue the inquiry.
• 警部 and 刑事
  • 警部 identifies a police rank, while 刑事 generally identifies an officer engaged in criminal investigation.