When something is investigatory, it belongs to the work of looking into a problem to find out the facts — a crime, a complaint, a public scandal. You meet it in law and government: investigatory powers (the official right to search, seize, and ask), an investigatory committee, an investigatory report.

When something is investigatory當某件事是investigatory的時候 it belongs to the work of looking into a problem to find out the facts指的是為了查明事實而調查一個問題的工作 a crime, a complaint, a public scandal像是一樁犯罪、一件申訴、一起公眾醜聞 You meet it in law and government你會在法律和政府用語裡看到它 investigatory powers (the official right to search, seize, and ask)像investigatory powers（調查權，也就是搜查、扣押、詢問的正式權力） an investigatory committeeinvestigatory committee（調查委員會） an investigatory reportinvestigatory report（調查報告）

It is a stiff, paper-and-office adjective. Friends do not say they had an investigatory afternoon; they say the police are investigating.

It is a stiff, paper-and-office adjective這是一個很生硬、公文式的形容詞 Friends do not say they had an investigatory afternoon朋友不會說自己度過了一個investigatory的下午 they say the police are investigating他們會說警察正在調查

Though actually, investigative means the same thing and is far more common in everyday and American English (investigative journalism). Investigatory is the spelling that stuck in British legal writing — the UK even names a statute the Investigatory Powers Act. So: same idea as investigative, but you are more likely to see this one on a law than in a magazine feature.

Though actually不過實際上 investigative means the same thinginvestigative這個字意思一樣 and is far more common in everyday and American English而且在日常和美式英文裡常見得多 (investigative journalism)（像investigative journalism調查性新聞報導） Investigatory is the spelling that stuck in British legal writinginvestigatory是留在英式法律文件裡的拼法 the UK even names a statute the Investigatory Powers Act英國甚至有一條法規就叫做Investigatory Powers Act So所以 same idea as investigative意思跟investigative一樣 but you are more likely to see this one on a law但你比較可能在一條法律裡看到這個字 than in a magazine feature而不是雜誌專題報導裡